If we want to think rightly, how should we think about things like the pain of losing a love? “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy” is part of the truth, but think about this: our tears aren’t just followed by joy — they are a part of the joy.
Whatever we do in the Lord, we know it will accomplish something worthwhile. That’s true because it is the Lord, not we ourselves, who will take it and turn it into something good. It doesn’t depend on us or the “importance” of what we’ve done.
Our destiny is usually determined by what we do on the days when there was nothing very positive or negative to deal with, just a lot of work to be done. Being “dedicated” enough to go to heaven comes down to rolling up our sleeves and working.
What are we doing WITH our happiness? Happiness makes a wonderful foundation for a life of service to those around us. But if the foundation exists and nothing is built upon it, people may rightly ask, “What good is the foundation by itself?”
We long to see our Father’s face. But might it not be true that our Father is preparing us for that joy by sending us through a time of anticipation in this world, a time when our joy comes from relishing the thought of what will one day be ours?
Almost without exception, the encourager is encouraged in the very act of trying to encourage someone else. And the reverse is also true. By neglecting to encourage others, we deprive ourselves of much-needed encouragement we might otherwise receive.
We can embrace whatever comes our way with a new confidence. Believing it is God’s will for us to deal with it, whether easy or hard, we can dive into it and give it all we’ve got. There need be no holding back for those who live within His will.
The role of the Creator is different from that of the creature. As creatures, our role is to “trust and obey,” and that is quite enough to keep us busy. As for God, we can always rest in His sovereignty, knowing that He will do His work very well.
Let us resist the temptation to take the pen out of God’s hand and write the story ourselves. Let us rather wait and see how it all comes out. “It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:26).
It helps to be reminded that growth, whether physical or spiritual, is an “incremental” process. An increment is a small change in something, so small as to be barely perceptible. And that’s how growth usually occurs: by small changes.
To be a “saint” is to be “separate.” A saint has accepted God’s call to be redeemed from sin — seeking salvation, he has obeyed the gospel. But since not ...
If we’re in Christ, the result of God’s justification is that we are “heirs.” Eventually, we will hear Christ say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the ...
Eternal with God the Father, Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega. The world was created through Him, and He is moving history toward its final destination. For us, ...
Jesus spoke boldly about the kingdom of God. If we find ourselves challenged by what He taught concerning the kingdom, it’s because we need to be challenged. Whether we will ...
For those who have obeyed the gospel and remained faithful to the commitment they made, Christ’s return will be the time when they pass from the kingdom of God in ...
As the new king of Israel, Solomon would have some serious responsibilities. So David encouraged his son with the most important advice he could have given him: “know the God ...
Resurrection has two sides. For some, the resurrection will be one of “life,” but to others it will be one of “condemnation” (John 5:28,29). Human beings have eternal souls — ...
Universalism is fueled not by biblical exegesis but by emotional preferences. Hell is simply incongruent with the way people want to feel about God. “The issue of the new universalism ...
Jesus was never more revolutionary than in His practice of love. If we take all that He did (and not just our favorite parts), even our most “advanced” ideas about ...
Writing to Timothy, Paul left no doubt about the object of Jesus’ work: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). This echoes Jesus’ own words, ...
Jesus is described as “the faithful witness” (Revelation 1:5), which means He told the truth in everything He reported to mankind about God. He claimed He came from God, had ...
I’m mighty glad that God’s love is steadfast. Were it not for His lovingkindness, this weak child of His would have been disinherited long, long ago. And, in Christ, I ...