“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not fromContinue reading “The Cost of Following Jesus”
Tag Archives: sacrifice
What Causes Your Joy to Grow?
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” (Matthew 13:44 NLT) Every morning, I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ who live in the shadowsContinue reading “What Causes Your Joy to Grow?”
Why Grief Is a Gift?
“He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.” (Isaiah 53:3 NLT) The verse above, at least for me, puts all my grief and pain into a whole new frame ofContinue reading “Why Grief Is a Gift?”
The Only List That Matters (Part 2)
“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’sContinue reading “The Only List That Matters (Part 2)”
Have You Come to the End of Yourself?
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NLT) For whom are you laying down your life? What does that even mean? The words in the verse above are the words of Jesus hours before He would be nailed to a cross. He was literally at theContinue reading “Have You Come to the End of Yourself?”
What’s It Costing You?
“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s theContinue reading “What’s It Costing You?”
Where Are You Investing?
“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’” (Matthew 25:26-27 NLT) What is the largest investment you’ve ever made? BeContinue reading “Where Are You Investing?”
Loving or Serving?
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let Me.” (Matthew 23:37 NLT) In the later verses of Luke 10 we find Jesus visiting in the home ofContinue reading “Loving or Serving?”
How Much Does Your Love Cost?
“Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is Your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings. You feed them from the abundance of Your own house, letting them drink from YourContinue reading “How Much Does Your Love Cost?”
Finish Strong!
“Then Jesus explained: ‘My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent Me, and from finishing His work.” (John 4:36 NLT) Regardless of our age none of us knows for sure how close to the finish line of our lives we are. One of my uncles died on a ship in Pearl HarborContinue reading “Finish Strong!”
Walking With Jesus 