-
What Does Your Faith Look Like?
The devotional reflects on the phrase "Where's the beef?" to illustrate the idea of faith that may feel small or inadequate. It emphasizes that true faith inspires action in alignment with God's will, urging believers to trust Him wholeheartedly. Authentic faith can lead to accomplishing the seemingly impossible through obedience and reliance on God's power.
-
I’m A Good Person—What Do I Still Lack?
Do you ever feel like being a good person just isn't enough? Does your wealth keep you from pursuing spiritual health? You're not alone, because there was only One perfect person to ever walk this earth, and He was willing to sacrifice everything to ensure we are made whole.
-
What a Friend We Have In Jesus
We are all grateful for our close friends. They are all so precious to us! What about our relationship with our Friend among friends, Jesus? How do we show Him our gratitude?
-
The Crowning Virtue of the Cross of Christ
Doing the will of God is the most humble of all things: humility is the embryo of everything good, even salvation, because one has to recognize their complete destitution in contrast to Jesus' perfect life, which was required to satisfy the Law and the Lawgiver. Only perfect obedience can lay claim to a heavenly home, which none of us can do. That's why Jesus tells the Jews who ask Him what work they must do to be doing the works of God: "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." [John 6:29 ESV] The very first work of God for salvation is not…
-
False Gospels: Are You Following One?–Part 2
We have a staggering lack of spiritual discernment here in the United States. In my last post, I introduced some of the reasons why false teaching is influencing the Church here in the United States so strongly in our time, namely, the over-reliance on extrabiblical study aids marketed in the Christian publishing industry and a growing attack on the verity of the Bible. My heart in this post is to help those who are being misled by false teachers or influenced by false teaching.
-
Who Is My Neighbor?
Who is my neighbor? It's a question that we should well be asking in our changing society. Jesus' parable about the good Samaritan beautifully illustrates that when we see someone in need, even an enemy, we should extend mercy. We preach that we need to see the image of God in everyone...we sing about grace that is greater than all our sin. Do we practice living out this grace toward others? Do we practice mercy? Do we prove to be a true neighbor? "You go, and do likewise." (Luke 10:37)
-
The Beauty of the Gospel
Have you ever really stopped to think about the impossibility of mankind being able to save themselves? We have had roughly 6,000 years of biblical history unfolding to date, and we have not and will not ever develop the perfect person or society. Why? While man claims that we can evolve into something better given enough time, Jesus prophesied that in the last days the world and mankind would devolve and get worse...
-
Faith Working Through Love
Perhaps it is serendipitous, maybe a little ironic, for me to be writing about work and rest on our Labor Day holiday weekend here in the United States. This federal holiday was enacted as a response to the action of labor activists who wanted to recognize our workers as making significant contributions to America's strength, prosperity, and well-being. It is a nationwide day off granted as a rest from our great labors. There is a somewhat similar idea in the Bible called the Sabbath day, which was the seventh day in the Jewish week on which no work was to be performed. It was to be a picture of God's…
-
The Mercy at the Heart of the Golden Rule
Reciprocity. It is a basic human desire, even an expectation, to be treated fairly and with respect. There are norms in every society that influence a person's behavior, many unspoken, expectations for the return of a kindness done to another. Sometimes the kindness done is motivated by a selfish desire to receive some favor back, the "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" philosophy. Sometimes. less obviously or even hidden from our own conscious recognition, a kindness is done in the hopes of fulfilling a deep need, such as love or friendship, the "if I do this thing, what will I gain and what will it cost?" type of mathematical…
![[Eph 1:16-17, 19 ESV]](https://i0.wp.com/lampstanddevotions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Train3.jpg?resize=1140%2C784&ssl=1)
