How do you feel about holiness? Is it something on your ‘ought to do’ list or is it something you embrace wholeheartedly? Why is it that holiness sometimes has a bad reputation? Nancy Leigh DeMoss asks us an excellent question: “Why do we make holiness out to be some austere obligation or burden to be borne, when the fact is that to be holy is to be clean, to be free from the weight and the burden of sin?” Let’s…
One of the most important questions in life is: Who is Jesus to you? The answer to that question shapes our life and destiny like no other. Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God, our Lord and Savior. There is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the human Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a payment to set all people free. (1 Tim. 2: 5-6, CEB) We find freedom in Jesus. There’s nothing better in…
Is glass half full or half empty? They say your answer depends on your outlook on life. But as Christians our life does not depend on us or on our outlook on life. Our cup is always full. Because our life depends on God and the Holy Spirit fills the portion that is empty. John the Baptist leads the way: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30, AMP) The less we are, the more prominent place God has…
It is fun to see how children learn Bible stories and act them out in their play, like our son yelling “I am strong like Samson!” in the triumphant superman pose. Samson’s life story is indeed colorful but, all in all, rather sad, don’t you think? He was wasting his gifts! Lord, have mercy! Samson had everything going for him. He had godly parents and he knew he was specially chosen and gifted. But he ended up misusing his gifts…
Whose side are you on? You know, there’s no middle ground. Even if we’d like it to be so. Jesus said: “Whoever isn’t with me is against me, and whoever doesn’t gather with me scatters.” (Matthew 12:30, CEB) This verse stopped me this morning. I’m either with Jesus or I am against him. I either gather with Jesus or I scatter. No other alternatives. Jesus or no Jesus. Whose side are you on? God wants it all. God wants obedience….
All my Bible readings today spoke about the importance of having a humble heart. The words of Jesus in Matthew 11:29 captured my attention right away: “I’m gentle and humble in heart.” We are called to be like Jesus. “Lord, how can I live this in my life? How can I be gentle and humble in heart”, I pray. I currently reading through Judges. Today’s passage happened to be about Gideon whose faith was even admired in Hebrews (11:32-34). Gideon…
Is it possible to get from worries to wonders in mere seconds? Yes, it is. Not by our own might but by the Holy Spirit.If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you. (Romans 8:11, CEB) If the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the tomb lives in you, also…
Is it wrong to have fun and enjoy life? Is it okay to love life? Is joyful living a sin? These are questions that used to haunt me as a teenager. I was on the verge of independence, eager to start out my own life. I had grown to love the Lord more than anything but I didn’t know if it was okay to have fun, enjoy life. I have a bubbly personality so this was indeed an important question…
Do you ever wonder how on earth you ended up messing up things once again? Especially when you thought you had asked God’s blessings on your projects? How did everything go wrong when you thought God was in your team? These questions used to haunt me, too. Until I laid them to the Lord and asked him to explain me where I had gone wrong. How could I have avoided these pitfalls? How could I have made wiser decisions? The…
Do you know how to overcome temptations? Because it is not about growing your moral muscle! The main thing to remember is this: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13, NKJV) The Amplified Bible says the same verse this way: “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me.” We have strength for all things if we are in Christ who empowers us. Okay, you say. But how to do it? How to…
