Nicodemus was extremely well read. He knew the prophecies in our Old Testament and he knew history. But he was baffled by the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. He struggled to believe what he was seeing. The New Testament was written in Greek, and the Greek word for Spirit can also be translated wind. While…
The familiar story of Jonah and the big fish inspired today’s declaration, and I believe speaking it will empower your tongue with truth. Jonah turned away from God, spent three days in the belly of a fish, was vomited onto the shores of the city he did not want to go to, and then reluctantly…
The story of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet is what inspired today’s declaration, and I believe speaking it will empower your tongue with truth. Today is Ash Wednesday, and so I decided to focus on Jesus’s actions prior to the last Passover he shared with his disciples. The promise in this week’s declaration can get…
I’ve been on a freedom kick lately. Partly because of my pastor’s powerful messages the past few Sundays, but also because my heart has been aching for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are burdened by an impossible yoke of expectations and perfectionism. That would be people like me! We so desperately want to…
We’ve been surrounded by pink and red hearts over the past several days, and I pictured all those Valentine’s Day decorations as I read Galatians 5:6. “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (NIV) Not following the letter of the law. But faith in Jesus. Love is an expression of our…
If you went to Sunday school as a kid or even if you’re a more recent student of the Bible, chances are you’ve heard the stories of Daniel in the lion’s den and of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the fiery furnace. These familiar stories tell of how these men faced execution because of their…
Today’s declaration is as simple as this: Jesus is coming back. Jordan Feliz has a song called Jesus is coming back that encourages us to keep our heads up. I can’t help but grin and groove a little whenever I hear it. Jesus is coming back to earth in the same way he ascended into…
It’s still early in the new year and it’s never too late to begin a good habit. I enjoy listening to the Craig Groeschel Leadership podcast. His January message is called Mastering the Habits That Matter Most. In it, he made a powerful statement that I wholeheartedly agree with. He said, “If you want to…
Last week, I encouraged you to make a New Year’s Resolution to study Scripture with greater intensity this year. The study of God’s Word helps us know Him better, and knowing Him better helps make the wise wiser. I got a kick out of our declaration, and I invite you to listen to that episode…
I often associate wisdom with age, but Proverbs 9:9-11 makes a different connection. Wisdom comes from God. Not from aging. From God. If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then the wise can become even wiser. James tells us that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God who gives generously…
