Broken
“While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.” (Mark 14:3, NIV) The week before Jesus’ death, he […]
Time and Money
“Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.“ […]
God Has a Name
“Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to […]
Rewarded
“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:18-19, NIV) Paul’s […]
The Nature of God
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17) I spent a long time today trying to think of one perfect verse to answer the question: “What is God like?” As you might imagine, this self-imposed task turned […]
Doing Things God’s Way
“But doom to you who fight your Maker— you’re a pot at odds with the potter! Does clay talk back to the potter: ‘What are you doing? What clumsy fingers!’” (Isaiah 45:9, The Message) Do you ever feel like God gets it wrong? That he should do this or that? That he should do it […]
Only Wounded Soldiers can Serve
“In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.” […]
I Believe…
“…I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24, NIV) Do you sometimes feel like this is your life verse? Me, too! The last few weeks at New Life we’ve been talking about reasons to believe in Christmas. First and foremost is the fact that God loves you. The idea that “God so loved […]
Believe
“The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.“ (Mark 1:1, NIV) That’s how Mark begins his Gospel. No genealogy, no manger, no shepherds or wise men. Where Matthew and Luke build up to that conclusion – that Jesus is the Son of God – Mark puts it out there in the […]
25 Years and Counting
“[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.“ (1 Corinthians 13:7, NKJV) The other day, Christine and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. TWENTY-FIVE. Can’t believe it’s been that long…can’t believe we are that old! So many friends congratulated us and said very kind things about our marriage. Thank you. […]
Walking with God
“…that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 116:9, NIV) Psalm 116 is a beautiful Psalm. Take a minute or two today and read it. It begins with the psalmist in trouble: “The cords of death entangle me… (v. 3).” It ends with him toasting God (v. 13) and […]
On History and Memorials
Jesus was a master teacher, using stories, illustrations, and object lessons to make his spiritual points. When he said that memorable line: “I am the vine and you are the branches,” he and his disciples were walking through a vineyard one evening on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane. What a memorable way to […]
