What do you see? It may depend on what you’re learning to look for
We see what we’re looking for. Or, better stated, we see what we’re prepared to see. This is why some see God where others say he’s totally missing.
A warning: They knew the Scripture, but they missed the truth
These were the religious leaders of their day, but they couldn’t see the truth standing before them. Could it be that I sometimes miss something crucial, too?
The most important stories fathers can be telling their children
Some remember long talks with their father. Other fathers were distant with few words. Scripture reminds fathers of their spiritual responsibility to their children.
The questions Jesus answered—and asked—prompt our answers too
As I think today about these questions in Matthew, I wonder if sometimes we read past some questions Jesus asked for the same reason the Pharisees did. We don’t want to think or act differently.
Two reactions to the presence of the King give me a choice, too
I hear the children praising him and see the religious leaders opposing him, and I stop to wonder, Which group am I more like?
A picture of Paul on mission, an example for our witness, too
Find common ground, show love, be persistent. We see all of this in Paul; we need all of this today.
Sunday review: February 28—March 5
Amid international outrage over an unjust war, Christians everywhere are praying. Many readers of this blog are joining them, bolstered in their faith by the daily devotions they’ve found here. You may want to read one of them a second time, or share it with a friend.
Persecution is happening in many places, but probably not to you
Christians in America may encounter pushback to their faith. But we have not experienced persecution like that known by millions worldwide.
No matter what kind of storm you’re enduring, God says, ‘Be still’
I’ve been in all kinds of storms, some of them more difficult than the first hurricane I experienced. Today’s story and psalm remind me how to get through them.
What it takes to follow Jesus, what we need to hear God’s voice
We don’t always want to hear what Jesus is saying. We don’t always want to go where he is leading. To make sure we’re really following, we must pursue a simple strategy.
Like us, they were unprepared. Like today, Jesus came through
If they weren’t ready to feed the hungry crowd, at least they should have anticipated how Jesus would do it. But he came through for them, in spite of their shortsightedness. Just as he does today.
No one has found what only Jesus offers, the fountain of life
The fountain of life in St. Augustine proved to be little more than a tourist trap. But the living water Jesus offers is real.
Helpless in the face of war, we can—we must do this one thing
It will become clear what else we must do in this season of war, but for now I am confident we must pray.
Sunday review: February 21-26
The enemy is surely prowling and on the attack in our world—not only overseas with tanks and missiles, but also in our personal spirits. Posts this week help you fight the battle. Why not share one of them with a friend today?
Jesus challenges us to something far better than peacekeeping
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” and making peace is something in short supply—not only on the world stage, but also in our personal and professional relationships.
Why greatness is not about being an insider with power and prominence
To be great in the kingdom of Heaven requires less reaching for the top and much more serving at what we perceive to be the bottom.
God will rescue, and then he’ll be ready to rescue you again
Each new time I face an overwhelming challenge, I, like David, remember how God has rescued in the past.
What will and won’t change when you submit yourself to the Spirit?
A tiger won’t change its stripes, and some things won’t change about you, either, even after you submit to the Holy Spirit. Here’s some help in thinking about how to deal with this.
Know God is near—walk into the thin space between earth and Heaven
The enemy of God will always interrupt the things of God. But there—in the middle of the storm—God will prevail.
Like a tree and its crop, our lives show the health of what’s inside
Jesus gave his harshest critics advice that can apply to each of his followers: Good trees produce good fruit; bad trees produce bad.