In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made a point that may help us understand his answer to the man who asked if few would enter the kingdom. According to Jesus, the wide gate is easier to navigate.

We tend to celebrate when whomever we designate as the “good” side wins a victory.

It is one thing to support the leader and his or her decisions. It is a completely different thing when you are the one leading.

The challenge of Jesus speaks to the pressures of the age: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”  

The history of people of faith over the centuries has demonstrated that the instructions we’ve received are not that hard to understand. Our trouble is with implementation!

The truth is, we don’t do a particularly good job with the things God has already revealed, so giving us more would probably not make things any better for anyone.

We just celebrated the biggest victory in human history, the resurrection of Jesus. So why talk of difficulties, obstacles, and enemies?

They remind us of our actions and behavior toward the sin of others, the promise of eternal life, our relationships with family, our loneliness in times of struggle, our thirst for God, the reality of what we can and can’t do, and our complete surrender.

When you read any or all of the four Gospels, you quickly see that the disciples were having their own trouble keeping up with all the amazing things they were seeing and experiencing with Jesus. We can relate.

There is no holding back for later when it comes to our discipleship. When it comes to following Jesus, we are called daily to give ourselves away to Jesus as well as to his visible body in the world today, the church.

Why did Jesus make such an astonishing statement? And how was it a preview of the marvelous gift he is to us?

Pursued by enemies intent on his destruction, David hid—and he turned to God.

We may think we are the source of the good aspects of our lives. But if we’ll just stop and remember and meditate, we can come up with a more accurate answer.

When we share what God has done in our lives, we make a difference in the lives of those who follow.

Two more examples of Jesus coming in conflict with the Pharisees who assumed their traditions and interpretations replaced the very will and Word of God.

I wonder if there is anyone reading today who needs to hear what I heard this morning: “It’s time to turn northward and stop walking around in circles.”

Jesus preached, and the crowds responded warmly. But those who claimed to know God best responded out of anger and fear.

Our story is a part of the grand story God is writing. It helps us see how he has worked in the past. It leads us to watch for his work in our present and future.

Sooner or later crisis comes to all of us. Psalm 62 shows us what to do, where to go, whom to seek, when the crisis comes to us.

Throughout the centuries many people have felt it important to document their stories. We can be glad for accounts of spiritual progress—and others will be blessed to read what we could write.