It is important to say ‘I love you’ yet those three words are not ones that change everything. They might change your marital status or bring otherwise happiness into your life. But the three words that I am talking about can change the eternal status of every single person ever lived. Talk about life-changing words. One of the most powerful Bible verses reveals these words that change everything: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is…
Today – being Friday the 13th and all – I want to remind you to take up the shield of faith. Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Eph. 6:16, CEB) We are saved by grace through faith. But so often we forget that through faith we also receive God’s protection. God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you— Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from…
Have you any plans to travel this summer? Where are you going? What are you taking along? A big part of any journey is planning and packing. It is important to have relevant gears with you. Not too much, not too little. And it is important to know where you are going and how to get there. Hence you need a map and possibly a passport. It is so also on the great adventure called faith. The revelation of God…
What do you think? Is there such a thing as one-size fits-all faith? Yes and no. Yes because Jesus died for all of our sins and his blood covers everyone’s sins. Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ’s death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation. (Hebrews 9:27-28, MSG,*) There’s nothing…
Do you ever wonder why God has created the world and you particularly? Why did God go to great lengths to ensure you’d have a way out of your sins? Simply out of the great love of his. We can understand loving lovable persons. But God loved us out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were unlovable and dead because of our sins. That is amazing. That is so out of our radar. But…
Do you know why we try so hard to hide our wounds? It almost feels like being vulnerable and real would be the end of the world. Like the real life would be only reserved for beautiful, perfect and unbroken. But that’s so, so wrong. First of all, there’s beauty in brokenness. Second of all, blessings come through wounds. Not by avoiding or hiding them. But by embracing them. Really. He was pierced because of our rebellions and crushed because…
Do you know that you convey a message of eternal life or death without saying a word? I know, quite a responsibility. But our part is just to cling to Jesus. He takes care of the rest. How does that happen? Let’s find out. In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ,…
You know that faith is a gift from God. You can’t earn it, you can just receive it. Just as spiritual gifts in general, also faith is inspired and brought to pass by one and the same Holy Spirit. All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when. (1 Cor. 12:11, MSG) If you have had the pleasure to receive the gift of…
Do you recognize God’s presence in your life? Or are you too busy to take notice of the divine intervention? These are the questions the Bible asked me today. I was reading the chapter 19 in Luke where Jesus is entering Jerusalem to be crucified. Jesus wept over the city because he knew they were not recognizing and welcoming God’s personal visit. This is how he prophesied: When the city came into view, he wept over it. “If you had…
I’ve heard or read the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well many, many times. I’ve been mesmerized by the living water over and over again. But somehow I have never paid much attention to the latter part of the verse until now. Or that’s how it feels this time. How about you? But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water…
