Have you ever heard someone pray whose passion, feeling, and fervor were so intense that their sincere petitions brought you closer to God than you’d ever felt before?
Such is the prayer of Jesus in John 17 that some writers have called this chapter “The Holy of Holies of John’s Gospel.” It’s the longest recorded prayer of Jesus in the Bible.
In John 17 we gain deeper insight into Jesus’ relationship with the Father and His thoughts and emotions in the shadow of the cross. Continue reading
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“Love Will Keep Us Together” was a popular song in the 1970s written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, and recorded by Sedaka in 1973.
In 1975 pop duo, The Captain & Tennille released their version and it became a #1 song and the best selling single of the year.
Sadly, love didn’t keep “The Captain”, Daryl Dragon, and Toni Tennille together. They divorced in 2014 after nearly 40 years of marriage. Dragon died of renal failure in 2016 in Prescott, Arizona. Continue reading
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Bob Edens, a Columbia, South Carolina, man, lived 51 years without sight. He was born blind.
But through a complicated surgery for a detached retina and a corneal transplant, Bob gradually began to receive sight.
‘I never would have dreamed that yellow was so … so yellow. I don’t have the words. I am amazed by yellow,” Bob said. Continue reading
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“Seek your life’s nourishment in your life’s work,” once wrote the 19th-century author and preacher, Phillips Brooks.
Jesus is the consummate and perfect example of finding substance and sustenance in his mission and ministry on earth.
In response to the disciple’s concern that Jesus was hungry for lack of food, he replied, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”
The context and content of Jesus’ statement contain several layers we need to peel back. Continue reading
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Steve Shepherd tells the story about a fellow leaving worship service one Sunday morning. The preacher was standing at the door shaking hands (You know that’s his job to shake ‘em in, then shake ‘em out).
Well, the preacher grabbed the guy by the hand and said, “Hey, friend, you need to join the Army of the Lord.”
“I’m already in the Army of the Lord,” the man replied.
“Then, why don’t I see you except at Christmas and Easter?” the preacher inquired. Continue reading
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“Waking up to a beautiful sunrise is so promising. The air is quiet. Birds are beginning to stir in their nests. The moon is fading away as the sun’s rays quietly take over the sky”, wrote an unknown devotional writer.
“It’s as if God hit the restart button and we are powering up for a new day, a new beginning. Our batteries are charged, the things of yesterday are gone, and God is unveiling a chance to start anew.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder, Psalms
Yesterday’s online INC magazine headlined an article by Marcel Schwantes with this captivating lead-in:
It Took Warren Buffett 2 Sentences to Offer the Best Advice You Will Hear Today
Timeless wisdom from the Oracle of Omaha.
It caught my attention. What financial insight would Buffett share from his vast wealth of financial acumen? A portfolio change? A stock tip? A retirement strategy? Continue reading
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Tonight, I’m concluding a meeting in Marion, Indiana, and preaching from 1 Corinthians 15 about death and the bodily resurrection.
Death.
It is a sobering word. A cold word. A frightening word. We don’t even like to say it. We prefer euphemisms. We say, “She passed away.’ “He expired.” “She’s gone.” In a lighter vein we speak of someone “pushing up daisies”, or “kicking the bucket,” Or being “six feet under.” Continue reading
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Warren W. Wiersbe, a well-known Bible scholar, and the author of over 160 books and Bible commentaries shared this motto from one radio listener sent him several years ago.
“Look at others and be distressed. Look at yourself, and be depressed. Look to God, and you’ll be blessed.”
“This may not be a piece of literature,” Wiersbe opined, “but it certainly contains great practical theology.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder, Psalms
Eric Carle is the author and illustrator of a very cute and clever children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
The story is about a caterpillar whose voracious appetite could never be satisfied. He was always hungry. Always eating, day after day. Never filled.
But one day something changed. Continue reading
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