“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

We have all seen moments with chances best described as “slim to none.” Many of these result in the predicted outcome. In Scripture we see many situations where, from a human perspective, we would agree that the main characters were facing slim-to-none possibilities for survival or success.

As we walk with Jesus there will be many days of wonder. Our sense of wonder at this marvelous Savior will also bring conviction. And our conviction must lead to love for all people.

I have a friend who told his workers to devote regular time just to thinking. The psalmist understood the genius in this advice when he advocated simply pondering the depths of God’s Word.

Everybody knows walking is good for you, but Paul goes way beyond the medical experts to explain how to have a healthy spiritual walk.

“Forgive us for the idols we create when fighting for our causes instead of embracing the unity possible through Christ. Thank you for making it possible for us to know peace, to live peace, and to offer your peace to others through Jesus.”

Two aged saints saw God fulfill his promise to them and his plan for all humankind, when the infant Jesus was presented in the temple,

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Just as guardrails along mountain roads help guarantee a fulfilling journey, God’s guardrails equip us for the best way to move forward.

Luke spent hours and hours, likely over months or even years, to help Theophilus have an accurate understanding of Jesus. What if we all invested that kind of time and energy in helping just one person have a deep and abiding knowledge of Jesus?

All of us were dead. All who believe in Jesus are alive in him and called to be united in reaching the other dead people with the good news of Jesus. And all means all.

The only lasting and permanent solutions are the eternal solutions that come because in the fullness of time God sent Jesus to die for our sins and eventually to restore all things when he comes in glory.

It was a day like no other, and before David told others about it, first he went to the Lord.

We need to know how we get to the next day and declare that this is the day the Lord has made and that we can rejoice. We need examples of those who walk through the shadow of death and still find quiet waters and renewed faith. We need to declare these truths even on days that we struggle to believe them.

We can’t turn to any media outlet without hearing the back-and-forth attacks, confrontations, or accusations. Scripture shows a better way.

Sadly in current culture and even in the church, there seems to be a preference for playing “gotcha.” It seems like we have become more interested in finding ways to disparage, ridicule, and embarrass than finding ways to help, share, and encourage one another.

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”

Joseph of Arimathea displayed several evidences of faith and wisdom that I’d do well to embody too.

What if we considered Paul’s prayer for restoration central to what we seek in our relationships? What would happen in our neighborhoods, churches, businesses, and in our general approach to people if Paul’s closing reminder was a platform we would live by?

As believers, we know that envy (as well as its close cousin, jealousy) and its resulting behaviors are not the work of the Holy Spirit but rather are rooted in works of the flesh.