The Bible tells us to attend church so that we can worship God with other believers, be taught His Word, and grow spiritually. The early church was dedicated to the disciples’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and prayer” (Acts 2:42). While the early church did not have a specific church building per se, each day worshipers continued to meet together in the temple courtyards or at each other’s homes (Acts 2:46). Regardless of the physical man-made building, believers delighted in fellowship with each other and enjoyed the teaching of God’s Word.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:7 One dictionary defines peace of mind as a feeling of being safe or protected. Another source claims, peace of mind is a mental state of calmness or tranquility, freedom from worry and anxiety. We often […]
There are moments when God grants us a miracle. A drug addict who overcomes the addiction and gives his life to Christ—a devastating traffic crash where everyone walks away—an unexplained sudden healing that baffles medical doctors. In times like these, we boldly acknowledge that God is mindful of us.
God is continuously mindful of us—always present—granting us ordinary moments of grace. Such as, an unexpected encouraging phone call from an old friend when we feel overwhelmed and discouraged. The gift of a 40% off coupon from a stranger standing in line behind us, as we silently pray for enough money to cover our purchase. Maybe the moment of grace is an unexpected refund check in the mail. Or a ‘thank you note’ from your supervisor on a day when you feel like quitting. These are moments, we often dismiss without a second thought.
James, the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55), became the leader of the church at Jerusalem soon after Jesus’ death and resurrection in 30AD (Acts 1:14 & 12:17). He was called—James the Righteous—by the early Christians. Paul referred to James as one of the pillars of the church (Galatians 2:9). A letter, known as the Letter of James, was written to the Jewish Christians who were under persecution and had been scattered amongst the nations (James 1:1). The letter advised on daily expectations for their attitudes, beliefs, and faith. This letter is the Book of James and is considered the earliest of all the New Testament writings, including the gospels.
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! ~ Psalm 119:103 Many of us don’t think about the Bible as a book-of-books. Nonetheless, the Bible contains 2 testaments, 66 different books, and depending on the version (KJV, NIV, ASV, etc.)… there are approximately 1,189 chapters, 31,173 verses, and 783,173 […]
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ~Matthew 5:16 At first, I thought that I was supposed to write about “evil begets evil”. But as I listened more carefully, I realized that the message is about “light begets light”. For with you […]
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ~ Matthew 6:22 Change is hard—lots of change—even harder. Have you ever felt like you were standing on shifting sands? Your left foot going in one direction and your right foot in the other. […]
My daughter texted me a link to this song. After listing to it, I felt joy in aging gracefully and enjoying life. I texted her back and told her that the song was simply beautiful—And how amazingly happy Gladys Knight looked on the cover—her joyous radiance was evident. I was reminded of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11, Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.
The idea, ‘God exist, therefore, I exist—I exist, therefore, God exist’ entered my thoughts this morning. However, God is omnipotent and independent of my existence, while my existence is dependent on God and a testimony to God. No matter how we grapple with reality, it is clear that God exist. We are the proof we often seek. Humans made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)!
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:20 Merriam-Webster defines ambassador as: (1) an official envoy—especially: a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of […]
The biblical narrative about the Israelites and Pharaoh (capital “P” denotes numerous pharaohs during this historical time) comes to mind when I consider the seriousness of guarding our hearts. In Exodus 1-18, we learn of the exchange between Moses and Pharaoh. We witness the love of God for His people through miraculous events. We also observe God’s compassion towards Pharaoh. For, He sent Moses to warn Pharaoh numerous times.
Maybe it came with the onset of Covid-19 into the world—maybe it was here sooner— visceral unrest permeating the air. Each day’s portion disheartening and more disturbing than the day before. My hiding place of serenity appeared to float off in the distance, drifting, across a tiresome void where my thoughts did not find my voice. Until during fervent prayer with blinding tears… God’s grace covered me with His feathers, and under His wings I found refuge (Psalm 91:4). I heard this song in my spirit, Precious Lord, Take My Hand. I smiled. Psalms 116:8 flashed in my mind, For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Precious Lord take my hand, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psalm 119:11).
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. ~ Psalm 86:15 During trying times, the topic of God’s wrath or anger often comes up in conversations. Sadly, some folks will attribute the pain and suffering of others to God’s anger towards them. God’s compassion towards humanity […]
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. ~ Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) Today is Day 11 of our “40 Days of Prayer and Fasting” at my church. Today, I am moving in a place of clarity of mind and refreshing of spirit. It is a phenomenal experience. With humility and grace, I […]
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ~ Galatians 5:22-23 “Fruit of the Holy Spirit” is a biblical phrase that refers to several attributes—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It does not appear that Apostle Paul’s intent is […]
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ~ Philippians 3:12 Sometimes, you can feel discouraged, defeated, and emotionally drained from day-to-day. Unrequited goals that steal your joy and stifle motivation. You find yourself in […]
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. ~ 2 Chronicles 15:7 Tommy and I visited our daughter Emily a few weekends ago. A highlight of our trip was the laughs we got from watching her dog Benji (2½-yrs old) and our dog Kobie (10-yrs old) interact. […]
Our senior pastor shared that as far back as we can look into the history of God’s people, one of our God given duties is hospitality. The deliberate act of simply welcoming people into our personal space through our deeds, resources, and words. This is affirmed in Leviticus 19:33–34. Romans 12:13 tells us to pursue hospitality not just during holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries. And not only with those we know… In Hebrews 13:1–2, we are encouraged to show hospitality to strangers… for in doing so we might entertain angels unaware. Therefore, as Christians, we need to develop the perpetual attitude and habit of hospitality.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.~ Luke 12:6-7 One morning, I saw a bird. The regal fowl leisurely strolled along as it pecked in […]
Galatians 6:9 tells us to not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. On your journey to do great things, there will be challenges, stresses, pressures and set-backs along the way. But you must not embrace negative feelings—let them come—and let […]
