Just a Minute!

I remember the day the Gospel took hold of my life like it was yesterday.

I was 12 and it was the last night of church camp.

The pastor portrayed the crucifixion of Jesus.

It was so powerful that in that moment I knew I needed Jesus.

Sitting in that auditorium, I believed with all my heart that Jesus died and rose again for me.

And I received Him.

I later found out that at that very moment, the angels in heaven rejoiced because I a sinner had repented and turned to Jesus.

God made me alive in Christ and the angels took notice.

Do you remember the day you believed? On that day the angels were rejoicing over you.

Categories: Salvation Jesus Christ Hope

We all want to be happy in life.

It is something we pursue.

And in that pursuit, we attach ourselves to the people and things we believe will bring happiness to our lives.

It’s a misplaced dependence.

We try to fit in with the popular crowd, or buy the biggest house, or make more money.

Here’s the problem.

People and things let us down. they disappoint us.

And instead of happiness, we get fear and anger and hurt.

So what’s the answer?

How can we avoid living in constant disappointment?

Peter answered it this way. Those who believe in Jesus will not be disappointed.

He is the only one worthy of your trust.

Place you dependence on him. He will never let you down.

Categories: Christian Living Hope Jesus Christ

Have you ever wondered why you feel the way that you do?

Where that anger or fear or anxiety came from?

None of us like those emotions.

When they hit us we will do almost anything to feel better.

The real issue is not your feelings. It’s your thinking.

You see, feelings follow thought.

If you’ve ever felt the emotion of jealousy, you did so because you were thinking jealous thoughts.

And your emotions followed suit.

If you want to change how you feel, start by changing your thinking.

And that’s where truth comes in.

Think about those things that are true like God’s never ending love for you, the forgiveness and new life you have in Christ.

When you do your feelings will start to change for the better.

Categories: Emotions/Depression Hope Jesus Christ

The pursuit of happiness

It is one of the unalienable rights recognized in the Declaration of Independence.

Some will find it, others will not.

Those who do will discover that happiness is fleeting, something that rises or falls with circumstances.

Joy is different.

Joy enters our lives by grace.

It is the fruit of God’s work in our lives.

It is His joy in us.

Unlike happiness, joy endures. It remains regardless of circumstances.

Jesus put it this way, no one will take away your joy.

Pursue happiness. that’s your right.

But Whether you find it or not, in Christ you will always know the joy of the Lord.

And that is your strength.

Categories: Hope Jesus Christ

In this world you are going to face trial and tribulations of all kinds.

Now that’s not good news, but it is true.

And here is what the Bible says to do when they come

Count it all joy.

Yes, that’s what the Bible says.

Think about it.

If you are going to trust the Lord, you’ll have to trust him in this crazy world in which we live.

One that throws trials and tribulations your way constantly. That’s just life.

But here is the good news.

You have someone living in you that has overcome the world.

And every trial is one more opportunity to trust Him and watch him work all things together for your good.

And that builds perseverance, character, and hope in you.

Categories: Christian Living Jesus Christ Hope

As a believer, your way of life is by faith.

Not by sight.

Faith is not the way of the world, and it wasn’t how you lived before you believed the good news.

Everything was by sight, just what you could see with your eyes. That’s where you thought life was to be found.

But all that changed.

The message of Christ took center stage, and now you love God, even though you have never seen him.

And even though you can’t see him now, you still believe.

And here is the best news of all.

This belief in the God you cannot see fills you with an inexpressible and glorious joy.

Something those things you can see could never give you.

I like this new way of life.

How about you.

Categories: Jesus Christ

My phone lit up early that Saturday morning.

It was a text message from my friend Howell’s daughter.

“my dad is now with the Lord.”

Just days before, I talked with Howell.

We sat together at his kitchen table.

All he talked about was the grace of God.

Bob, he said, it’s the only explanation that makes sense.

I just wish I could have spread it to more people and let them know about Jesus, the lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.

The grace of God is the only explanation that makes sense.

It’s the only message that enables a person to face death with courage and hope and joy and peace.

That's what it did for my friend Howell.

I hope it has done the same for you.

Categories: Jesus Christ

Grace and joy… one leads to the other.

Cause and effect.

You see this in the definition of Grace — it is that which causes joy in the human heart for a kindness granted.

This is just what the grace of God does — It makes the heart glad.

And fills it with joy and thankfulness in exactly the same way that it made you fully alive in Christ

and forgave your sins once and for all

And this joy entered your heart the day you were saved by grace through faith in Jesus.

Maybe you feel like you’ve lost the joy of your salvation or that it has been covered over by the cares and troubles of the world.

Let me tell you… His joy is still there. Look to him and you’ll see it break through.

Categories: Jesus Christ Grace

Trouble was up ahead for Jesus’ disciples.

They were going to be mocked, persecuted, arrested and many of them martyred.

Simply for proclaiming his name.

So Jesus prayed on their behalf.

“I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.”

This request may seem odd at first glance, but this is exactly what they needed to endure the world’s hatred and opposition.

The full measure of Jesus’ joy was going to be their strength.

In this world you are going to experience troubles of all kinds

Count on it.

And many will come just because you are a disciple of Jesus.

But take heart. Jesus prayed for you as well that his joy will be your strength.

Categories: Jesus Christ

Make every effort to keep the unity

That’s our charge as believers.

But how do we do it. How do we keep the unity we have in Christ.

Well let’s take a lesson from the orchestra.

Before every performance, the concertmaster directs the oboist to play an A. Then all the other instruments tune to that one note.

Because each instrument has been tuned to the same note, they are automatically in tune with each other.

It’s the same in the body of Christ.

We have all been saved by grace through faith in Jesus.

We have all been tuned to that note.

And We preserve that unity and experience harmony and peace when we keep our eyes on Jesus.

And for a lost culture, seeing a diverse group of people unified around Christ is truly something to behold.

Categories: Christian Living Jesus Christ Hope