I love different Bible translations. Years ago I wrote a thanksgiving post based on the Message version of this verse and thought it was so inspiring. Today I read the same verse from the Amplified Bible and saw it in a totally different light. So here’s my this year’s thanksgiving post. Praise God for the peace of Christ. Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding…
Do you want to have something in common with God? Good for you. I want that more than anything. So, how do we get there then? The answer is Jesus. Without Jesus we have nothing in common with God. Here’s how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess…
Do you ever feel that you are not enough? Don’t let the enemy discourage you. He does not want you to believe that you are loved, you are enough just as you are. Because if you dare to believe that you are enough and dearly loved by God, the devil has lost. God’s love is so powerful that the enemy does not have any chance against it. You are worthy of God’s love Self-doubt and self-hate are the enemy’s methods…
Bob Dylan won the 2016 Nobel prize in literature “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” I’ve been touched by the faith-filled lyrics of Bob Dylan. He might not be the most typical Christian but he is a powerful example of the power of God’s grace. With the words of C.I. Scofield “Grace is not looking for good men whom it may approve, for it is not grace but mere justice to approve goodness. [Rather]…
It’s great that we trust God. But we are also called to follow Christ. We can’t omit the cross and Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer states “Christianity without discipleship is Christianity without Christ.” As followers of Jesus we can’t dictate our own terms or decide what we are willing to do. We can’t write our own program to suit our whims and wants. We can’t limit our following to our comprehension. It’s too limited. We are called to follow Christ beyond comprehension….
How are you doing today? Are you feeling blessed and bursting with eternal joy? Or are you feeling under the weather? No matter how you feel you should know Jesus blesses you, loves you, and prays for you. The Bible tells us so. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34, NIV) Jesus even left…
How do you feel about spiritual testing? Are you tired of trials? I hear you. But, believe me, there’s more to testing and trials than we might think. There’re hidden blessings involved, you know. Each trial has a purpose Warren Wiersbe has said “Life’s trials are not easy. But in God’s will, each has a purpose. Often He uses them to enlarge you.” This already make me feel better of tests and trials. Each trial has a purpose. God has…
Today I’ve been inspired by Lance Wallnau’s quote. “Remember that you are not practicing a sterile system of principles, but following a dynamic person who makes Himself real to you through His indwelling Holy Spirit.” I could not agree more. You know, religion does not save you. But Jesus does. The real question is: do you live in the realm of the Spirit or not? You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of…
What do you think of angels? Do you believe in them? Or have you dismissed them as New age-y type of thing? It’s true that not all angel-talk is Christian. But I think we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Angels are mentioned both in the old and the new testament hundreds of times. We can’t ignore them. What should Christians then think of angels? Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will…
Do you know you’re not supposed to be a slave of God? You know, so many people walk away from God because they think just that? They keep their distance because they think they’re free that way. But they are in bondage to fear and all kind of addictions (need of approval, love, success, fame, money, drugs, you name it) whether they know it or not. Just think how their lives would change if they knew that each and everyone…
