I don’t know about you but I feel like my bones are dry and my spirit is weary. Truly, I need God to revive me, to give new life to me. I need the power of resurrection to renew my spirit. How about you? Are you standing in the need of Jesus? Because without Jesus, we have no hope. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become…
Do you remember the story of the wise and foolish builders? I’ve always marveled at how beautifully and simply Jesus described the importance of faith as our rock. But somehow I’ve forfeited the fact that just agreeing with Jesus does not make us wise. “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are…
One of the things we forget or take for granted is that we are called into fellowship with Jesus. God is not done with us when we are saved. He invites us into an intimate relationship with Jesus. That’s an ongoing thing like any other relationship. And not just on Sundays. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Cor. 1:9, NIV) We are to live our whole lives in Jesus. We need…
Very often I am asked how to live faith out in everyday life. It’s a great question, don’t you think? If you do know how to live faith out, faith is not just great theology, it’s a fulfilling way of life. And that’s what we all want, right? I’ve always thought the answer to this question is somewhat hard to explain but then I read from Ephesians how Paul explains it in two verses: In conclusion, be strong in the…
The war in Ukraine has shaken us all. How is this possible in the year 2022? I guess, we humans truly are a sinful bunch. We truly need Jesus. Maybe this is a wake-up call to all of us to see what’s really important in life and what’s superficial and vainglory. May we all be reminded that in the world there is no peace without Jesus. But with Jesus, we have peace that is real even in the midst of…
Do you feel that God’s grace is not for you? That somehow you don’t qualify to receive it? The only way you don’t qualify is that you’re absolutely sinless and hence don’t need it. But there is not a person alive who is sinless. And Jesus pre-approved you personally on the cross. You’re all set to receive grace upon grace. God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! (Titus 2:11, MSG) Okay, so God’s grace is…
For quite some time now I have started my day by surrendering myself, my life, and that particular day to Jesus. It has blessed me and taught me how to walk with God throughout the day. But something was still missing. God showed me I needed another habit to the end of the day. And that’s how I learned the bookends for any blessed day. What’s the other bookend then, you ask. It’s as simple as the one in the…
Tone can play a big role in how the words are interpreted. The used tone of voice can even totally change the meaning of the words spoken. This is true also when it comes to the Bible. I had always thought the commandment “Be holy!” was said sternly. But what if it was whispered in love? Then it is an invitation to intimacy with God. That does change everything, doesn’t it? “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to…
Our God is an amazing God. So generous, so loving, so kind. Yet, somehow, we live many times like orphans. Like we’d be left all alone in this world to get by the best we can. But that is not so. The Bible tells us so. Jesus lives in us. The Holy Spirit is always with us. So we are to live like beloved children, not like orphans. It’s time to live like an heir! How do we do that?…
Valentine’s Day is approaching, so there is a lot of talk of love these days. That’s fine but so often we forget the most important love of all. So I enjoyed Bob Goff’s tweet the other day “Jesus didn’t tell us to become religious. He told us to be like Him, and He was love.” What a relief we don’t need to be religious. Instead, we are told to be like God, and he is love. So we need to…
