Life This Side of Heaven

Have you ever found yourself undervaluing the gifts and abilities God has given to you and envying the skills and talents of someone else?

Nobody like someone who’s full of themselves. So when the apostle says in Romans, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought," it may sound like Paul is giving his comeuppance to folks who have an annoying sense of self-importance. But actually it’s more than that. And it’s a lot more positive.

Imagine if you could buy a square watermelon – one that’s shaped like a cube? It's a matter of getting the melon to conform to a mold. That may be a fun experiment for the garden, but the apostle reminds us that it’s a bad idea when it comes to how you and I fit into the culture around us.

“What do you have to offer?” It’s a standard question that hiring managers uses in interviews. It’s an open-ended question which provides the person being interviewed an opportunity to “talk themselves up.” As some have said, it’s a chance to show what you bring to the table, to describe your special strengths, how you add value, what you bring as the benefits that you bring to the table. When it...

It easy to think that faith in Jesus is one of the better choices we’ve made in life. But that idea is put to rest with the words that Jesus spoke to Peter when He asked them, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Peter's response and Jesus' reply remind us that it's something even better and much more comforting.

In these concluding verses of Psalm 67 we hear it, not once, but twice, “May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You.” We look forward to that day when, as we hear in Revelation, we shall join with the “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.”

Psalm 67 is a wonderful missionary prayer. It begins by asking for God's blessing and then becomes a prayer that this salvation be shared with all people. And although these are ancient words they also speak with remarkable clarity to a concern currently facing our nation.

When Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” there’s a good reason he goes on to say, “as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” It sticks with us. Music incorporates God’s Word into our memory in a way that it finds itself on the tip of our tongue as we sing along during the week.

In Romans, Paul writes, "Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them." It's unlikely that the apostle is advocating any structured form of "Envy Evangelism." However, what a blessing it would be if those in our midst, seeing the importance of our salvation in Christ, found themselves want...

God’s Old Testament nation of Israel was to serve as a lighthouse. And so are God's people today. Standing tall along the shoreline, lighthouses are those wonderful towers that send out a bright beam of light to assist with maritime navigation, warn of hazards and to guide sailors safely home to to their destination.

"That’s not like Him." Have you ever found yourself saying that about someone you know and love? When God's face seems hidden, when circumstances in your life make it seem as if God is not hearing your prayers, have you ever wondered, "That's not like Him"? Here's where faith clings to God's mercy alone and trusts the Savior who has revealed Himself, and His mercy, to us in His Word.

When Jesus pulled Peter from the waves He stepped into the boat with a disciple who was soaking wet, rescued and grateful. Sometimes paintings will depict Jesus holding out his hand as if waiting for Peter to latch on. But Jesus didn’t tell him, “Take hold of my hand.” He didn’t meet Peter half way and wait for Peter to reach up to Him. It was all Jesus.

It’s surprising how easy it us for us to be frightened by what we think may harm us – than it is to realize that Jesus Himself is always with us. And that list can be extensive from health concerns to so much more. But you and I can be comforted knowing, without any doubt, that our Almighty God and Savior is with us. For the disciples, it was a dark and stormy night ... but it didn't end that way.

When you hear the words “Good News,” what often comes to mind is a fuzzy image of something that makes you feel good or just makes you smile. However, when Paul used that term “Gospel, good news,” it brought to mind a vivid picture for those who heard it. Here’s news that hits our ears and sets feet into motion.

Confessing our faith isn't a condition to be met before we are saved. It’s a joyous fruit of faith, not a prerequisite to justification. It’s proclaiming publicly the saving faith that God Himself has planted in our hearts through His Word. It’s a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge before God and say to the world: “Here’s my loving God and what He has done, and continues to do, for me and my sal...

You may have to travel to taste an iconic regional dish. However, today, you can have practically any famous regional foods delivered right to your doorstep. But how do we receive the salvation that Jesus accomplished for us on the cross over 2,000 years ago halfway around the world on the other side of the globe? The good news is that Jesus Himself has delivered it right to us!

It’s tempting in our culture to think we’ve come so far that we all the answers. As a result, it's even tempting to second-guess God and want to give Him advice. However, it's humbling to know that there is still so much we don't know, and comforting to be reminded that He is God and we in His loving hands.

So why did Jesus used a little boy's lunch when He fed the five thousand by the Seat of Galilee? After all, He didn't need the two fish and five loaves of bread that his Mom or Dad packed for him that morning to accomplish this miracle.

Just before Jesus fed the five thousand, He told the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” Have you ever wondered why He did that? Certainly, He wanted them to trust in Him. It’s clear from John’s Gospel that when Philip asked about it He did this to test their faith. But why have them distribute it?

It's interesting to note that shortly before Jesus fed the five thousand the disciples attempted to explain to Him that this was impossible. If you notice, He didn't debate it with them. He went ahead and showed them. In our weakness, we may underestimate our Savior as well.

Imagine you were one of the disciples. Our Savior had spent the day teaching the large crowd that had followed them to Bethsaida along the short of the Sea of Galilee. Now it was getting late. What Jesus told them next must have made their jaws drop. He told them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” What would you think?

Do you ever wish like you could just get away from it all? Disturbing news. Medical concerns. Painful guilt from sin. Do you find yourself drained and exhausted? It’s worthy knowing that these go neither unnoticed nor untended by our Savior.

"There’s no such thing as a free lunch." I’m sure we’ve all heard that phrase at one time or another. So it may make us raise our eyebrow when we hear God's invitation in Isaiah, "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost."

The kingdom of heaven comes to us in the hearing of God’s Word. Discovering the treasure that God has revealed to us, of our salvation, isn't the end. That’s just the beginning. Now you and I have an opportunity to pour over all that this treasure holds.

Covid, killer hornets, hurricane season. We’re halfway into 2020 and many people are beginning to wonder what’s coming next? Paul reminds us of the very reassuring answer to that question in God's Word.