A Life-Giving Love

“Michael had once read to her how God had cast a man and woman out of Paradise. Yet, for all their human faults and failures, God had shown them the way back in.

Love the Lord your God, and love one another. Love one another as he loves. Love with strength and purpose and passion and no matter what comes against you. Don’t weaken. Stand against the darkness, and love. That’s the way back into Eden. That’s the way back to life.”

Excerpted from Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

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Daily Reflection: When was the last time you thanked God for His redeeming love?

A Whisper from the Waves

“‘Mom, did I tell you about this shell yet?’ Her tone made it clear she was sharing a special secret. “I had asked God for a word that would represent my spiritual journey this semester. As I was walking on the beach, I looked out at the ocean and remembered living in Hawaii. Then I heard the calming command I used to hear God giving to the waves. But you know what, Mom? This time it was different.”

I leaned in, eager to hear what Rachel would say.

‘There was a new line at the end of the command. What surprised me was that the new line fit so perfectly.’

‘What was it?’

‘Come
Crinkle
Curl
Splash
…Listen to Me.’”

Excerpted from Take Flight! by Robin Jones Gunn and Cindy Hannan

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Daily [ … ]

Seeking to Follow, Not be Followed

“Jesus Christ—the youngest minichurch pastor in history…

Whenever the crowd got big, he’d say something such as, ‘Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.’ Not exactly the sharpest church-growth tactic. I can almost picture the looks on the disciples’ faces. ‘No, not the drink-my-blood speech! We’ll never get on the list of the fastest growing movements if you keep asking them to eat you.’

By the end of that speech, all the crowds had left, and only twelve men remained. Jesus apparently wasn’t interested in marketing himself to the masses. His invitations to potential followers were clearly more costly than the crowds were ready to accept, and he seemed to be okay with that. He focused instead on the few who believed him when he said radical [ … ]

Like a Treasure Buried

“Jesus’ kingdom invites us to immerse ourselves in the whole gospel He came to preach. We get to listen and consider and think through the staggering possibilities of kingdom living as Jesus taught it. The practical promise of our faith journey together is this: as we live in fidelity to Christ the King, His in-breaking reign will have a transformational effect on us, our communities, and our world. Anything less is not what Jesus came to earth to tell.

In a mysterious yet absolutely real way, the kingdom of Jesus is here now and in power. Like gravity or high-frequency radio waves, this kingdom doesn’t require our attention or consent in order to exist. It just is. Still, I think you’ll find that we have to learn—and deeply want—to see and imagine in new ways. Otherwise we’ll miss it. So [ … ]

A Letter from God

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “If Christians lived according to their faith, there would be no more Hindus left in India.” This great leader was fascinated at the thought of knowing Christ. But when he met Christians, he felt let down. The world is filled with people who feel the same. They are intrigued by the claims of Christ, but they shrink back because of disappointment with His offspring.

“Don’t look at people,” we might protest. “Look at Jesus.” But while that may be true, the sobering truth remains: Whether we like it or not, we’re the only Jesus some will ever see. Dwight L. Moody put it this way: “Of one hundred men, one will read the Bible; the ninety-nine will read the Christian.”

“You are a letter from Christ…,” Paul reminded the Christians at Corinth, “written not with ink [ … ]

Always There

“Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.”—2 Chronicles 7:15-16

God promised, “My name will be there.”

The name above all names; the name that makes seas to boil and the skies to fall; the name that causes every knee to bow and every tongue to confess—that name and all it represents would be there for the people of God. God himself swore that all his character and all his essence would surely be there for his children.

But what does this mean for us?

It means we can count on the One who parted the ocean and calmed the seas to be there for [ … ]

Designed with Purpose

The Bible makes it clear that we were designed from the start to live for a unique reason. For a dream. A big idea. A personal mission. That’s because you and I are made in the image of a forward-looking, purposeful God.

In other words, before God starts something, He is certain of the outcome.
God created you with a divine undertaking in mind. Before you were born, God knew you. And He knew what He wanted your life to be like.

That’s why God calls us to live on purpose, keeping the end in view. And what’s more, He invites us to seek Him in order to learn what His perfect plan is for our lives. Then, with that plan in mind, we can reach His and our greatest dreams. Anything less is a mistake, a lie, [ … ]

Who Are You?

If somebody asked me, “Who are you?” I could say lots of things. I could say, “I am Jud. I am married to Lori. We have two kids and a slobbery bulldog named Roxy. And I am horrible at Guitar Hero for Xbox.”

These are aspects of who I am, but my identity is not found in them. According to the Bible, my identity is found in God. He chooses me. I’m His possession. And that is who you are too.

It doesn’t matter what your employer says, what your parents say, what your ex says, or what your friends say. God says that as His follower you are chosen. You are loved just as you are, and your identity is complete in that. You can’t earn it, and you can’t undo it; there is nothing you can do to [ … ]

Then Came Christ

“Before I met Christ, sin was fully in charge. It pulled my strings like an evil puppet master, causing me to dance like a helpless marionette. Enslaved to his dark choreography, I flopped here and there, going through the motions of life. On the outside I appeared as though I was in control, but in reality I was a powerless captive. A slave. Addicted to self-love, pain avoidance, and pleasure, I did sin’s bidding—beating myself up for my failures and slapping myself on the back for my accomplishments. I was a one-person Punch and Judy show.

Then Jesus came. When I said yes to Him, the Puppet Master, He cut the soul-strings that tied my soul to sin and allowed me to truly live. I was no longer a wooden Pinocchio wishing and longing to be real. Christ breathed His [ … ]

Never Tear Others Down—Rather Build Them Up

A wise man or woman, [Solomon] says, uses words to build others up, to heal their wounds and fortify their self-esteem. Our natural inclination is to join in on the office gossip, or use angry words to defend ourselves when under attack. Solomon urges us to choose to act contrary to our natural inclinations, refusing to take part in gossip and avoiding the use of words that would hurt others. He urges us to replace negative words with positive ones.

Excerpted from The Richest Man Who Ever Lived by Steven K. Scott

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Daily Reflection: In what ways will you choose to act contrary to “natural inclinations”?