As you probably know, there’s no false advertising in the Bible. The Bible promises us difficulties, right? But that’s not the end of the story. The Bible also promises us (among other things) that God will always be with us. Awesome, you say. Just remember this does not mean that we could live however we please. In order to be strong in and through upcoming difficulties, we need to be built up in the Lord. Only when we abide in…
Change is inevitable. Change happens all the time, sometimes we are able to notice it, sometimes not. Yet it happens all the time, it’s part of life whether we like it or not. Change can be overwhelming and frightful because we can’t control it. And that seems to be the root of all fear. We don’t want to lose control. What to do then? Paradoxically, the way to cope with change is to surrender all control to Jesus. When we…
Do you know what we are supposed to do until Jesus comes back? Are we just going to hang around? Or does it matter how we spend our time here on earth? Yes, it does matter. We are called to follow Christ, introduce our friends and family to Jesus and do as much good as possible. We are called to be Christ to the world. Aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is…
‘Go tell it to the mountains’ was the first thing that went through my mind when I learned this week’s Five minute Friday prompt was ‘tell’. We are indeed commanded to go and tell everyone that Jesus has come for each of us. But are we really living out this command? How does is show in our everyday life? Ouch. “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this…
This summer has been so wonderful that as the start of a new school year approaches we are ready to move on. We have been swimming in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. We have had road trips, back yard parties, and beach getaways. We are totally satisfied, filled with joyful memories and ready to move on. This made me think of a few Bible passages that states how Abraham, Isac, David, Joash and Job who all…
Did you know that some schools start already on Monday? Our kids won’t start until the 11th but it’s still almost here. Are you ready to get back to the grid? How are you approaching this new beginning? How could we being in such a way that would be life-giving and not just the same old, same old all over again? Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play…
Does summer for you mean living without routines? I love it. We truly need to break routines once in awhile. But the fact is living without routines can be disastrous. Also for our spiritual well-being. Routines help us stay focused on the right things. While on vacation we might forget to keep our daily date with God. For a few days it does not matter that much. God does not move anywhere. Grace is valid even when we do not…
Who do you say Jesus is? This is one of the most important questions you ever answer. Who is Jesus to you? Is Jesus a philosopher, a teacher, a radical social activist or something more personal, maybe even life-changing? This is what Peter answered to Jesus’ question: Simon Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16, CEB,*) How about you? Is Jesus a savior to you? Do you think Jesus is the son of…
Have you ever taken a selfie? Do you enjoy seeing your friends’ selfies? These self portraits usually give us glimpses of their lives. Have you ever wondered how the selfie of God would look like? The Son is the image of the invisible God, the one who is first over all creation. (Col.1:15, CEB,*) The selfie of God is Jesus. The selfie of God is indeed Jesus. And it is a huge blessing. Without Jesus we would not have an access to…
Too often we take life granted. We forget how fragile we are. We forget that we can’t control everything. We forget that there are not guarantees in life. And most of all we focus on the earthly things and forget God. We flirt with the destructive things and wonder why we don’t feel close to God. We are in danger of becoming enemies of the cross. As I have told you many times and now say with deep sadness, many…
