Christian Living

After preaching in a foreign country, a ministry friend took my wife and me to a remote hotel “resort” in Central America for a night and day of rest before we would travel home. After a frightful journey on deteriorating roads, we arrived for our time of refreshment.

Chapters 13 through 17 make up a very significant portion of the book of John. It is the section of the book that is devoted to a record of the talk Jesus gave to His apostles the night before He died. Five chapters out of twenty-one make it a sizable and significant section of the book! However the subject of the discourse is the primary factor that gives it its importance.

The Apostle Paul wrote about dealing with great adversity in 2 Corinthians 1. In verse 8, he made this statement about his trouble, “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.”

As travelers through life, God never intended that we make our journey alone. There are simply too many obstacles and challenges to navigate without the help and assistance of others. Plus, life is simply too grand not to have someone to share the joy and wonder of it all with!

Who is God using to bring you low today? Perhaps it is a proud Peninnah to taunt you along the way. How about a jealous Haman plotting to hang you out to dry, Or a disloyal Absalom cursing you like a Shimei?

A few things in life are absolutely tragic. Some things are mysteriously strange. Many, however, are just plain funny. There isn’t a day that passes in which I fail to see, hear, or read something that makes me smile. And because laughter is such effective therapy, I’m grateful that God dispenses this divine medication so frequently.

Do you ever feel inadequate for the demands of the day? I do—every day! The longer I serve the Lord, the more I recognize my need for His power. Also, the longer I serve Him, the more I recognize my need to trust His power.

Neither I nor any other human being is the source of your liberty. I cannot extend liberty to you, and I cannot determine whether or not you have a clear conscience. We have liberty in Christ.

Christian discipleship is a vital subject in the New Testament, and the book of Luke is a fine source of information about it. In chapter 9, the call to discipleship is given and explained in verses 23 and 24 (as it is also in Matthew 16:24–25 and Mark 8:34–35), but then, beginning in verse 37, several serious problems that true disciples of Jesus Christ have are discussed.

Caleb was one of the two spies who believed God would give the promised land to the nation of Israel if they would just believe Him. It was said of Caleb that he followed God fully.

The number one killer in the Western World over the last two decades has been heart disease. Many of us have been touched in one way or another by a friend, family member, or colleague who has suffered with the symptoms of heart disease. The longer I work with people in ministry every day, the more I am convinced that the body of Christ is suffering greatly with heart disease. This disease is more dangerous than our physical hearts being affected, for this disease affects every part of our lives as believers.

It was August of 1973, and I was sitting on the back of my car in the driveway of 637 Atwood Avenue in Rockford, Illinois. Next to me was a young lady that I had been dating for three years. Her dad was putting the barbeque grill away in the backyard after a cook-out. We were talking about a variety of things when out of the clear blue came a question I was definitely unprepared to answer. “John, do you love me?” she asked inquisitively.

I believe in checklists. Actually, I believe in lists, period. They help me keep focused on completing projects, and they keep me from forgetting important details. In Philippians 2, we have a checklist of a different sort—qualities of a productive Christian servant. The first several verses of this chapter describe a servant leader as they reveal the mind of Christ and His humility.

We live in a day in which there are many venues to express one’s thoughts and opinions, or even share biblical truths. It can be encouraging and at times entertaining to read other’s thoughts on popular topics or current trends in culture or ministry.

In John 14 and 15 we find the record of our Lord’s principal teachings about the Holy Spirit’s ministry to believers, and in these chapters we will also find access to miracles of a kind that those true to the Bible can expect to see.

Remember the Lord’s promise of blessing for obedience when making decisions about your future. Do not leave Him out of the equation of your life when deciding which path you will take. True success in life is a byproduct of obedience to His Word (Joshua 1:8).

You can’t miss the urgency and passion with which Jesus carried out His ministry. Throughout His life on Earth, He was busy about the Father’s business. As young as a twelve-year-old He said, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49).

I am so glad that our God has given us many promises and that He absolutely performs His promises. I have never been disappointed in the faithfulness of our Lord as He has been true to His Word time and time again in my life.

I remember, as a boy, the day my parents brought home our first television set. The picture was in black and white, and very “snowy” because the closest stations were fifty miles away. It was a huge technological jump, however, from listening to a religious broadcast or the news on the radio that sat in the corner of our kitchen.

It seems obvious that whenever we take a step of faith we are going to be attacked. The devil hates it when men obey God and live by faith. I have seen those who are faithful to God go through great tests, but gold must be tried and purified. When we face the trials, we must remember that we are to count it all joy (James 1:2).