Our path in history did not start, nor will it end, with today
Sometimes we need to be reminded that our moment has a history and our history forms a path for those who are yet to be born.
What we need if we want to grow fruit—or a relationship with God
Everything God has created has seasons of rest and seasons of productivity. And everything God created depends on him for life and growth.
Why look for what he’s offering instead of what we say we want
They were looking for little more than just another meal. How often could something similar be said of us?
Jesus offers so much more than what some daily seek from him
These followers were the classic example of missing the best by seeking only the immediate good.
Go ahead and plan. But you don’t know what tomorrow may bring
James tells us to humble ourselves before the Lord. Nowhere is that a bigger challenge than when we come to the issue of planning for tomorrow.
‘Do I have enough?’ A story to help us deal with our common question
Sooner or later, all of us confront the question of enough. And Jesus always, always shows us the answer.
Three familiar stories, three opportunities truly to see Jesus
Three stories in two chapters lead us to one inescapable message. The grace and power of Jesus are for everyone, and for today.
He knew but loved. Can we love even when we know what they did?
“He told me all that I ever did.” Suppose someone knew you that well? How would you expect them to respond to you?
How we can relate to those who don’t know Jesus: five lessons
On the face of it, this was a conversation that should have gone nowhere. But Jesus employed approaches that led to a life-changing result.
How to plant carefully for an abundant and beautiful harvest to come
Our world is desperate for a good harvest of righteousness and peace. And the book of James tell us how to achieve one.
‘He must increase.’ Give it time. ‘I must decrease.’ Same for us
When John the Baptist said, “He must increase and I must decrease,” he demonstrated that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life and that the disciples (and everyone else!) needed to spend time with Jesus.
The wind of God’s Spirit, the impact of our demonstrated love
What if our job is not to convince, but just to love? What if all we know is a barrier to learning what will really impact our neighbor?
WOMM—it’s a strategy to use for far more than attracting customers
“Come and see” is an invitation for our time. But if someone responds to such words from us, what will they find?
Listen first, and when you decide to speak, heed this advice
To follow the teaching of James, we start by listening before we speak. We sew the Word of God in our hearts and surrender our words to him before we utter a thought to another.
Again and again the scripture affirms: Christianity = actions
In spite of today’s prevailing tendency to make our position clear on every topic, the watching world will learn most about our faith and our God by what we do.
Advice from James on how the Word can make a difference in our world
Sometimes we fail to listen. Sometimes we only consume and fail to act. In a few sentences, James challenges us to correct both errors.
Here’s what we sometimes need most to remember: how it all began
Jesus, the Light of the World, who created light from the beginning, will be a presence and power in our lives today.
Trials, trouble, hope, and courage—possible for every believer
It is neither instant nor natural to think of facing trials joyfully. And joyfully doesn't mean some sort of denial or silliness. It is a deep awareness that our suffering aligns us deeply with Jesus who suffered for us.
How to keep ourselves from failure when we see an enemy stumble
I keep looking for the exempt clause for this instruction found in Proverbs 24: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.”
Why the high wall of our imagination will never be high enough
Our imagination can create much for our future and help us understand our past. But It’s not enough to sustain or to save.