Believe in Jesus and Receive the Holy Spirit Jesus said, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe” (John 4:48, NIV). It’s a warning we should all consider with care. Some people have an experience-driven faith. They need a continual dose of signs and wonders to sustain their trust in God. What […]
Celebrate Christmas in a fresh, new way with this Advent devotional It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of Christmas and miss its true meaning. Why not make this holiday season a special time for preparation to reflect on the Messiah’s birth? In The Advent of Jesus: A Devotional Celebrating the Coming Savior, […]
Today, we head to one of the area’s larger churches. In the past, they had a visible presence, but I’ve not heard much about them recently. Their website boasts that we’ll find “a warm and friendly group of people.” I bristle. It’s like telling someone you’re humble or you’re honest: if you have to say […]
Helping Others Is One of Many Ways to Worship God I like the stories about Jesus helping people in need, such as by feeding them and especially by healing them. Even more I like it when Jesus confronts the religious practices of the day. We have so much to learn from his example. It’s a […]
Be Intentional About Spending Time in God’s Word Each Day I read Scripture every day and have for most of my adult life. I’ve formed a Bible reading habit. It’s become an essential part of my life, just like eating and sleeping. Reading God’s Word has become natural and normal for me. And I encourage […]
During our 52 Churches journey, many people suggested we visit today’s destination, but it was too far away. When the building’s former occupants became too few to carry on, another church took over the building and launched a new gathering. Consider these seven discussion questions about Church 57. 1. A sign in the drive, too […]
When God Speaks, We Must be Ready to Listen Job’s friends come to comfort him. At least that’s how it appears, but in actuality they’re not much help. Their words assault Job and his character. In exasperation Job goes on a sarcastic rant against his so-called friends and then becomes poetic as he contemplates God’s […]
A Parable about Prayer In Matthew 20, Jesus shares a parable, predicts his death, and teaches about serving. He also heals two blind men. Nowhere in this chapter does he mention prayer, yet in this passage I see two insights about prayer. It’s a different prescription for prayer, and we will do well to follow […]
We Must Be Willing to Share Our Concerns If We Hope to Receive Help One of my newsletter subscribers emailed me with a question. He wants to do what the Bible says about loving one another (such as in 1 John 3:11). He’s willing to sacrifice to meet the needs of his brothers and sisters […]
Another New Church During our 52 Churches journey, many people suggested we visit today’s destination, but with their location falling outside our self-imposed ten-mile limit, we skipped them—all the while feeling we were missing something. When the building’s former occupants became too few to carry on, one of the area’s largest churches (Church #52, “Playing […]