Category Archives: Encounters with Jesus
Before You Follow Jesus…
…we cannot follow Jesus if we are preoccupied with our selves, our own agendas. Likewise we cannot follow Jesus if we fail to accept the challenges/trials God puts in our lives.
Before You Follow Jesus…
…we cannot follow Jesus if we are preoccupied with our selves, our own agendas. Likewise we cannot follow Jesus if we fail to accept the challenges/trials God puts in our lives.
Reorientation from Remuneration Frustration
Many of us become frustrated with our lack of earthly treasure. We wonder why God hasn’t blessed us with the things that “moth” and “rust doth corrupt”. Somehow, we fail to recognize that God has lovingly removed from our lives the temptation to accumulate wealth unto ourselves. Indeed, we fail to see that our very desire for material wealth demonstrates that we are focused on earthly treasure rather than on the “treasures in heaven” that Jesus instructs us to hold dear.
Reorientation from Remuneration Frustration
Many of us become frustrated with our lack of earthly treasure. We wonder why God hasn’t blessed us with the things that “moth” and “rust doth corrupt”. Somehow, we fail to recognize that God has lovingly removed from our lives the temptation to accumulate wealth unto ourselves. Indeed, we fail to see that our very desire for material wealth demonstrates that we are focused on earthly treasure rather than on the “treasures in heaven” that Jesus instructs us to hold dear.
Tidings to Shepherds: Broadcasts to Outcasts
Perhaps God has humbled you lately. Perhaps you have lost you job, or lost your house, or lost your health, or lost your savings or some combination of the above. While this can be quite painful, difficult and bewildering, perhaps God is preparing to speak a message to you that you are just now prepared to hear.
Tidings to Shepherds: Broadcasts to Outcasts
Perhaps God has humbled you lately. Perhaps you have lost you job, or lost your house, or lost your health, or lost your savings or some combination of the above. While this can be quite painful, difficult and bewildering, perhaps God is preparing to speak a message to you that you are just now prepared to hear.
Jesus Cleanses a Leper: A Revealing Healing
Is what Jesus can do for us more important than what we can do for Jesus? Is our emphasis on receiving from God, or serving God?
Jesus Cleanses a Leper: A Revealing Healing
Is what Jesus can do for us more important than what we can do for Jesus? Is our emphasis on receiving from God, or serving God?
The Secret to Sleeping through Storms: Without Faith lies Fear; Within Faith stands Fortitude
They had no guarantee that they would survive the storm, BUT they could be absolutely sure that God controlled the storm and controlled their lives. They could be absolutely sure that as fierce as the storm raged, God’s love for them raged even more fiercely. No storm could ever blow them out of God’s mighty hand.
The Secret to Sleeping through Storms: Without Faith lies Fear; Within Faith stands Fortitude
They had no guarantee that they would survive the storm, BUT they could be absolutely sure that God controlled the storm and controlled their lives. They could be absolutely sure that as fierce as the storm raged, God’s love for them raged even more fiercely. No storm could ever blow them out of God’s mighty hand.
Eternal Economics 101: Profit and Loss
A profit is an improvement resulting from a transaction… examine whether the transaction of exchanging our souls to gain the world puts us in a better position eternally. Because in God’s ledger only salvation… counts as profit; only work in the Kingdom of God brings in revenue; everything else is loss.
Eternal Economics 101: Profit and Loss
A profit is an improvement resulting from a transaction… examine whether the transaction of exchanging our souls to gain the world puts us in a better position eternally. Because in God’s ledger only salvation… counts as profit; only work in the Kingdom of God brings in revenue; everything else is loss.
Jesus and the Declaring Devils: Fanfare Foments Furor not Faith
If the people of Capernaum refused to believe Jesus when He identified Himself as the Messiah, do you think they would have believed it if the devils declared it?? Certainly not, it would just have been a bigger spectacle. Likewise, anyone who refuses to accept Jesus as Saviour now, will reject Him even if demons jumped up and declared him to be the Son of God.
Jesus and the Declaring Devils: Fanfare Foments Furor not Faith
If the people of Capernaum refused to believe Jesus when He identified Himself as the Messiah, do you think they would have believed it if the devils declared it?? Certainly not, it would just have been a bigger spectacle. Likewise, anyone who refuses to accept Jesus as Saviour now, will reject Him even if demons jumped up and declared him to be the Son of God.
People are More Precious than Protocol
God loves us every day, and every moment of every day. He wants us to come to Him with our burdens and troubles, to commune, to fellowship, to talk with Him every day, and every moment of every day.
People are More Precious than Protocol
God loves us every day, and every moment of every day. He wants us to come to Him with our burdens and troubles, to commune, to fellowship, to talk with Him every day, and every moment of every day.
Healed for Saviour-Service, not Self-Service
It is easy for us to fall into a rut where we see God as ‘Mr. Fix-It’; where we call on Him to remove problems from our lives so that we can accomplish the goals we had set for ourselves. Rather, we should call on God to remove problems from our lives so that we can accomplish the goals He has set for us.
Healed for Saviour-Service, not Self-Service
It is easy for us to fall into a rut where we see God as ‘Mr. Fix-It’; where we call on Him to remove problems from our lives so that we can accomplish the goals we had set for ourselves. Rather, we should call on God to remove problems from our lives so that we can accomplish the goals He has set for us.
True Teachers Teach with “Authority”
Believers do not have to be victims of false teachers with false teachings. Every Believer CAN know the Word of God for himself/herself, BECAUSE we have the Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts!
True Teachers Teach with “Authority”
Believers do not have to be victims of false teachers with false teachings. Every Believer CAN know the Word of God for himself/herself, BECAUSE we have the Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts!
Gone Fishin’
When Jesus calls you/me into ministry (any kind of ministry; Romans 12:4-8), what will be our response?
Will we immediately make the step of faith? Or will we hold back (making the usual excuses)?
When Jesus makes the call, do we have our minds set for service?
Gone Fishin’
When Jesus calls you/me into ministry (any kind of ministry; Romans 12:4-8), what will be our response?
Will we immediately make the step of faith? Or will we hold back (making the usual excuses)?
When Jesus makes the call, do we have our minds set for service?
LIFE in the Kingdom of God
Righteousness gives birth to worship, NOT vice-versa. We don’t accomplish worship by deciding to perform a ritual, whether that is fasting or attending church, or anything else. Rather, it is our relationship with Jesus that gives birth to our worship of Him.
LIFE in the Kingdom of God
Righteousness gives birth to worship, NOT vice-versa. We don’t accomplish worship by deciding to perform a ritual, whether that is fasting or attending church, or anything else. Rather, it is our relationship with Jesus that gives birth to our worship of Him.
Admission into the Kingdom
It is mercy, God’s mercy, that makes Salvation available. Mercy opens the door of Salvation to let us into the Kingdom of God.
Admission into the Kingdom
It is mercy, God’s mercy, that makes Salvation available. Mercy opens the door of Salvation to let us into the Kingdom of God.
Qualifications for the Kingdom
If the spiritual is more important than the physical, how should we spend our time and effort?
If what we do is more important than what we say, how should we approach ministry?
If (the ongoing work of) Salvation is more important than miracles, which one do we need to solve our problems?
Qualifications for the Kingdom
If the spiritual is more important than the physical, how should we spend our time and effort?
If what we do is more important than what we say, how should we approach ministry?
If (the ongoing work of) Salvation is more important than miracles, which one do we need to solve our problems?
Manger Bed: Free Food for Stall
Physical food only sustains our temporary bodies for the few years we live here on earth. It takes spiritual food to give us spiritual strength to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25) and to fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4) against spiritual foes (Ephesians 6:12) as citizens of the spiritual Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:5).
Manger Bed: Free Food for Stall
Physical food only sustains our temporary bodies for the few years we live here on earth. It takes spiritual food to give us spiritual strength to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25) and to fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4) against spiritual foes (Ephesians 6:12) as citizens of the spiritual Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:5).
Swaddling Clothes: Gift-Wrapped Love
Just as a loving mother restricts her baby’s motion to help it to rest more comfortably, let us allow God to swaddle us with His Word so that we might find true peace. And may God swaddle us with His Will so that we will love and serve our fellowmen, putting their needs ahead of our own.
Swaddling Clothes: Gift-Wrapped Love
Just as a loving mother restricts her baby’s motion to help it to rest more comfortably, let us allow God to swaddle us with His Word so that we might find true peace. And may God swaddle us with His Will so that we will love and serve our fellowmen, putting their needs ahead of our own.
Swaddling Clothes: Gift-Wrapped Salvation
This Christmas, let us never lose sight of this fact: that Jesus was born to die, so that we who are dead could live. In the exultant celebration of Jesus’ birth, remember that the gift God gave us is Jesus’ death.
Swaddling Clothes: Gift-Wrapped Salvation
This Christmas, let us never lose sight of this fact: that Jesus was born to die, so that we who are dead could live. In the exultant celebration of Jesus’ birth, remember that the gift God gave us is Jesus’ death.
The Man with the Palsy | Salvation vs. Miracles: How do you see Jesus?
How do we see Jesus? Is Jesus our Saviour onto eternal life in fellowship with God? Or, Is Jesus a tool to fix problems in this life? When faced with life’s problems what do we want from Jesus? Do we want exercise our faith or ease our flesh? Do we want His “strength to be made perfect” in our “weakness”?
The Man with the Palsy | Salvation vs. Miracles: How do you see Jesus?
How do we see Jesus? Is Jesus our Saviour onto eternal life in fellowship with God? Or, Is Jesus a tool to fix problems in this life? When faced with life’s problems what do we want from Jesus? Do we want exercise our faith or ease our flesh? Do we want His “strength to be made perfect” in our “weakness”?
The Man with the Palsy | Deeds vs. Declarations: How do you see your brother?
What will we do to help those in need? If the society is in decay, what will you do to stop it? The world grows darker only when our (believers) lights grow dimmer.
The Man with the Palsy | Deeds vs. Declarations: How do you see your brother?
What will we do to help those in need? If the society is in decay, what will you do to stop it? The world grows darker only when our (believers) lights grow dimmer.
License, Loopholes, Legislation and Legitimacy
Righteousness is not proven by what you don’t do; it is not proven by what laws you don’t break. Righteousness IS proven by what you DO!!!
License, Loopholes, Legislation and Legitimacy
Righteousness is not proven by what you don’t do; it is not proven by what laws you don’t break. Righteousness IS proven by what you DO!!!
The Man with the Palsy | Spiritual vs. Physical: How do you see yourself?
Our physical state (healthy or sick, rich or poor, thin or fat, red or yellow) neither qualifies nor disqualifies us for entrance into the Kingdom of God: the ONLY thing that matters is our Spiritual state: whether our sins have been forgiven. If God forgives your sin, then you are in.
The Man with the Palsy | Spiritual vs. Physical: How do you see yourself?
Our physical state (healthy or sick, rich or poor, thin or fat, red or yellow) neither qualifies nor disqualifies us for entrance into the Kingdom of God: the ONLY thing that matters is our Spiritual state: whether our sins have been forgiven. If God forgives your sin, then you are in.
Encounters with Jesus: The Rich Young Ruler.
Is Salvation valuable enough to give up everything to get it?… For Salvation to come to our lives, it must displace everything from our lives… If Salvation means ANYTHING to us, it must be EVERYTHING to us. How much are you willing to lose just to get Salvation? How much is too much to lose to get Salvation?
Encounters with Jesus: The Rich Young Ruler.
Is Salvation valuable enough to give up everything to get it?… For Salvation to come to our lives, it must displace everything from our lives… If Salvation means ANYTHING to us, it must be EVERYTHING to us. How much are you willing to lose just to get Salvation? How much is too much to lose to get Salvation?
