Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the…
An eagle’s egg once rolled out of its nest, and came to rest among the eggs of a chicken. The mother hen didn’t realize she had an extra egg among her own and sat on top of them until they hatched. If she thought there was something strange about a black bird in the middle of her golden chicks, she…
Over the last sixteen years, I have found myself sitting across people in various degrees of pain—physical and emotional—and have often felt helpless in my inability to offer anything more than an assurance of prayer. I am wary of offering anything else, because I have seen the effects that well-meaning and godly, but often extremely confused people, have on those…
A few years ago I was in Lebanon on mission. While there I was invited to give a talk to a group of men in a drug rehab center. I spoke to them about God’s love, after which I led them in a brief time of ministry. It was a very powerful session where God’s presence could be tangibly felt,…
Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Yet, when we look around us, it seems that there are few of us who live the abundant life. Most seem to lead lives of despair, unhappiness, loneliness, and grief. And because of a desire…
Was Judas predestined to betray Jesus? When Jesus was praying with his apostles shortly before his Passion, he said, “I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12). If he was destined to betray Jesus, then did Judas really have free will? And…
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad…
Life can get difficult for the Christian. It is a very rare person who can say that he is not constantly challenged by situations in his faith journey, or blocked by obstacles that seem unsurmountable. But for the Christian disciple, these challenges and obstacles need not be a cause for concern, because they give life some zing, and overcoming them…
One day Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Of all the questions Jesus asked his followers, this was probably one of the most important, because the answer would determine not only the nature and quality of their relationship with him, but also their response to the things he asked them to do. What was applicable to…
Jesus said: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and…
The Imitation of Christ is a Christian devotional book written by Thomas Kempis, a man of German-Dutch descent who lived in the 15th century. The Imitation of Christ is perhaps the most widely read Christian devotional work next to the Bible, and is regarded as a devotional and religious classic. However, despite its popularity, one wonders how many people follow…