Ephesus was the home of a tremendous ministry. Despite harsh persecution, the church planted by Paul endured opposition, spread the gospel, and was quick to challenge false prophets. But just 30 years after the Apostle left, John’s revelation included a stern warning for those believers. (Revelation 2:1-7) Imagine how the words from John must have struck […]
James 1:19-27 admonishes us to be “Quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger…so that we can be ‘doers of the word…not merely hearers’”. Do you consider yourself to be a good listener, a doer of the word? In his book Directions, author James Hamilton shares this insight about listening to God: “Before refrigerators, people […]
This morning I’m standing in the New Auburn Cemetery. The weather is clear but cold. People are driving single file through the narrow roadway and parking bumper to bumper like a long row of train cars. Slowly each car empties and slowly each person walks to the tent with the mound of dirt covered by […]
I was reading an interesting commentary yesterday on the passage in Genesis 25:29-34 where we discover the story of Jacob and Esau. Essentially, Esau sold his birthright (inheritance) for a bowl of soup. How utterly foolish was his choice! But let us think beyond the birthrights and the soup. The author asks a very poignant question: Is there anything of […]
Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. You are a Man of Intention. You understand that your purpose is not to pursue your own interests. You know that you are to love and provide for your families, You know that you must consider “others as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). In Mark 10:45 we discover what Jesus said about human […]
What gives you and I significance? The author of the Book of Jude tells us in his letter to the early church that you and I are “called”, “beloved” and “secure or preserved” in Christ. Our significance comes from these truths. It begs the question then…what are we called to? You and I were called […]
I was walking through the parking lot, going into Safeway to buy some milk and eggs, when I noticed two books resting inside the back window of a car. Both were blue hardback books. They looked to be rather new yet obviously had been read. There were some other papers on the windowsill as well, […]
