Shepherding Through Teaching — Eph 4:11-12
“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12). What is your pastor’s main job? Paul hints at the answer in Eph […]
Truth for Troubles — John 16
How can you exchange the world’s anxiety for God’s peace? R.B. Thieme, Jr. called it the faith-rest technique (see here), but he invented the name, not the practice itself. The method is simple. In the face of trouble, you put your faith in God. More specifically, you put your faith in a Bible promise or […]
Obey to Abide — John 15:10
The key to having eternal life is to believe in Jesus for it (John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 6:47). The key to having abundant life is to abide in Jesus for it. But how do you abide? Part of the answer is that you must obey. “If you keep My commandment, you will abide in My […]
Are You Jesus’ Friend? — John 15:14-15
What does it mean to be Jesus’ friend? Is every believer a friend to Jesus? Is Jesus’ idea of friendship the same as the modern one? The answers to these questions might surprise you. They might even shock you. We find the answers in something Jesus said to the eleven apostles (Judas had left at […]
Eating Habits
My daughter, Scout, has been the easiest of the three children. She just turned 1 ½ years old. I’ve hardly had to teach her anything. She picks things up easily and makes good decisions for herself. For example, about five months ago, or so, I saw Scout take a forkful of food, bring it to […]
Apply to Abide
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you…” (John 15:7) How can Jesus’ words abide in you? One way to do this is to take a truth that Jesus taught, learn to apply it to your situation, and then live accordingly. For example, Jesus taught us to pray: “Our Father who is […]
Lazy Atheists
My kids are extremely lazy when it comes to looking for something they’ve lost. It could be a toy, or a shoe, or a cup of water, but the conversation always goes the same way. “Daddy, I’m thirsty.” “Where’s the cup I just gave you?” “I don’t know.” “Well, look for it.” The child will […]
Whose Words Do You Focus On?
When I was a teenager, I was very passionate about music. But, looking back, I realize I listened to some pretty horrible bands. I would play the same dark and depressing songs over and over again. I knew every word (well, as far as I could make out the mumbling!), every chord change, every note […]
What Makes It Narrow? — Matthew 7:13
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt 7:13). What makes the gate narrow? […]
Is Jesus Prominent or Preeminent?
Do you know the difference between being prominent and being preeminent? I have three children, Daphne, Zane, and Scout. Compared to other kids, they are prominent. They’re my kids. I love them in a way I do not love other kids. When I take them to the playground, my eyes are chiefly on my kids, […]