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This is a very timely message from the Lord for us on this longest day of the year as we look around and seriously ponder the conditions. Thank You Lord for Your mercy.
The Unforgivable Sin
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This is a very timely message from the Lord for us on this longest day of the year as we look around and seriously ponder the conditions. Thank You Lord for Your mercy.
The Unforgivable Sin
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The theme and scripture of today’s devotional are interesting for several reasons. As I studied and prayed on it this morning, the Lord showed me several interesting connections.
In today’s scripture from Mark chapter 3, Jesus makes that statement about the one and only sin that
In today’s scripture from Mark chapter 3, Jesus makes that statement about the one and only sin that
can never be forgiven. It is important to place His statement today into the proper context. Even though it is listed as a new section in some translations of the bible, this quote is actually a continuation of Jesus’ response to the previous statement by the Jewish teachers.
Yesterday we celebrated the day in 1865 when US federal soldiers arrived in Texas to bring good news to the American slaves who lived there. The soldiers came to tell them that they were no longer slaves but had been declared free. They had actually been freed 2-1/2 years earlier
but they did not know it. This information had been kept from them.
Like many other stories in the bible, these events are illustrations that point to the truth of Jesus and what He has done for all of us. You see, this historic fight over slavery was and is a spiritual battle.
Like many other stories in the bible, these events are illustrations that point to the truth of Jesus and what He has done for all of us. You see, this historic fight over slavery was and is a spiritual battle.
We read yesterday about how the ministry and the works of Jesus was attracting large crowds of regular people from all over. These people were even coming from distant regions that were far from the influence of the Jewish teachers.
In today’s scripture, Jesus gives us two interesting views of how our enemy tries to use division to stop the good things that God is doing for His people. In the first example, the division came from within Jesus’ own people. When they saw what He was doing, some of His people
Today’s message is based on a popular modern saying that represents truth. The saying is that “You can not legislate morality.” It is not possible for any law to force true love or morale behavior to emanate from people. The real purpose of the law is not to motivate our behavior
but rather to disclose to us that deep down inside we all have a real natural tendency to be law breakers. We can not help but to be this way on our own and we need help to overcome it.
In today’s scripture, we will examine a scene where this theme is played out by experts at
In today’s scripture, we will examine a scene where this theme is played out by experts at
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The Significance of One Flesh and the Family of God
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The Significance of One Flesh and the Family of God
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(My message today as given by the Lord was heavily inspired by recent events in my life last night as I addressed both the Leander School District Board of Trustees and the Leander City Council about the importance of the family unit.)
Today we will read about and discuss an exchange that takes place between Jesus and the people near the end of His adult ministry. He had been teaching up north in Galilee and now He began His final journey that would ultimately lead to Jerusalem and the cross. Along the way many
As I woke up this morning and received this message from the Lord, it was very personal to me. You’ll see why in the conclusion. In this world we all have a natural tendency to want to fight to defend our own honor and interest. We defend and protect our name and our material
interests against others who would try to harm them. Think about Matthew and the other tax collectors during the days of Jesus. They were despised and hated by the Jews for two reasons. The Jews thought that the tax collectors unfairly took material possessions from them to
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Who Gives Thanks to the Lord – Those Who Understand
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Who Gives Thanks to the Lord – Those Who Understand
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Yesterday we read the beginning of Psalm 107 and explored the question of “Why we give thanks to the Lord?” Today we will continue as that Psalm explains not just why, but who does it and to what depth they give thanks.
First, the people who give thanks to the Lord are the ones
First, the people who give thanks to the Lord are the ones
who finally understand their situation. They understand the desperate and hopeless place to which their choices in life had brought them. What they had thought was good turned out to be very bad for them and for others around them. Their idea of light turned out to be darkness…
The bible says that the Lord is able save us to the utter most (Hebrews 7:25), fighting to intercede for us and changing us from the inside out. He is going to write His law on our hearts and gradually change the things that we want to do. One of those things is going to be the
way and the reason that we praise Him. This is the essence of His salvation and He is doing it for people from the east and the west, from the north and south as He brings them into His kingdom.
But this morning I want to explore the question of why do we give thanks to the Lord
But this morning I want to explore the question of why do we give thanks to the Lord
In this fifth and final part of this series, we will examine and discuss a very serious warning that Jesus gave to us about how common it will be for people to be truly saved on the day of the Lord when the kingdom of God comes (we just read about this in part 4). It is ironic
because when the Lord first gave me this series last week, THIS was the first scripture reading that He showed me in the book of Luke to get me to start thinking about this theme. But then He took me to a later chapter of Luke to read and discuss other aspects of faith that truly
In today's 4th part of this series, we will finish Luke chapter 17. After He healed the Samaritan leper, Jesus was asked by people with bad intentions “when would the kingdom of God arrive?” He responded that surely the kingdom is inside of us. He then went on to describe in
detail for His disciples that while the kingdom of Godis truly coming, it will not be in anything that we see or experience in this world. Then He described what that day (moment) will be like.
He described how that day (also described as the Day of the Lord) will arrive in an
He described how that day (also described as the Day of the Lord) will arrive in an
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3 - Faith that Truly Saves – Evidenced by What We Do
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3 - Faith that Truly Saves – Evidenced by What We Do
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In today’s third part of this series, we will read about a clear example of evidence that can be seen in our lives that proves that we are truly saved. But what does it mean to be truly saved? You see, because of sin we are all (without exception) broken and in desperate need of
so very much. Before the fall in Genesis 3, there was never any lack of provision for anything. God had provided for all of our needs including physical (like food, safety, and health – there was no sickness or disease), social and emotional (we were never separated or alone,
This is the second part of this series about the faith that truly saves us. Yesterday we discussed the beginning of Luke chapter 17 where Jesus warned His disciples that sins and offenses would surely come against them… for we are all sinners. But He commanded them to confront
those who offended them about their sin and to forgive them if they repented. Jesus said that we should be filled with forgiveness even if this cycle of offense/repent/forgive happens numerous times in a single day.
This command by Jesus reminds me of the 3rd component of the
This command by Jesus reminds me of the 3rd component of the
This is a new series that the Lord recently placed on my heart that I believe to be very timely for all of us today. It is based on words found in the Gospel of Luke. Today we will begin at the beginning of chapter 17 where Jesus is in the middle of telling parables to all of the
people. In the previous chapter, He had just told two parables about people who seemed to have lost everything but He showed how that could be great gain for them in God’s kingdom. In the middle of that chapter, the Pharisees (who were lovers of money and power over the people)
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How God Promises vs How We Promise – The End Result
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How God Promises vs How We Promise – The End Result
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I originally posted this devotional message exactly one year ago. I noticed it in my memory archives and found the timing of it to be very interesting considering the theme of the message that the Lord gave me yesterday morning about Him taking an oath.
God’s promises to us come with great authority. His is the greatest authority that exists and that has ever existed. Understanding this and embracing it in our hearts gives to us the power to endure anything through our faith (hoping or waiting patiently on what He has promised,
The Lord Takes an Oath
In today’s devotional scripture we will read about a scene where the Lord describes Himself as taking an oath the way we might do today. He even raises His hand while doing it. In this case, He seems to go beyond just making His promises to the people of
In today’s devotional scripture we will read about a scene where the Lord describes Himself as taking an oath the way we might do today. He even raises His hand while doing it. In this case, He seems to go beyond just making His promises to the people of
Israel. With this wording, He seems to be very emphatic about saying that He WILL DO what He is saying. Imagine God raising His right hand and taking an oath of office or allegiance.
To place this scene into proper context, the people of Israelare deep into idolatry and the Lord
To place this scene into proper context, the people of Israelare deep into idolatry and the Lord
In Genesis 9:8-17 God gives us a pretty detailed explanation of the meaning of the rainbow and why we all should celebrate it. The true meaning was the opposite of pride. It is the image of incredible humility on a scale that this world can not comprehend. Today it is a reminder
of an all-powerful and holy God who humbled and gave of himself so that others could have life and freedom… a God who calls His people to live with the same focus.
But the celebration of the world today unashamedly connects the rainbow with a celebration of pride which is the
But the celebration of the world today unashamedly connects the rainbow with a celebration of pride which is the
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Salt of the Earth - Light of the World - City on a Hill
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Salt of the Earth - Light of the World - City on a Hill
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This is the theme that our Lord Jesus Christ placed so very heavily on my heart as He awoke me early this morning. In light of recent things that He has brought before my spiritual eyes (indeed things that we have all seen with increasing intensity over the past 3 years), it was
not difficult for me to hear this theme and to understand what He wanted me to share about it.
When He was here with us, this is the key theme that Jesus shared with His disciples throughout all of His 3-1/2 year ministry with them. Two days ago we read in John 17 where He
When He was here with us, this is the key theme that Jesus shared with His disciples throughout all of His 3-1/2 year ministry with them. Two days ago we read in John 17 where He
It is true that our bodies need daily physical nutrition in order to be sustained. When denied over time, its lack will cause our bodies to become unsatisfied and to weaken (picture what happens when we are in times of prayer and fasting). However, this type of nutrition and
satisfaction are very limited and only an image of the ultimate satisfaction that is part of our design as images of God.
Jesus illustrates this important principle in today’s devotional scripture. It describes a famous scene where Jesus had just finished talking with the
Jesus illustrates this important principle in today’s devotional scripture. It describes a famous scene where Jesus had just finished talking with the
John chapter 17 is a very interesting transition point. It is the last open and intimate prayer that Jesus says in front of His disciples before He is betrayed and arrested. In it, He prays for Himself, for His disciples and then for each one of us who will eventually believe and
receive His precious gift of life.
In every case His prayers focus on:
1) The will and glory of the Father,
2) Protection from the enemy,
3) Eternal life (personal knowledge of God the Father through Jesus),
4) Sanctification (being set aside in this world) by God’s absolute
In every case His prayers focus on:
1) The will and glory of the Father,
2) Protection from the enemy,
3) Eternal life (personal knowledge of God the Father through Jesus),
4) Sanctification (being set aside in this world) by God’s absolute
Today we will read the end of John chapter 16 where Jesus has just finished explaining to His disciples that He is leaving them but that it is a very good thing for them as part of God’s perfect plan. He had previously said that He had more to tell them but that they could not
yet fully understand or benefit from it. But He knew that they would eventually be able to understand and benefit from the truth. Personal knowledge of the truth would eventually set them (as well as us) free from this world system as we will read tomorrow.
The bible says in 1 John 3:2 that “it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.” Yesterday Jesus said that when we receive the Holy Spirit, He will point us to the truth and show us things that
belong to Father God through His Son. Jesus also said that He had many more things to tell us but that we could not yet bear or fully understand them. THAT is why we need the Helper today so that we can lean not on our own understanding (see Proverbs 3:5-6).
Yesterday in part 2 of this devotional series I mentioned how the disciples wanted to avoid pain and suffering at all cost. They saw the declaration by Jesus that He would be betrayed and killed as the worst thing that could ever happen. Based on their own understanding, they
struggled and prayed that it should NOT happen to Him (see what Peter said in Matthew 16:22).
Now if we are honest with ourselves, we will recognize that we all have this tendency to instinctively (based on our own feelings and understanding) ask God to take away all troubles
Now if we are honest with ourselves, we will recognize that we all have this tendency to instinctively (based on our own feelings and understanding) ask God to take away all troubles
John chapter 16 is an excellent picture of the important gospel message that the “Lord is always with us.” Up until this point in His ministry, Jesus had been pouring into His disciples after getting their attention and calling them to follow Him. He had shown them clear evidence
that He is God, He was with them, and that they had no reason to be afraid.
But at this point in His ministry, Jesus had begun to tell them about bad things that were going to happen. In the previous chapter He had just told them that He is the Truth (the true vine) and because
But at this point in His ministry, Jesus had begun to tell them about bad things that were going to happen. In the previous chapter He had just told them that He is the Truth (the true vine) and because
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God in Us – All Things Are For Our Good
God in Us – All Things Are For Our Good
This is a word that the Lord placed on my heart again recently that is based on the famous quote from Romans 8:28. He IS indeed working all things for good for those of us who love and trust Him.
This week as part of an end-of year activity at a local Christian school where I
This week as part of an end-of year activity at a local Christian school where I
serve, instead of teaching my morning chapel service I gave them my testimony and told them about how the Lord got my attention back in 2007 with that brain tumor (some of them had heard it before). After many surgical procedures it eventually led to the loss of my right eye.
