“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Ephesians 6:10 So often, strength in our world is associated with defiance, stubbornness, harshness, a refusal to bow. A determined state that will not bend to another. It can appear entirely contrary to the characteristics to which followers of Christ are called: […]
“As [Jesus] said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” Luke 11:27-28 There is intentionality here, in following […]
“And as [Jesus] was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’… And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the […]
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews 4:7b I feel a bit of a weight today as I begin to write on this warning. Because how often is this the temptation? The warning applies not only to the initial calling of God’s salvation, for us to choose Him and choose […]
“You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.” Leviticus 10:10 “I appeal to you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but […]
“And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus…And Joseph bought a linen […]
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word… I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” Psalm 119:9, 15-16 “[Christ] himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, […]
“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.’” Isaiah 43:10 Lately I’ve been struggling with discouragement. One twist in the road has served […]
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out…And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” John 6:37, 39 What beautiful, unwavering […]
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things…So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under […]
In Pleasant Places 