Staying salty for Christ is a vital calling for believers, as Jesus declares. Matthew 5:13You are the salt of the earth.[1] This profound statement encourages us to consider our vital role as believers in a world that desperately needs Christ-like influence. It is a great privilege that the Lord grants us—to be salt in a …
The unexpected blessings of persecution are a gift from the Lord to His faithful children. In a world that constantly pursues comfort, acceptance, and ease, the notion of persecution sends shivers down our spines. Our natural inclination is to avoid conflict, to seek harmony, and to steer clear of anything that might bring us ridicule …
Jesus’ teachings radically reorient our worldview. Jesus’ disciples had left their old life behind to follow Jesus. Then Jesus began to teach them and the crowds that had gathered that their worldview needed to change. Jesus started by listing items that bring blessings in His Kingdom. This list is sometimes called ‘the Beatitudes’, because the …
A new beginning requires an ending, as we can see in the lives of Peter, James, and John, when Jesus called them to be His disciples. When Jesus called Peter, his decision to follow Him wasn’t merely an addition to his life; it was a radical reorientation that required him to leave behind his entire …
Fishing for humanity is one of the greatest gifts the Lord can give us. I am always amazed that the Lord involves us in His work, especially fishing for people. Jesus loved being around fishermen and fishing. Peter may have been an experienced fisherman, but Jesus was more knowledgeable about fishing because He made them. …
Don’t be startled by God’s call because He is always working in our lives in ways we are not aware of. Noah was going about his life when God called him to build an ark to save his family from the flood. Moses was a simple Shepherd in the Sinai desert when God called …
Only Jesus makes us worthy, as our sins separate us from a relationship with God. Ephesians 3: 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us …
We observe a progression in Peter’s opinion of Jesus as he shifted from ‘master’ to ‘Lord’ in his names for Jesus. We can easily miss this transition in our English translations, but when we consult the Greek, we gain more insight. When Jesus asked Peter to put out into the deep, Peter used the title …
Jesus gave Simon Peter a call to go deeper. Luke 5: 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” [1] Remember, Peter is a professional fisherman and knows his trade. He knows that the best time to catch …
Jesus sees the potential in the empty or what seems unusable. Likewise, our lives might seem void or insignificant, but God sees what we can’t. Jesus is like a sculptor seeing the potential of an uncut stone. In many ways, we are that uncut stone waiting for the master to shape and mold us. As …