Posts Tagged ‘Empowered’
Speak the Truth
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:15 (NLT) Have you ever heard someone say, “Everyone has their own truth?” What exactly does that mean? Logically, if that were true, the case could be made…
Read MoreSpeak the Name
And they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the Name of Jesus. Acts 4:18 (NET) The Name of Jesus is beautiful. It is a mighty name. But it is also a controversial name. Tyrants and dictators have tried to stamp out the Name of Jesus without success.…
Read MoreDo Something Small for God
On Sunday, July 31, I preached at Canvas Church, my home church, a message near and dear to my heart, “Do Something Small for God.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAqjRZcMVp4&t=2220s
Read MoreA Thirst for God
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 (NLT) David wrote Psalm 63 out of his experience in the wilderness. The wilderness was a barren, desolate place where…
Read MoreThe Cure for a Drought
A drought will strike her water supply, causing it to dry up. And why? Because the whole land is filled with idols, and the people are madly in love with them. Jeremiah 50:38 (NLT) California is once again facing drought conditions. The solution to a drought crisis is obviously water. Even in the best of…
Read MoreBe Unshakable
So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. For our God is indeed a devouring fire. Hebrews 12:28–29 (NET) Earthquakes Everywhere Natural earthquakes can cause significant damage with great loss, both lives, and property. You might be…
Read MoreA Reflection on Praise and Worship
Have you ever considered the difference between praise and worship? Is there a difference? It is not uncommon to hear the words praise and worship used in tandem and even interchangeably, but do they mean the same thing? On one level, they may seem the same, but there are significant differences. There are numerous Hebrew…
Read MoreWithout holiness…
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) Is holiness a subject that anyone should bring up in “polite company?” If they even know what you are talking about, there is a good possibility that they will not have…
Read MoreEmpowered to Empower
And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high.” Luke 24:49 (CSB) Some people will remember the American Express slogan from the 1970s, “Don’t leave home without it.” It was a successful campaign that ran for 25 years. Although there…
Read MoreWonderful Grace of Jesus!
Because of his love, God had already decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. That was what he wanted and what pleased him, and it brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely, in Christ, the One he loves. Ephesians 1:5–6 (NCV) “Wonderful grace…
Read MoreThe Brevity of Life
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 (NIV) I don’t know who coined the phrase “The length of our lives is represented by a dash between two dates,” but it is undoubtedly a concise way of stating what most people sense, especially as they get older,…
Read MoreSwim in the River of God
He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river.…
Read MoreFour Words
“In the Beginning God…” Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God” may be the four most important words in the Bible. This is the introduction for everything else that is to follow. If we do not understand it correctly, all conclusions regarding life, meaning, and purpose will be flawed. If you start in the wrong place,…
Read MoreA Time for Careful Consideration
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. Haggai 1:7 (NIV) Once again, we find ourselves on the threshold of a new year. Traditionally, it is a time for making resolutions. Many of those resolutions will be cast aside by the middle of January. As I have previously written[1], I…
Read MoreThis Little Light of Mine
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:5 (NLT) In 1907, Wesleyan preacher William Watkinson published a sermon, “The Invincible Strategy.” He made the point that “evil is not overcome by denunciation.” He said that although it is easier to speak against evil than to engage in good…
Read MoreIn His Presence
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Psalm 16:11 (NLT) In recent weeks we have once again been made aware that there are many confused Christians. On the one hand, they claim to be born again, yet more than…
Read MoreHelp is on the Way
“I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4 (NLT) I have belonged to the Auto Club for many years. Occasionally, we have gone long periods of time without needing assistance, but when something does break, or we run out of gas, it is comforting to…
Read MoreDo Not Ignore Warning Lights
Examine me, O Lord, and test me! Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives! Psalm 26:2 (NET) Just Because It Seems to Be Working, It Doesn’t Mean That Everything Is All Right Many of us have had the unpleasant experience of driving in our car when we notice that the Check Engine light has come on.…
Read MoreFaith to Move Mountains, Or…
Jesus told his disciples, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 (NIV). Do we think of mountains as obstacles that stand in our way? Or…
Read MoreWhat Do We Know?
We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. 1 John 5:20 (NIV) Are you familiar with the expression, “What you don’t know can’t hurt you?” While there may be circumstances where this maxim is proven true, often, it is…
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