Sheep are mentioned in the Bible more than five hundred times. Also Jesus talked about sheep many times: Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36, CEB). “My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27, CEB). These verses show us that Jesus was familiar with this passage from Ezekiel: “‘God, the Master, says: From now on, I…
Past few days I have had an image of God shining upon his people persistently popping in my head. So I started to explore what this image could mean. Our efforts to understand God will always fall short but we need to keep trying…because if we just get a glimpse of God’s awesomeness, we are truly blessed. God wants to shine on us. God wants to bless us. God wants to dwell in us. We are called to become children…
I love Easter for so many reasons. My husband and I were engaged on Easter and our first-born son was baptized on Easter. I also love ending the Lenten season and celebrating Life. And who wouldn’t love chocolate eggs? They’re not only delicious but beautifully symbolize the new life we’ve been given. These reasons are all very nice – even blessed – but there are even far better reasons. They were saying to each other, “The Lord really has risen!…
Isn’t it amazing that God created us in his own image? Incredible! God wanted us to be able to relate to him in special ways. God wanted human companions and conversation partners. God made us after his own likeness! Wow! We need to always remember we are truly loved and cherished by God. God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of…
Do you need constant renewal? I certainly do. Yesterday’s grace and peace won’t work today. I need my daily refill in order to live out of love and not out of fear. If you don’t trust my word on it, follow Jesus’ example. With the words of Andrew Murray: “While others still slept, He [Jesus] went away to pray and to renew His strength in communion with His Father. He had need of this, otherwise He would not have been…
Anytime you start doubting, go back to your Bible. Anytime your feelings tell you that there is no way out, take your Bible out. Anytime you want to be assured by God’s amazing love check out some of the Bible verses that include these two little words “but God”. They’re small words but they declare God’s powerful ways to operate in this world in a big way! I’ll share here just a few of the Bible verses so you can…
What do you think? Is holiness old-fashioned? Fasting during the Lent is (for most Christians) a voluntary thing. But too often we think all the discipline and growing in grace is optional, too. Even if you are not interested in hidden blessings hidden through discipline, you are called to be holy like God is holy. Holiness is not voluntary. It is the new normal for children of God. Don’t be conformed to your former desires, those that shaped you when…
Do you know how much God loves you? Do you know that you are God’s beloved? Because that is your true identity. Don’t believe me? Read on. God’s favorite word is yes. God says yes to you. Over and over again. And God’s yes is not valid just when you are doing well. God loves all of you. The bad and the ugly. The good and the beautiful. Everything. God speaks yes to you in Jesus. Whatever God has promised…
Do you remember the story of vineyard workers(Matthew 20:1-16) who got paid the same no matter what time they started their labor? The workers who had labored the whole day and got the same pay as the ones who started late in the afternoon complained. I used to see this unfair, too. Why on earth would the master pay everybody the same? The logic behind this is fair: there is plenty of grace for everyone. The workers who started early…
I’ve always thought that we should only serve one God and we should not have idols. God should be number one in our lives. I had thought those possible idols would be other people or work or hobbies, somebody or something else than me. But then I read this from Isaiah: “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress…
