Are you in need of encouragement or otherwise ready for some inspiration? You’ve come to the right place. Not that I, personally, have that kind of power but God’s Word does. So I’ll share with you a Bible verse that is packed with power to encourage and inspire. Isn’t it amazing that just a verse can do that? That’s God’s Word for you: power-packed grace for all who read it; encouragement and inspiration for the journey. Here you are: Even…
I find the gift of faith is so amazing that I have a hard time understanding why everybody does not think so. Because through faith we are all invited to come to God who is love. Why would anybody refuse to let Love come close is beyond me. Because love makes everything better (in my book anyway). I believe people either have not heard or have not understood the essence of Christianity. Most people think faith is old-fashioned or irrelevant…
Last week I wrote about how believing needs to begin again every morning. That’s why none of us can boast of our faith, we are all beggars of grace. But this does not mean that we weren’t called to grow in faith. Faith is not a pill we swallow once in our lifetime. Rather it is an organic connection with God we are all invited to enter. And this is where we can grow in faith. We are called to…
I’ve always marveled God’s willingness to wait for us to get ready to do his will. Willingness in faith is not self-evident, it’s a choice. God does not force us against our will. It’s called love. Yet we so often abuse that love. But when we finally are ready to accept it, we are amazed by its sweet power. I’ve come to understand God’s will for us is the ultimate best. Yet we rebel. We are not willing to surrender…
Obedience is not a buzzword. Nowadays everyone wants to be independent and do whatever they want. That’s why obedience is not very fashionable. And because faith is trusting and obeying God, faith is not very fashionable either. But faith in Christ gives us something eternal, something that never goes out of fashion. With the words of Paul, the gospel “is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16, NIV). The blessings of obedience are out of…
What kind of goals do you have for your life? Some people are real goal-setters and go-getters. Others are more laid-back but all of us need some intentionality for our lives. As a Christian, I try to plan my life with God, laying my dreams and plans at Jesus’ feet. God has promised to guide us and we can count on that. But what is God’s goal for your life? First of all, God’s goal for your life is salvation…
Do you ever wonder how you can remain a faith-filled Christian in this post-modern, post-Christian world? If we focus on the culture around us, the task is quite daunting for sure. But if we focus on faith and the Giver of Faith, we will be just fine. Because faith is much more than a bunch of dogmas. Faith is about living out Divine power. For you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart…
As we approach Easter, it is good to contemplate on the sacrifice of Jesus and what it means for us. And how it shows in our lives. Or does it at all? Is Jesus’ death on the cross the sacrifice we trust or is it the sacrifice we dust once a year? These thoughts were inspired by this P.T. Forsyth’s quote “Christianity is not the sacrifice we make, but the sacrifice we trust.” It helps us to understand Christian faith…
Sometimes I think we make our lives way too complicated. We don’t intend to do so but, anyhow, we do. The same goes to faith. It’s meant to be a joy and strength for our journey. And we make it a chore to do. How did we end here when God created us for his pleasure to enjoy him and the life he gives. How could we uncomplicate things? Are you ready for uncomplicated faith? Okay. How do we do…
There is so much negativity going around that it’s tempting to just give up. But that is not a solution. Instead, we are called to go against the grain and build each other up in faith. This seems to be a novel concept these days. But what if we build our lives on faith and extended love even to our enemies? Our world would become a better place for sure. And then we would not even be tempted to give…
