In the previous devotional I encouraged us to think about spiritual disciplines. According to Jeff Loach, they are “historically and biblically rooted ways to deepen your relationship with God.” They are faith-based practices which form you to be more like Jesus. I referenced Bible-reading, prayer, corporate worship, and fasting. These are some of the most … Continue reading To help you love others
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God doesn’t expect us to grow on our own
Spiritual disciplines. According to Jeff Loach, they are “historically and biblically rooted ways to deepen your relationship with God.” Although some people can get tripped up by the word “discipline,” they needn’t be. These are faith-based practices which form you to be more like Jesus. (Have you ever noticed that the word “discipline” looks a … Continue reading God doesn’t expect us to grow on our own
The eternal God picked you
Douglas Murray is a journalist. In his book, “The Strange Death of Europe,” he says that as he travelled around the world he noticed young people asking a question: “Is this all there is?” They seemed to instinctively know that they are not ‘mere animals.’ But neither are they ‘mere consumers.’ There has to be … Continue reading The eternal God picked you
What does it mean to bless someone?
In yesterday’s devotional I said that you were born to bless. In a world where many people aren’t sure if they’re here on this earth on purpose or by chance, followers of Jesus can be confident that God has put us here for a reason. So let’s flush out what it means to “bless” someone. … Continue reading What does it mean to bless someone?
Born to bless
Why was I born? Why were you born? Why were any of us born? Are we here in this world by chance? Or is there a greater purpose to our lives? I once read about a philosophy professor who wrote to 250 people whom he felt were the great thinkers of his day. He asked … Continue reading Born to bless
The ‘unforgivable sin’
I sometimes get asked about the ‘unforgivable sin.’ It’s found in Mark 3:28-30. Jesus said: “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—for they were saying, “He … Continue reading The ‘unforgivable sin’
The protection of our big brother
We’ve been thinking about Jesus as our big brother. He is described in those terms in Romans 8:29, and he calls disciples “brothers and sisters” in Mark 3:35. One of the things an ideal big brother does is protect his younger siblings. ‘But,’ you might be thinking, ‘Jesus doesn’t protect me—at least not in a … Continue reading The protection of our big brother
He is interceding for you
In the previous devotional I encouraged you to think about Jesus as your big brother. After all, he is described in those terms in Romans 8:29, and he calls disciples “brothers and sisters” in Mark 3:35. One of the things an ideal big brother does is intercede for his younger siblings. Picture a student in … Continue reading He is interceding for you
Big Brother Jesus
Jesus is my… How would you finish that sentence? Lord? Saviour? Friend? What about big brother? We don’t tend to think of Jesus in this way. However, Romans 8:29 says that Jesus is “the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Then there are passages like Mark 3:35 where he says: “Whoever does God’s will is … Continue reading Big Brother Jesus
Don’t let today’s defeat steal tomorrow’s victory
Philip Yancey tells a story about a professor in Spain’s golden age who worked to translate the Song of Songs (a biblical book) into the Spanish language. Sounds good, right? Well, at that time it wasn’t allowed. As a result, the professor was taken away and tortured—for four years! Eventually, he was allowed to return. … Continue reading Don’t let today’s defeat steal tomorrow’s victory
