I must bear the fruit of the Spirit if I want people to experience Jesus, raised from the dead, through my life. If I answer situations I encounter with creative expressions of the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fullness of faith, gentleness and self-control, I have introduced people to Jesus Himself. E. Stanley Jones described three levels […]
When Jesus was being tortured to death by soldiers employed by Rome, something else was happening in another dimension. Jesus had ordained a few acolytes to help Him offer a Sacrifice. The soldiers became the acolytes. They became part of the process of offering an Eternal Sacrifice. The Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world entered that […]
C. Peter Wagner, in his book This Changes Everything – How God Can Transform your Mind and Change Your Life (Regal Books, ©2013 Peter Wagner), offered this list of American Jewish people’s leadership accomplishments: Jews make up only 2% of the American population, yet 45% of the top 40 Forbes richest Americans are Jewish 33% of American multimillionaires are tallied […]
I am convinced that one reason why Yahweh never seems to be upset by the fact that Jacob stole his elder brother’s inheritance is because Esau insulted Yahweh by not valuing it. The heritage that we have received from believing parents or grandparents is part of our spiritual inheritance. The character and mindset that our mentors had as they influenced […]
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation; because by Him everything was created, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. He […]
Happy the person who finds wisdom, the person who acquires understanding; for her profit exceeds that of silver, gaining her is better than gold, she is more precious than pearls — nothing you want can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand, riches and honor in her left. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths […]
Time doesn’t heal wounds. Rottenness invades wounds and grows there. Even when we forgive those who have sinned against us, the work is not finished with one act of forgiveness, no matter how genuine and love-motivated it may be. Every time I think again of the offence, I have to go through the entire process of forgiveness again. Every time […]
Don’t let your last trip to the woodshed be your last trip to the woodshed! “The woodshed” has become a euphemism for a place of punishment, or of correction (which are notably two very different actions.) Many things that happen in our lives are destructive or annoying or painful. We are quick to attribute them to “the devil.” Many of […]
In 1 Kings 3, there is a story about Solomon proving to have much wisdom in his judgment in the case of two prostitutes. They were arguing over their sons: one was dead, and the other alive. Each was claiming that the living boy was theirs. Solomon ordered that the live baby be cut in half, and that each prostitute […]
“Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where […]