The Apostle Paul’s goal in the passage we looked at Sunday – Colossians 1:14-23, was to give the Colossians a real picture of who Jesus is and what he accomplished on the cross. He was encouraging them to remain faithful to Jesus, challenging them to not lose hope in the gospel. Jesus is the most…
Have you ever thought of failure as a success? When we usually think of failure, we think of missing the mark – not achieving our goal. I believe that failure can also be part of the journey that leads to the successful completion of that goal. In our garden, Margie and I haven’t always gotten…
Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1:2-3 In an Alpha Bible study that I participate in on Sunday evenings, the topic came up, “if there is a God and He is good, why is there so…
Sunday we looked at the story in John when Jesus had breakfast on the beach with some of His disciples. You can read the story in John 21. What’s neat about this story is that Jesus wants them to come, sit, relax, and have breakfast with Him. This week I have the opportunity to spend…
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2 Margie and I have been working in our garden. This year we have added muscadines. There is a lot of prep that goes into adding the…
Each day it becomes more real to me that we are in a battle of good versus evil – and this has eternal consequences. I know we have confidence in the victory through Jesus but we have to prepare for this battle each day. For me putting on the full armor of God begins with…
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Hebrews 13:7 I believe that we have all heard of the Energizer Bunny – that pink bunny drumming on and on. The message is that because of those batteries, he doesn’t…
“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 3:13-14 The cross of Jesus makes it possible for us to be part of the King’s family, to be set free from destructive behaviors, and for…
“Then Jesus told him (Thomas), ‘Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” John 20:29 Following His resurrection, while appearing to Thomas, Jesus spoke of a future group who were to one day believe in Him. We who are included in that group do…
In the Bible, Jesus had many disciples. There were the forty that He sent out; He had twelve that He personally called to follow Him; and then there were the three – Peter, James, and John. Real discipleship takes place in many groups but there seems to be something special when it happens in small,…