Just a Minute!

Who is your favorite Biblical character?

I know. It is hard to pick just one.

But let me tell you about an unlikely Bible hero that has captured my attention of late.

He doesn’t hold a large place in Scripture. He isn’t even named. He was simply one of a group of ten men who met Jesus and pleaded with Him to cleanse them of their leprosy.

And Jesus did. Their leprosy was gone.

But then something interesting took place. One of the ten, a Samaritan, turned back to thank Jesus.

And Jesus said to him, “Your faith has made you whole.”

All ten were healed of leprosy. But only the Samaritan was made whole through faith.

And that’s the lesson this unlikely hero teaches all of us — Faith always says “thank you” to Jesus Christ.

Categories: Faith Bible

What do you do when you see a penny on the ground?

Do you bend down and pick it up? Or, do you pass it by?

I mean there’s certainly nothing you can buy with a single penny these days. So It’s just not worth the effort for such a worthless coin.

The sad reality is that many people feel worthless and overlooked. I talk with them almost every day. And I bet you do to. But the Good News is that in God’s eyes, everyone has value.

I’ll never forget when I first realized this marvelous truth.

A Bible teacher explained to me that if I were the only person on the planet, God still would have sent Jesus to die in my place so that I could experience new life in Him.

That made a huge difference in my life.

I hope it will make a huge difference in your life as well.

Categories: Love Forgiveness/Repentance

The Gospel is a four part story.

The death, the burial, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus Christ.

It’s that forth part we so often overlook. But we shouldn’t.

The ascension is the crowning moment for Jesus.

God the Father exalted him and gave him a name that is above all others. And it is by this name that we are saved. Jesus took up his seat at the right hand of God the Father.

Which means that you and I, as Paul wrote, are seated with him in the heavenlies.

And from that exalted position, Jesus poured out his Spirit so that you can enjoy his presence here and now.

Let’s not forget the crowning moment of this good news story.

It means everything to you and me.

Categories: Jesus Christ Resurrection

Jesus’s hour had come. The event that would change everything was soon to happen.

Gathered with his disciples, he prayed.

These were the final words of that prayer.

“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be with them, and I in them.”

Jesus made known the name of his Father through his life. And he lifted it to the highest peak through his death, burial and resurrection.

He did it so that the love of his Father would be with you. And that Christ himself would be in you.

Jesus Christ died and rose again to bring the love of His Father to your heart. A love that never fails.

Categories: Jesus Christ Resurrection

Listen to these words from Jesus.

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth."

Talk about a promise.

Jesus delivered.

He sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples to take up residence in them. To guide them into all truth. And to take all the things of Jesus and make them known to them.

Here is the good news.

Jesus made the same promise to you.

The day you were made alive in Christ, Jesus gave you His Spirit. To be with you forever. To guide you into all truth. And to empower you to live fully in God’s love and grace.

So don’t let the world get you down. God’s Spirit is with you just as Jesus promised.

Categories: Jesus Christ Holy Spirit

“Not me Lord. I will never deny you.”

By the time the rooster had crowed the next morning, Peter had denied the Lord three times.

Disappointment and shame and the sense of unworthiness overwhelmed his soul.

It led him to do the only thing he knew to do.

He went back to his fishing, to his old life.

But Jesus was not finished with Peter. He had other plans for his impetuous friend.

He met him on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. He looked into his eyes and said, “Peter, do you love me more than these? Then feed my sheep.”

You may feel like Peter today, disappointed in yourself, ready to go back to your old life.

Remember, Jesus isn’t finished with you.

Today, let his love turn your disappointment and shame to joy and purpose.

Categories: Resurrection Salvation Jesus Christ

In the forty days between his resurrection and ascension, Jesus appeared to over 500 people.

We read about several of those encounters in the Gospel accounts.

And in each Jesus met the person at his or her point of need, and their lives were never the same.

In a closed room in Jerusalem, he met Thomas and erased all of his doubts.

In the Garden, he tenderly called Mary’s name and turned her grief into sheer joy.

The risen Jesus is still meeting people today at their point of need.

Not in person like he did those forty days, but by His Spirit.

Let me ask, what was it like for you when he met you?

I bet your life has never been the same.

Categories: Jesus Christ Resurrection Salvation

When Jesus took his last breath on the cross, something strange happened in the temple.

The curtain guarding the holy of holies ripped from top to bottom.

This was a sign from God, that the way into his presence was now open.

I’ve always wondered.

Did anyone who was in the temple that day go in?

Was anyone brave enough to step foot in that room?

Well the Scripture doesn’t say.

But here is the good news.

God has put out a welcome mat and invites you into his presence anytime.

There is nothing to fear.

You can go in with confidence.

So be brave. go in boldly. And when you do, here’s what you will find.

Grace and mercy to help you in your time of need.

Categories: New Covenant Jesus Christ Faith

God so loved the world.

I knew that. But I wasn’t so sure that He actually loved me.

In my mind I had to earn God’s love by being good and doing good.

That’s why I always lived on the edge of doubt. I wasn’t living up to my end of the bargain. So how could God love me?

Have you ever felt this way?

Well, Here is the good news. God reaches out to you with love and grace, no strings attached.

So you can’t earn his love, nor can you do anything to lose it.

This is a hard lesson to learn, especially in this age of “performance-based Christianity”.

But if you are doubting God’s love, maybe it’s time to change your way of thinking from law to grace. Then you can say with utter assurance, God so loves me…

Categories: Love Forgiveness/Repentance

Nearsighted and blind.

It’s a spiritual condition many believers suffer with today.

It tunnels their vision to their sin and guilt, their weaknesses and struggles, and their fears and frustrations and it blinds them to their forgiveness in Christ.

But the worst part is that it stunts their spiritual growth.

Maybe you feel this way — like you’ve stopped growing in Christ.

Peter identified the cause — it’s that you’ve forgotten you have been cleansed from your past sins.

Forgiveness is the key to your growth and transformation in Jesus.

If you are not 100% sure that your sins are forgiven, will you take a fresh look today at the cross and thank God that He forgave you for all of your sins.

This will give you the eyes to see all that you have in Jesus.

Categories: Christian Living Hope Faith