Every Day with Jesus

Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, states that ‘love never fails’ (1 Cor. 13:8a). Unfailing love can and will outlast everything. A church as fragmented as that in Corinth needed to heed his reminder to express such love.

A fresh edition of EDWJ. Over the next two months we shall be looking at giving thanks to God. Paul here associates giving thanks with both prayer and the changing circumstances of our lives. September is the start of autumn in Britain. We anticipate fierce storms. Heavy rains can saturate the soil, and strong winds bring down trees whose roots are weakened in sodden ground. 

Each of us is chosen by God and appointed as His ambassador. It is a responsibility that we are equipped for by God’s Holy Spirit.

Over two months, we’ve looked long and hard at our responsibilities as God’s ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20). Paul here lays the foundations for all God’s ambassadors; prayer and witness.

There are many pressures each of us faces daily. Yet, we are reassured that God is always with us. This is because He has laid down His life in Jesus in exchange for the release of each of us from the bondage of sin.

Life challenges us with a multitude of responsibilities, amongst which we barely find time to draw breath. It’s healthy to build in moments of thanksgiving throughout our day. Such moments will ground us and remind us of the good things that life offers us – children, fine food and friendships, for example.

Agility is the ability to adapt quickly to change. Those who built America’s railroads failed to see they were creating a mass transport system.

I struggled at school, always feeling disengaged in the classroom. Quickly bored, my mind yearned to explore things I was interested in. When priorities are set for us, we can quickly lose focus, grow frustrated and become demotivated. So spiritual formation is only fruitful when it’s our choice and not something expected of us. It must be our chosen priority.

The gospel means ‘good story’, and we all like a good story. It’s why TV streaming services have boomed. Daily we witness, just like Paul, good news stories of Jesus at work in our lives. Sadly, the gospel is often reduced to a proposition. It can sound like a psychological theory. Jesus, Himself the good news, didn’t lecture on metaphysics. He ate dinners with people, spoke at open air picnics an...

The purpose of spiritual formation is personal transformation. This is evident by marked changes. Many tell of a significant change at conversion, but transformation is a process, never an event. If my life’s testimony is only my conversion story, then maybe I’m in need of an update.

Criticism cuts deep. A group of people whose loving community is to provide tangible evidence of the truth of the gospel, often falters in its execution (John 13:35). The Communion table demands that we ensure our conscience is clear and our relationship issues have been addressed. Jesus says we must press pause on taking Communion if someone has a problem with us (Matt. 5:23-24). God leaves no ro...

The word ‘wicked’ entered into the English language around 1200.* An adjective from wicca, the Old English for ‘wizard’, it meant ‘bad or false’. Bad means unsatisfactory, whilst false means lying intentionally. In Christian usage, it meant someone who was not of the Christian faith.

I n surrendering to Christ, we discover there are no limits beyond which God refuses to lead us. Scripture says that wherever we find ourselves, it is for the proclamation of the gospel; perhaps with few words and by our physical testimony to faithfulness.

A worldly view is best described as living for one’s own self- interest, most often pursued without regard for others. This is the complete opposite to living for Christ and contradicts God's Word.

The Church easily adopts a ‘siege mentality’, a defensive or paranoid attitude based on the belief that others are hostile towards it. Throughout my Christian life, many prophecies from various Christian communities have offered dire warnings and catastrophic predictions.

I was once asked if it was possible to be both a pacifist and a Christian. I thought for a moment and replied, ‘No! But maybe not in the way you might think.’

The word ‘flesh’ occurs 147 times in the New Testament, 97 of which are in Paul’s letters (principally Romans and Galatians). Flesh is not of itself evil, but rather transient. Life ’in the flesh’ is normal human existence, yet is still only human (Gal 2:20). The same meaning is found in the Old Testament. Since our humanity is sin’s gateway, and often the vehicle by which sin is practised, it can...

An ambassador’s role and we are all appointed God’s ambassadors is waiting. Choosing the ideal moment for intervention, as well as the nature of that intervention, always proves critical (2 Cor. 5:20). The context in which we are to present the gospel is subject to continual change.

Worship is neither a location nor a specific time. Just as Zadok the priest continued to sacrifice before God’s tabernacle, so we’re invited to worship 24/7. We now carry God’s tabernacle within us, so no matter where we go we are always able to worship.

Nature is both wonderful and overwhelming. We can sit and bask in the beauty of a sunset or rush to high ground to avoid a tsunami. Nature captures the imagination of poets and artists and is also ruthlessly exploited for commercial gain.

C. S. Lewis identified the central distinction of our age as the difference between true religion and idolatry, not that between secularism and religion. Idolatry comes in many forms – personality cults, wealth accumulation, infatuation, even secularism.

In 1938, with the world on the verge of war, F.D. Roosevelt, President of the USA, paused a cabinet meeting to join an estimated 40 million Americans in listening to commentary on a horse race in Baltimore.

I look at my life as entrusted into my care by God. I’m responsible, through God’s guidance, to use my life, wherever I find myself, to love and serve God, which includes other people (Mark 12:30–31).

The challenge in all worship, from singing to living, is to stay focused on God, not on ourselves. We might describe our hunger for God, or the challenges we face, yet only as part of our ongoing journey with God. Without God I can do nothing (John 15:5).

Worship has grown to be central in church life. Generally regarded as singing today, worship is in fact to declare God’s renown; the recognition of God’s achievements, and our admiration, respect and commitment to God. We worship God in many ways – from our prayer and Bible reading to the way we choose to live our life.