In the 1st century, the apostle Peter wrote a letter to encourage Christians who were feeling shunned and persecuted for their faith. Since they didn’t buy in to the dominant religions of the day, and would only worship the one true God of the Bible and order their lives according to his teachings, they were … Continue reading Expect to be different
faith
With words AND actions
“Preach the gospel—and if you have to, use words.” In some quarters, this has become a popular expression which is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, the much-celebrated monk who was known for humbly serving others and who died in the early 1200’s. The expression is supposed to remind all Christians (not just ordained people) … Continue reading With words AND actions
Grace notes
You've heard the lie before: "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." The idea is that words—because they are invisible—cannot hurt us. But we know it isn't true. The put down, the threat, the lie that cuts deeper than a knife. Words can have a negative power. BUT... they … Continue reading Grace notes
At the start, not the end
Many Christians end their prayers something like this: “In Jesus’ name, Amen.” The origins of that practice trace back to a few different Bible passages, but one of them is Jesus’ own words in John 14:14 where he said, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” But just … Continue reading At the start, not the end
Out loud
The more you study prayer—and the more you pray—the more you realize there's a lot to know. It can actually be intimidating. So I came up with a saying to help keep my brain on the right track: Pray consistently, whole-heartedly, and expectantly in Jesus’ name. [I walk through this statement step-by-step in my podcast … Continue reading Out loud
It’s a win-win (With thanks to Billy Graham)
Yesterday we learned that the great preacher Billy Graham passed away at the age of 99. So for today’s devotional, and as a testament to Graham’s own teaching, let me share a story he once told, and which captures something about the hope that was deep within him. There was a 30 year-old truck driver … Continue reading It’s a win-win (With thanks to Billy Graham)
Get consistent
This week I’m sharing some thoughts about prayer. Like oxygen, prayer is a life-giving necessity for a vibrant spiritual life. Yesterday, I talked about how motives matter. Today, let’s talk about CONSISTENCY. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul says to “pray without ceasing.” But if you’re like a lot of people, there’s more ceasing than there … Continue reading Get consistent
Chronic busyness
I’ve been talking a lot about love this week. It’s partly because… -I recently spoke about love at the church I pastor -a school shooting in Florida reminds us how desperately love continues to be needed -and Jesus commands us to do it. So as we try to love—that is, as we try to acknowledge that … Continue reading Chronic busyness
Loved people love people
I was watching an interview with someone who worked with at-risk youth. He said, “Hurt people hurt people.” He meant that if someone has been deeply hurt in their past, they often hurt other people simply because it’s what they know. Is that always the case? No. But in his experience it was often true. … Continue reading Loved people love people
Love defined
Today is Valentine's day. It's a day a lot of people spend thinking about love. But I'd like to widen our scope a bit and think about what love actually means. And not just in the romantic sense, but in the wider love-your-neighbour sense. I think that when we look at Jesus’ example, love means … Continue reading Love defined
