Mary and Elizabeth had a shared journey. Culture would say that one woman was pregnant too late, while the other was pregnant too soon. But both pregnancies were God-given. As Gabriel told Mary she would be the mother of Jesus, he also gave her a sign. Elizabeth was pregnant. Luke 1: 36 What’s more, your relative …
Having a relationship with God is a gift that changes our lives both now and in the future. One day, everyone will enter eternity, and only through faith in Jesus as our Savior can we go to heaven. Paul gives insight into this gift. Ephesians 2: 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And …
The need for reconciliation ranks among the most crucial necessities in our lives and the world. Reconciliation brings joy. But its roots often lie in the past. God told Abraham he and Sarah would have the son of the promise. After years with no child, they grew impatient. Sarah proposed having a child with Hagar, their servant, …
Living a fulfilling life is God’s plan for everyone, but what does that mean? When asked what a fulfilled life means, many people will think of worldly things such as wealth, their home, or the job they have. I have known people who seemed to have it all but had left God behind and struggled …
Receiving God’s promises entails engaging in God’s plans. Abram had been on a journey of faith in God since he left Ur years before. Genesis 12: 1The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make …
Saul, who we know as Paul, found out on the way to Damascus that it is not religion but relationship that is essential. Stephen Covey writes, “If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster.”[1] Saul built his life by climbing a …
Any of us can fall into the trap of false hope. What is false hope? It is confident feelings about something that might not be true.[1] Jesus gives us insight as He teaches about false hope in a parable. A rich man’s barns are too small for his crops, and he builds new ones. With …
Jesus experiences with us are both fantastic and a great blessing. Not long ago, my wife and I were at a home improvement store where a store clerk was assisting us. During our conversation, the woman indicated she had arthritis in her hands. My wife, prompted by the Holy Spirit, asked if we could pray …
Your relationship with God affects others. This statement is just as accurate today as it was in the days of people in the Bible. As my relationship with the Lord grows, He opens my eyes to begin to see people more as He sees them. I was visiting an older faithful believer whose health is …
We can be eternally thankful that as believers in Jesus we don’t get what we deserve! The Lord did not have to send His Son Jesus into the world, but He did. Ephesians 1:4Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his …