What moments, what sharp turns, have you gone through? As you look back on them, do you see God’s hand? Let me encourage you to reflect on them. Write them into the narrative of your story.
Read MoreWho starts a business enterprise without a plan and a few tools? The same is true for sharing your faith. Consider this approach next time you need help telling your story.
Read MoreYou may be in a situation where discussion of religious beliefs is frowned upon. That does not immediately mean you need to be quiet. You need to pray.
Read MoreDo we, right where we are living, pray for boldness to speak the Name of Jesus? And boldness looks differently depending on where you are situated.
Read MoreThe answer is, “He is God”. He is not capricious. In fact, in the grand story of the Bible, he has every right to this action and because he is a righteous God, taking this action is not wrong.
Read MoreHow we respond, when our point of view differs with another person’s, reveals what we care deeply about. Is there a hill, a point of view, worth dying on?
Read MoreThe miraculous healing opens the door for testimony about Jesus, which leads to the ultimate healing—the healing of estrangement from God. It is why I love people who use Pocket Testaments. It is a simple and direct way to invite people to meet Jesus. Have you ever shared one?
Read MoreSometimes I expect too much, and offer too little. I am working on that behavior. How about you? Where are you with the church, and do you need to do something about it?
Read MoreGod the Holy Spirit, through the dramatic moment of Pentecost, has captured the people’s attention. And the spirit-filled Peter, the Jesus-filled Peter, begins to do what will be the model for the rest of this book: pointing people to the Father through the Son, all in the power of the Spirit.
Read MoreThe flaming tongues, the rushing wind, and more have one aim—to empower us to be disciples of Jesus. To do what Jesus did. What did Jesus do? He led people to the Father, to God through his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—and sacrifice.
Read MoreWhen I can hold in my mind that he is friend and Lord, I am better able to live with him working through me because he is ascended into heaven, and the Spirit has descended in me.
Read MoreTraipse around any airport and you find quite a few one-way doors. You know those doors that once you walk through, you cannot go back. In life we have metaphorical one-way doors. Events and situations, that once we cross through, life is different, and there is no going back.
Read MoreWhen you “go and wait” it implies a degree of trust. They don’t know Jesus is about to ascend before their eyes. I expect, after it happened, they were really disoriented. Yet he gives them a very important command. It’s as if he says, “I got your backs, now go and wait for what you’ve been waiting the last 2,000 years for, trust me.”
Read MoreI suggest we each think about whether or not we are certain about just who Jesus is. I am asking myself: Am I certain he is the Son of God come to earth? Am I certain his death on the Cross was for my sins? Am I certain his resurrection defeated the curse of sin in my life? Will I follow him?
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Read MoreAs we have come to end of reading the Gospel of Luke, I would love to get some feedback from you! It would be a great help to know what I can improve on and what you really enjoyed. Please complete this short survey!
Read MoreWhen we say we believe in the resurrection of Jesus, we are not proclaiming the eternal significance of an idea—nor are we saying that Jesus lives on in somebody’s memory or that his reappearances were simply visionary experiences. The confession of the Church of Christ for two thousand years has been, and must continue to be, an unequivocal conviction of the bodily resurrection.
Read MoreHow do you process this mostly empty tomb? Along the logic—emotions spectrum, where do you generally sit? How does the Bible fit into all of it for you?
Read MoreCertainty. That is what Luke started with. Does it seem like Luke is certain Jesus is dead? How about you?
Read MoreJesus’ phrase, the power of darkness, has my attention. This is more than a youthful fear of the dark. Perhaps those childhood fears are not so misplaced.
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