Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 Watching the evening news is one of my least favorite things to do. For years I would actually avoid it just because it was always depressing and I didn’t need that in my life. But I’ve started looking at it with a different perspective since attending…

Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done. Matthew 8:3-4 MSG There is a quote from St. Francis that reads, “Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words.” Many times we hear people, and ourselves, say what we believe but then live in a completely different way. Jesus knew that when we live what we say we believe, it has a far greater and undisputable impact on others. Today’s passage is part of a story of the healing of a leper. The man was considered untouchable and yet Jesus, willingly reached out, touched the man and healed him. Then…

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;  I have called you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. You walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will…

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13: 34-35 The other day I found myself saying, “I’m done with peopling.” I was at the end of my patience, frustrated, hurt and ready to move to a deserted island. Have you ever felt that way? Then as I was telling God about it, He responded by telling me that He has called me to people. To be involved with others. To experience all that peopling entails and that through it, He will refine me. How else would I develop patience if it…

And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.” Joshua 24:24 The way we live shows others the strength of our commitment to serving God. Joshua’s story in the bible is a perfect example of that statement in action. He was determined to set an example of living by his decision, regardless of what others decided. In his own words he declared, “Choose this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15) Reading this passage today took me back to the first day that I committed my life to the Lord. That was almost…

God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 Today as I was reviewing the theme for this month, “Blessed are those who mourn,” I thought about how God is already provided opportunities for me to live out this truth. First the next session of Grief Share will start in August and with an updated program. The new materials have been ordered and I feel deep within my soul that it is going to reach many people and the Lord wants me to be prepared. Then on June 2nd my ex-father-in-law passed away. My heart goes out to my son who was very close to his grandfather and their…

With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.” When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. Genesis 19:15-16 The story of Lot and his family is very unsettling. First the way he offerred his daughters to the angry and evil mob, then his hesistation to leave a city that was about to be destroyed by God, and then his wife turning to a pillar…

What if only? – Genesis 18 Genesis chapter 18 includes the story of God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. In the story, three visitors came to Abraham on their way to destroy the cities for their wickedness. When the purpose of their mission was told to Abraham he pleaded with the Lord to spare the righteous people who were living in Sodom, which is where his nephew Lot and his family lived. In his plea, he asked the Lord to spare the city if 50 righteous people could be found. The Lord agreed. Then Abraham asked, “What if only 45 could be found would the Lord spare the city?” and…

Is anything too hard for the Lord? – Genesis 18:14 I started a daily bible reading program and although I won’t be finishing it in a year or two, I enjoy the layout of the plan. The reason I won’t finish it quickly is that there is simply too much to discover to rush through it. Take today’s verse for example, it was part of a 3 chapter assignment and when I read this short little verse, it stopped me in my tracks. After reading it I came up with the same answer that the study notes provided, which was, “Of course not!” But there is so much more in this…