TWELVE ORDINARY MEN – Part 4 of 4

“Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.”  (1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NLT)

God’s favorite instruments are nobodies, so that no one can boast before God. In other words, God chooses whom He chooses in order that He might receive the glory. He chooses weak instruments so that no one will attribute the power to human instruments rather than to God, who wields those instruments. Such a strategy is unacceptable to those whose whole pursuit in life is aimed toward the goal of human glory…

[The apostles] were not like that. They certainly struggled with pride and arrogance like every fallen human being. But the driving passion of their lives became the glory of Christ. And it was that passion, subjected to the influence of the Holy Spirit -- not any innate skill or human talent -- that explains why they left such an indelible impact on the world.

-- Excerpts from “Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do with You” by John MacArthur

#6087

TWELVE ORDINARY MEN – Part 3 of 4

Christ’s choice of the apostles testifies to the fact that God can use the unworthy and the unqualified. He can use nobodies. They turned the world upside down, these twelve (Acts 17:6).  It was not because they had extraordinary talents, unusual intellectual abilities, powerful political influence, or some special social status. They turned the world upside down because God worked in them to do it.

God chooses the humble, the lowly, the meek, and the weak so that there’s never any question about the source of power when their lives change the world. It’s not the person; it’s the truth of God and the power of God in the person. (We preachers need to remind ourselves of this. It’s not our cleverness or our personality. The power is in the Word -- the truth that we preach -- not in us.) And apart from one Person -- one extraordinary human being who was God incarnate, the Lord Jesus Christ -- the history of God’s work on earth is the story of His using the unworthy and molding them for His use the same careful way a potter fashions clay. The Twelve were no exception to that…

Let’s not, however, underestimate the importance of their office. Upon their selection, the twelve apostles in effect became the true spiritual leaders of Israel… The apostles became the preachers of the new covenant. They were the ones to whom the Christian gospel was first entrusted… They became the foundation stones of the church, with Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). Those truths are heightened, not diminished, by the fact that these men were so ordinary. 

-- Excerpts from “Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do with You” by John MacArthur

#6086

TWELVE ORDINARY MEN – Part 2 of 4

Jesus said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it.”  (Luke 9:22-24 NIV)

It was a brief but intensive schedule of discipleship. And when it was over, on the night of Jesus’ betrayal, “all the disciples forsook Him and fled” (Matthew 26:56). From an earthly point of view, the training program looked like a monumental failure. It seemed the disciples had forgotten or ignored everything Christ had ever taught them about taking up the cross and following Him. In fact, their own sense of failure was so profound that they went back to their old vocations for a time. And even at that, it appeared they would fail (John 21:3-4).

But encouraged by the risen Lord, they returned to their apostolic calling. Empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they valiantly undertook the task to which Jesus called them. The work they subsequently began continues today, two thousand years later. They are living proof that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. In and of themselves they were clearly not sufficient for the task (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:16). But God led them in triumph in Christ, and through them He diffused “the fragrance of His knowledge in every place” (v. 14). 

-- Excerpts from “Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do with You” by John MacArthur

#6085

TWELVE ORDINARY MEN – Part 1 of 4

“Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles: Simon (whom He named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.” (Luke 6:12-16 NIV)

The Twelve were personally selected and called by Christ. He knew them as only their Creator could know them (cf. John 1:47). In other words, He knew all their faults long before He chose them, He even knew Judas would betray Him (John 6:70; 13:21-27), and yet He chose the traitor anyway and gave him all the same privileges and blessings He gave to the others.

Think about the ramifications of this: From our human perspective, the propagation of the gospel and the founding of the church hinged entirely on twelve men whose most outstanding characteristic was their ordinariness. They were chosen by Christ and trained for a time that is best measured in months, not years. He taught them the Scriptures and theology. He discipled them in the ways of godly living (teaching them and showing them how to pray, how to forgive, and how to serve one another with humility). He gave them moral instruction. He spoke to them of things to come. And He employed them as His instruments to heal the sick, cast out demons, and do other miraculous works. Three of them -- Peter, James and John -- even got a brief glimpse of Him in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9). 

-- Excerpts from “Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do with You” by John MacArthur

#6084

WHO’S ON FIRST?

SPECIAL NOTE: March 29, 2025 marked the 26^th anniversary of this SOUND BITES Ministry in memory of our son, Dustin, who had died on that date the previous year (1998) from a brain tumor at the age of 16. Dustin had developmental and physical disabilities, but one of the many things his life taught us was the importance of putting God first. And that is what SOUND BITES has been about for these 26 years – reminding subscribers to start the day by putting God first. So, as today’s quote asks, “Who’s on first?”

SOUND BITES began in 1999 and since then 6,083 quotes, including today’s, have been sent out to our e-mail subscribers or Facebook followers or Blog readers around the world. As we continue through Lent, Easter and beyond, let today’s SOUND BITES quote speak to you first thing in the morning, and then let it overflow to others everywhere. Please freely share with family and friends; with school and work mates; with neighbors; and with your pastor, staff and fellow church members. We would love to hear from you. Simply send an e-mail to SOUNDBITESMinistry@gmail.com with where you live and how God is using SOUND BITES to minister to you or through you to others. You are welcome to comment below as well.

As one subscriber recently wrote: “Good morning. Thank you for your due diligence in continuing the Sound Bites Ministry.  Know that you have so many grateful souls who cherish your effort. My bookcases are full of reading material that I use to support my love for Jesus and grow in faith because I know my journey to be closer will not end until I have left earth. I am blessed to have a fire inside and never ending enthusiasm that keeps me excited to grow a deeper relationship with a living God. Your ministry is one of the valuable resources I can depend on and I have purchased many of the books from authors you reference in Sound Bites. Wishing you many blessings and smiles!”

Thank you for your continued support of this ministry!  -- DW

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 WHO’S ON FIRST?

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  (Matthew 6:33–34 NIV)

In the 1930s, the famous comedian duo Abbott and Costello entertained audiences with a sketch called, “Who’s on First?” It’s a funny example of miscommunication, but it’s also a great question to ask ourselves. In your life, who’s on first? When you wake up, what first comes to your mind? Do your worries come first or your blessings? What do you fill your mind with first? The world news? Social media? Scripture? Let me ask you again, do your worries come first to your mind or your blessings?

In the Matthew passage, Jesus is teaching the gathered crowd who is to be first in their lives and what should be of first importance. Prior to this passage, Jesus told them not to store up their treasures on earth, but to put the kingdom of God first. This does not mean that God will give earthly riches, but it will mean that their trust won’t be found in those earthly riches. If they seek the kingdom first, their minds won’t be consumed by the anxieties of the world.

Let’s think again about our mornings and who is on first. Jesus tells us that if we seek first the news of the world, our minds will focus on the turbulent waters of politics and the economy. If we seek first the social media posts of our friends, our minds will focus on what other people have or have done. But if we seek first the kingdom and His righteousness, our minds will be grounded in the promises of our Savior. 

-- Excerpted from “Altar’d: The Transforming Power of Surrender” by Susan O. Kent

#6083

ALL Y’ALL ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:14-16)

Jesus is speaking to His gathered disciples and reveals what life in the Kingdom should look like… It’s important first to note that the “you” in verse 14 is plural and would better be translated as “all y’all”. So while there are places where the Scripture speaks of us individually reflecting God’s glory in our unique way, here Jesus tells His disciples: “All Y’all” (collectively) are the light of the world.

Think of it this way. People who get lost in a dark cave have a greater chance of finding their way out if someone lights and holds a single candle. However, they have a much greater chance of finding their way out if a thousand people who are spread all over the cave light and hold candles…

So if we are interpreting Jesus’ words correctly, God’s plan to light up the dark world is to send His disciples into the world to shine His glory through good works done from a heart full of love.

A plain reading of Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” indicates that God handcrafted you intending to use your life to share a unique part of His glory with the world through you… So we show God’s glory to the world as we express and reflect the goodness of God to the world through the good works He commands us to do in His name.

To return to the dark cave illustration, it’s as if God deploys a thousand people all holding their single candles spread into the different parts of the cave people are lost in and collectively uses those candles to draw an arrow of light to point to the way of escape and rescue. The creativity and wonder of it all takes my breath away.

May you let Christ shine through you as you do His work in the world. 

-- Rev. Tim Carson, former pastor at Estero Church, Florida

#6082

TAKING UP OUR CROSS

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me.’”  (Matthew 16:24 NLT)

Jesus does not say, “Make a cross” or “Look for a cross.” Each of us has a cross to carry. There is no need to make one or look for one. The cross we have is hard enough for us! But are we willing to take it up, to accept it as our cross?

Maybe we can’t study, maybe we have a handicap, maybe we suffer from depression, maybe we experience conflict in our families, maybe we are victims of violence or abuse. We didn’t choose any of it, but those things are our crosses. We can ignore them, reject them, refuse them, or hate them. But we can also take up these crosses and follow Jesus with them. 

-- Adapted from Henri J. M. Nouwen in “Bread for the Journey”

#6081

 

FROM DESPERATION TO WHOLENESS

Mark 5:25-34 tells the story of a woman who had suffered for twelve years with a condition that left her physically drained and socially isolated. Her story reminds us of the transformative power of faith in Christ.

The woman, having exhausted all earthly options, approached Jesus in desperation. Her faith drove her to reach out and touch His garment, believing that even the smallest act could connect her to His power. Often, it is in our lowest moments of desperation -- when we recognize our own limitations -- that we truly open the door to God’s miraculous intervention.

For years, her condition had left her ostracized, an outcast in her community. But Jesus didn’t just heal her physically; He publicly acknowledged her, calling her "Daughter." In that moment, she was restored not only to health but to belonging. God’s power doesn’t just address our needs -- it draws us into relationship with Him and with others.

The touch of Jesus didn’t merely stop her bleeding; it made her whole. God’s power goes beyond the surface, bringing complete restoration to body, mind, and soul. When we turn to Him, we experience not just healing but transformation into the fullness of life He intends for us.

Let this passage remind us that no matter how desperate or isolated we feel, God’s power in Christ is available to bring us into healing, community, and wholeness. May we, like the woman, reach out in faith to Christ and experience His transformative love. 

-- Based on a sermon by Pastor Wes Olds, Grace Church, Cape Coral, Florida  

#6080

RESPONDING WITH COMPASSION

Every time the Gospels mention that Jesus was moved with the deepest emotions or felt sorry for people, it led to His doing something -- physical or inner healing, deliverance or exorcism, feeding the hungry crowds or praying for others. The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) was commended precisely because he acted. The priest and Levite, paragons of Jewish virtue, flunked the test because they didn’t do anything. Jesus ask, “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the man who fell in with the robbers?” The answer came, “The one who treated him with compassion.” Jesus said to them, “Then go and do the same.” 

-- Brennan Manning in “Reflections for Ragamuffins”

#6079

HONEST TO GOD

“When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long. Day and night You punished me. My strength was gone as in the summer heat. Then I confessed my sins to You and didn’t hide my guilt. I said, ‘I will confess my sins to the Lord,’ and You forgave my guilt.”  (Psalm 32:3-5 NCV)

I made a mistake in high school. Our baseball coach had a firm rule against chewing tobacco. We had a couple of players who were known to sneak a chew, and he wanted to call it to our attention.

He got our attention, all right. Before long we’d all tried it. A sure test of manhood was to take a chew when the pouch was passed down the bench. I had barely made the team; I sure wasn’t going to fail the test of manhood.

One day I’d just popped a plug in my mouth when one of the players warned, “Here comes the coach!” Not wanting to get caught, I did what came naturally, I swallowed. Gulp.

I added new meaning to the scripture, “I felt weak deep inside me. I mourned all day long… My strength was gone as in the summer heat.” I paid the price for hiding my disobedience.

My body was not made to ingest tobacco. Your soul was not made to ingest sin.

May I ask a frank question? Are you keeping any secrets from God? Any parts of your life off limits? Any cellars boarded up or attics locked? Any parts of your past or present that you hope you and God never discuss?

Take a pointer from a nauseated third baseman. You’ll feel better if you get it out. 

 -- Max Lucado in “In the Grip of Grace”

#6078

TELLING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

“As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with Him. But Jesus said, ‘No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been.’ So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.”  (Mark 5:18-20 NLT)

The healed man was called simply to say what he knew from his own experience. The man immediately did what he was told and influenced ten cities. Now that’s witnessing!

You don’t have to be highly trained to be effective, but you do have to be saved and excited about it. Sadly, the farther people progress from their initial commitment to Christ, the less they communicate the joy of salvation to those who know little about it. As they grow spiritually, they tend to spend more time in a Christian environment and less time among those who do not know the Lord. This isolation may be conducive to their own spiritual “sanctity,” but it does nothing for their calling to be witnesses.

A wise believer learns how to maintain a balance between being “rooted and grounded” in the fellowship of the Lord and His people, and “branching out” to those who need to know. The Lord may send us away from our fellowship experiences, as He did the healed man, in order to send us out to the “towns” within our sphere of influence. Yet, strangely enough, the more matured a believer becomes the more reluctant they may be to do it. That’s why we need to keep learning from those in our midst whose enthusiasm is contagious and whose love for the Lord and people is palpable. 

-- Stuart Briscoe in “Daily Study Bible for Men” 

#6077

 

DEFEND ME, GOD

“I depend on God alone; I put my hope in Him. He alone protects and saves me; He is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. My salvation and honor depend on God; He is my strong protector; He is my shelter.” (Psalm 62:5-7 GNT)

Sovereign God, defend me from all temptation, that I may ever accept the right and refuse the wrong. Defend me from myself, that in Your care my weakness may not bring me to shame. May my lower nature never seize the upper hand.

Defend me from all that would seduce me, that in Your power no tempting voice may cause me to listen, no tempting sight fascinate my eyes.

Defend me against the chances and changes of this life, not that I may escape them but that I may meet them with firm resolve; not that I may be saved from them but that I may come unscathed through them.

Defend me from discouragement in difficulty and from despair in failure, from pride in success, and from forgetting You in the day of prosperity.

Help me to remember that there is no time when You will fail me and no moment when I do not need You.

Grant me this desire: that guided by Your light and defended by Your grace, I may come in safety and bring honor to my journey’s end by the defending work of Jesus Christ my Lord. May it always be so! 

-- Adapted from Norman Shawchuck in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”

#6076

OVERRUN WITH GARBAGE

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”  (Acts 3:19 NIV)

If the process of repentance is worthy of the name, we engage in the deepest kind of soul-searching, and in the process we rid ourselves of a great deal of garbage. Environmental experts tell us that our nation’s metropolitan areas are in danger of being overrun with rubbish. What is physically true of our cities is still more painfully and eternally true of our souls. Unconfessed sin, whatever its form -- bitter memories, resentments, thoughtless words, moral and ethical betrayals -- will eventually stifle the soul unless it is dealt with. The human soul can endure only so much garbage; repentance consumes it in a merciful conflagration. 

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas in “Longing to Pray: How the Psalms Teach Us to Talk with God “

#6075

JESUS IS ASKING YOU TO CHOOSE

“Peter took [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke Him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This shall never happen to you!’ Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.’ Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”  (Matthew 16:22–24 NIV)

The disciples had to make a choice. They could not follow Jesus and follow themselves at the same time. That would be like having two different maps to two different locations and trying to follow both at the same time. If any wish to come after Him, they must let go of the wish to control their own plans and be willing to follow Jesus wherever that may lead. How many of us try to pursue earthly gains and spiritual gains simultaneously? The truth is, we cannot hold two desires at the same time. This doesn’t mean that we won’t enjoy success in our lives and businesses, but only one pursuit can control our minds and our hearts.

But this surrender doesn’t just ask us to lay down our lives and our desires. No, we also have something to pick up. It asks us to willingly pick up our cross. Just as the cross became the instrument of Jesus’s earthly death, it becomes the place of our own death. Death to controlling our lives. Death to our own plans. The cross is an intentional and daily commitment to give up control of our lives for the sake of Christ.

Jesus asked His disciples to make a choice. Every person will come to a point when they, too, must make the same choice. Paul declares in his letter to the Philippians, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:21). You cannot live in two different directions. Jesus is asking you to choose. Are you willing to make that choice today and carry your cross? 

-- Susan O. Kent in “Altar’d: The Transforming Power of Surrender”

#6074

JESUS IS CALLING YOU OUT OF YOUR TOMB

“Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb [of Lazarus]. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ‘Take away the stone,’ He said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone… Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’”  (Excerpts from John 11:38-44 NIV)

This miracle doesn’t just foreshadow Jesus’ own resurrection. It foreshadows yours! It’s not just something Jesus did for Lazarus. It’s a snapshot of what Jesus wants to do in your life right here, right now. When we sin, it’s like the enemy of our soul wraps us up in graveclothes. Sin buries us alive and makes a mummy out of us. We become shadows of the person we were meant to be. And if you keep on sinning, it’ll weight you down like a hundred pounds of graveclothes. But Jesus is calling you out of your tomb.

I’ve found that one of the best ways to personalize the promises of Scripture is to take out the original name and insert your own. And I think it’s okay to do that. After all, every promise God has made is yes in Christ. So take out Lazarus’s name and insert your own: Mark, come out!

Can you hear Him call your name? He’s calling you out of sin. He’s calling you out of death. He’s calling you out of your tomb. 

-- Mark Batterson in “The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible” 

#6073

THE GIFT OF CHRIST’S INDWELLING PRESENCE

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”  (Colossians 2:9-10 NIV)

Jesus is the whole package. He is not part of the package, part of the solution, part of the hope. Being in Him, living in union with Him, and having Him dwell within us, is the complete, sufficient, and enduring hope of the human heart.

There is no hope for the heart that matches Jesus. There is no other ultimate solution for the ills of humankind. And no one who has truly discovered the power of Christ’s love and the gift of His indwelling and healing presence would want it any other way. 

-- Excerpted from “The Wake-up Call” with Dan Wilt 

#6072

THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS

“[The Lord] does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.”  (Psalm 103:10-12 ESV)

There are few who will believe in and accept the forgiveness of God so completely as to let God bury their sins in God's forgiving mercy; or who, having once accepted that forgiveness, will leave their sin with God forever. They are always reopening the vault where they have deposited their sin, and are forever asking to have it back in order to fondle it; reconstruct, query, or worry over it; wear it inwardly. Thus their sin ties them to the past and finally dooms their lives in both the present and the future…

Forgiveness… can only be received by those who will accept its conditions.

To be cleansed and to accept the cleansing, then to move on into the present and the future as a forgiven and restored one, is the gift of the deepest prayer. 

-- Douglas V. Steere in “Dimensions of Prayer” published by The Upper Room, Nashville, TN.   Used with permission.

#6071

THE GIFT OF “BUT GOD”

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved.”  (Ephesians 2:1–5 NIV)

The good news is that we are not just changed, but we are forever changed!... The transformation that God is capable of doing in your life and mine is radical and it is eternal. When we make our lives an altar and choose each day to surrender, we will forever be changed.

Paul is quite direct with his words in this letter. He tells the believers that they, like him, were deserving of wrath. That’s the nature of humanity. We were sinners and we are sinners. But God. That can stand as a powerful sentence on its own. But God did not leave us as sinners to receive the punishment we deserved. But God did not turn His back on us. But God who is rich in mercy, perhaps better translated as abounding in mercy, saved us. And this is a mercy that meets us again and again as we surrender through confession and obedience to God…

What does Paul say God does because of His mercy? He makes us alive with Christ. The beauty of being alive, just like God’s mercy, is that we can experience this daily. In another of Paul’s letters he calls it walking “in newness of life” (Romans 6:4 CEB). And all of this comes as the gift of grace we have received because Jesus surrendered His life on a cross for us. It is the only reason we can be forever changed… Rest in the “but God” that has changed us from being dead in our transgressions to alive with Christ. 

-- Susan O. Kent in “Altar’d: The Transforming Power of Surrender”

#6070

THE GIFT OF DEPARTING IN PEACE

“There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.’”  (Luke 2:25-32 NKJV)

Death stood at the door. This dear old man hovered in the valley of the shadow. I had been called to his bedside by the family to be present for his final hours. His sister-in-law, who had kept a constant vigil of love, told me he had made a death wish some months ago. “As I get near the end,” he had said, “I have my doubts about many things in life. But I hope I can leave this earth with dignity… my faith in God is stronger than ever.”

She showed me a picture of him from earlier years. He seemed so vibrant and full of life then, and now so forlorn and hopeless, gasping for that final breath. Then he was gone. I held his hand until his hold ended, almost symbolic of giving up and letting go. But he died in dignity. No respirator kept him from his date with destiny or his meeting with the God he loved. There was the sadness of farewell, but also gratitude that his wish had been granted.

We all proceed every day to our final destiny. If we are wise, we will accept its finality with gratitude; if we are sensible we prepare for it now. If we are blessed “for my eyes have seen Your salvation,” we will depart, as Simeon prayed, in peace. 

– Adapted from Richard L. Morgan in “Autumn Wisdom”

#6069

THE GIFT OF NEW BIRTH

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  (John 3:16-17 NKJV)

This profound truth reminds us that the new birth is a precious gift from God. It is not something we can earn or achieve on our own -- it is freely given by the Father, flowing from His immeasurable grace.

Through Jesus Christ, this gift becomes the ultimate expression of God's love. By receiving Him -- by accepting this gift -- we are welcomed as children of God, as John 1:12 proclaims: "But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." This adoption into God's family transforms us, giving us a new identity as His beloved children.

This new birth is not just a momentary event; it is the beginning of a journey. It is a new life that calls us to grow, to deepen our relationship with God, and to become more like Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions. It is an invitation to embrace a life of faith, hope, and love, all empowered by the Spirit. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#6068

EMBRACING SIMPLICITY IN A COMPLEX WORLD

“Speaking to the people, Jesus went on, ‘Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.’”  (Luke 12:15 MSG)

The path of spiritual growth often requires us to walk through valleys of discomfort, but it is there we find clarity and deeper connection with Christ. The discipline of simplicity calls us to evaluate the layers of our lives, peeling away the excesses that cloud our spiritual vision.

In a world driven by materialism and social pressures, it is easy to lose sight of what truly matters. Our possessions, status, and the expectations of others can form barriers between us and our Savior. The call to discipleship is an invitation to shed these barriers and realign our focus on Christ.

Simplicity is not about deprivation; rather, it is about intentionality. It means regularly assessing our lives and making conscious choices to remove the clutter, both physical and spiritual. This could mean donating items we no longer need, limiting time spent on social media, or even simplifying our schedules to create more space for prayer and reflection.

As we practice the discipline of simplicity during Lent and beyond, we may find that our lives become lighter and our spiritual vision clearer. The process may not always be pleasant, but the reward is a deeper, more intimate relationship with Christ. Let us embrace simplicity, allowing it to guide us toward a life centered on our faith and purpose in Him. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#6067

BESETTING SINS

[Jesus said,] "All who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."  (John 3:20-21 NRSV)

Lent is a time for self-examination and honest self-evaluation.... The ancient fathers spoke of "besetting sins," taking their terminology from Hebrews 12:1, which speaks of "laying aside the sins which ... beset us" (KJV) (literally, "the sins that stick to us like clothing"). By these they meant those traits within an individual's personality or those habits which were the weak spot in a person's spiritual life.... Each person [has] his or her weak point, the point where each [is] most vulnerable to spiritual attack by evil....

Picture Christ with a searchlight, turning it on your life and lighting up the corners of darkness where the "snakes and toads and monsters" are lurking. Let the light shine. It will burn away the darkness and whatever lives in it.

Remember that the light of Christ can never hurt you. It can only destroy what is harmful in you. It may feel painful if you have become deeply attached to your besetting sins, but it will be the pain that a surgeon causes while performing a lifesaving operation. 

-- Larry R. Kalajainen in “A Lenten Journey”

#6066

ASH WEDNESDAY BEGINS OUR LENTEN JOURNEY

“From that time Jesus began to preach His message: ‘Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of heaven is near!’”  (Matthew 4:17)

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, and preparation leading up to Easter. It is a time for Christians to turn their hearts toward God, acknowledging their sin and human frailty and seeking His grace and mercy.

Some churches use ashes on Ash Wednesday, typically made from the palm branches of the previous year's Palm Sunday. When applied to the forehead in the shape of a cross, or on the back of the hand, they serve as a visible reminder of our mortality and the need for repentance. The words often spoken during this ritual, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," echo the humility and dependence on God's forgiveness that this day symbolizes.

Ash Wednesday invites us to pause and consider the state of our hearts. It is a call to let go of sin, to seek reconciliation with God, and to embark on a spiritual journey of renewal. This day also encourages acts of charity, prayer, and fasting, helping us to draw closer to God and to our community.

As we begin this Lenten journey, let us reflect on our need for God's grace and commit to walking the path of repentance and transformation. May this sacred time be an opportunity for deepening our faith and embracing the hope and promise of resurrection in Christ. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#6065

AMBASSADORS OF GRACE

How powerful words are when they speak to our heart! When they strengthen us in our weakness.  When they impart peace amid turmoil.  When they build us up when others have been tearing us down.  When they refresh our weary spirit.

The writer of Proverbs reminds us that "reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Proverbs 12:18).  And later he says that "the tongue has the power of life and death" (Proverbs 18:21).  What powerful statements!  And we know from experience that they are true.  We've all felt the sting of sarcasm, mockery or putdown jokes at our expense.  We've also felt the pleasant summer breeze of words that refresh, fill us with hope and leave us feeling special.

The New Testament has a parallel passage that urges us to be men and women who speak grace-filled words.  In Ephesians 4:29 we read, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear" (NASB).  This is a powerful thought that the apostle Paul is urging on his hearers.  Can you hear him saying, "Your words can communicate grace.  They can be God's words to someone else"?

It's true.  Our words can build others up.  (By the way, the word “edification” was used in Paul's day to describe how a carpenter would build a house.  It's a construction word.)  Our hearers can feel strengthened, refreshed or affirmed by our words.  As men and women who are empowered and led by God's Spirit, our conversations can literally be a means whereby the Spirit communicates His grace to the one who is listening to us.  That's why the next statement Paul makes is "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God" (Ephesians 4:30).  Do you see what he's driving at?  When we are not speaking to others in a grace-full manner, we deny God's Spirit the opportunity to encourage or strengthen someone else.

We think that's a powerful truth.  We think it's exciting to know that we can be our Lord's ambassador of good news to those around us. 

-- Dr. Norm Wakefield & Jody Brolsma in “Men Are from Israel, Women Are from Moab” 

#6064

THE THINGS WE DO AND SAY

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  (Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV)

It's one thing for the world to reject Jesus because the people in secular society consider the Gospel to be ridiculous.  It is quite another thing for the world to reject the Gospel because Christians are an embarrassment to God.  The Bible warns us against conducting ourselves so that people end up rejecting Jesus, not because of who He is but because of the stupid things we do and say. 

-- Tony Campolo in “Following Jesus Without Embarrassing God” 

#6063

AN “I-THOU” CONVERSATION

“Keep Your servant from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14 NIV)

The Psalms are jam-packed with the first person singular. I, my, and me appear repeatedly. Thomas Cahill (in his book “The Gifts of the Jews”) says that the Psalms “are filled with I’s: the I of repentance, the I of anger and vengeance, the I of self-pity and self-doubt, the I of despair, the I of delight, the I of ecstasy.”

In the same fashion, the Hebrew poets speak vigorously and insistently of “You” in reference to God -- or “Thou” in some older translations. Dean John B. Coburn said wisely that prayer should begin, “O God, You.” Because it is only after we have said “God, You,” and not “God, He,” that we have entered into personal conversation. I become very uneasy with public prayers that begin by addressing God -- “Almighty God, we bow before You” -- and then shortly indicate that God is not really the other party in the conversation, because the prayer continues, “We pray that God will do thus-and-so.” God has somehow gone from being the one addressed to a party referred to in the third person. I sense, in such prayer, that the prayer is really addressed to the congregation or the gathering, rather than to God. So, too, when references are made to Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit. If the prayer is in truth addressed to God, then a reference to Christ is one to “Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,” and the Holy Spirit is “Your Spirit.” The conversation is specific; God is the second person in the conversation, not a third person to whom we refer as if we were talking with someone else. The psalmists had this sense of an “I-Thou” conversation -- a specific person was talking with a specific Person. 

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas in “Longing to Pray: How the Psalms Teach Us to Talk with God “  

#6062

THE CHURCH OF LESS-THAN-PERFECT HUMAN BEINGS

THE CHURCH OF LESS-THAN-PERFECT HUMAN BEINGS

“Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.”  (Ecclesiastes 7:20 NIV)

Carmen Renee Berry's book, “The Unauthorized Guide to Choosing a Church,” was "inspired by her odyssey from the deeply conservative church of her childhood into the world of seekers and cynics, and back again." She eventually found that the very reason she withdrew from the church -- her disappointment in church members who often failed to act as Christians -- was what drew her back.

She writes: "I had overlooked one essential factor -- that I am as finite and flawed as everyone else. … When a friend [died by] suicide, I realized I could become too cynical, too lost, and too alone. I needed a church, a community of believers. I needed to live in my faith and visit my doubts. Something happens there that simply doesn't when you are alone in prayer or on the Internet. As much as I hate to admit it, my faith is enhanced and enlarged when in relationship to other less-than-perfect human beings." 

-- from USA Today (6-2-2003)

#6061

BE MERCIFUL TO ONE ANOTHER

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”  (Matthew 5:7 NIV)

In this Beatitude, Jesus highlights the importance of mercy in the life of a believer. Mercy is more than just feeling compassion; it is actively showing kindness and forgiveness to others, even when they may not deserve it. This reflects the heart of God, who is described as the “Father of mercies” (2 Corinthians 1:3).

Mercy involves meeting the needs of those who are suffering, offering forgiveness to those who have wronged us, and showing love and compassion to the lonely and rejected. It is a powerful expression of God’s love working through us.

So what should we do to be merciful? Show Compassion: Look for opportunities to help those in need around you. Whether it’s through a kind word, a helping hand, or a listening ear, your acts of mercy can make a significant difference. Forgive Freely: Holding onto grudges can harden our hearts. Instead, choose to forgive those who have hurt you, just as God has forgiven you. Reflect God’s Love: Let your actions be a reflection of God’s mercy. When others see your kindness and compassion, they are seeing a glimpse of God’s love. 

– SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#6060

BEARING WITNESS TO THE GOOD NEWS

The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 mandates that every follower of Christ is on mission to "go and make disciples of all nations." Jesus gave this instruction to all His followers, both as individuals and as the body of Christ. We, as a small group and as a church, bear collective witness to the good news of Jesus Christ.

One of Jesus' final instructions to His disciples is found in John 13:34-35: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." Note that Jesus did not say people will know we are Christians by how many churches we build, how many Bible studies we complete, how many prayers we say, or how many people come to our church. The litmus test is clear: people will know we are Christ-followers when we love each other the way Jesus does.

Theologian Francis Schaeffer asserted, "Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful -- Christian community is the final apologetic." Our non-believing friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors are watching and deciding on the validity of the gospel message. We need others to help us live lives worthy of God's calling so that people will see the power of God's love in and through us.

Ultimately, small groups are a way of living out our purpose, both as individuals and as a collective group of believers -- to be the church. We share a common foundation of faith and God has called us to live out the implications of that faith in a relational community, in the context that we call a small group. 

-- Carolyn Taketa in “Making a Case for Small Groups”  

#6059

CALMING THE STORM

“A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’”  (Mark 4: 37-41 NKJV)

Two thousand years ago, predicting the weather was a crapshoot. A few well-worn aphorisms were everyone’s best guess. “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning.” Of course, even with the aid of weather satellites, our best forecasts still feel like a fifty-fifty coin flip at times. We may understand Mother Nature better now than we ever have, but she is still as powerful and unpredictable as ever.

We use reinforced concrete to protect ourselves against earthquakes and storm shutters to safeguard against hurricanes, but we still cannot control the weather. All we can do is talk about it when there is nothing else to talk about. But there is One who commands the wind and rebukes the waves. The One who turned water into wine also turned the Sea of Galilee into a sea of glass. The One who created the heavens and the earth with four words can quell any squall with just three words: “Peace, be still.” 

-- Mark Batterson in “The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible” 

#6058

HATRED WILL BREAK YOUR BACK

“Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper -- it only leads to harm.”  (Psalm 37:8 NLT)

Oh, the gradual grasp of hatred. Its damage begins like the crack in my windshield. Thanks to a speeding truck on a gravel road, my window was chipped. With time the nick became a crack, and the crack became a winding tributary. Soon the windshield was a spider web of fragments. I couldn’t drive my car without thinking of the jerk who drove too fast. Though I’ve never seen him, I could describe him. He is some deadbeat bum who cheats on his wife, drives with a six-pack on the seat, and keeps the television so loud the neighbors can’t sleep. His carelessness blocked my vison. (Didn’t do much for my view out the windshield either.)

Ever heard the expression “blind rage”?

Let me be very clear. Hatred will sour your outlook and break your back. The load of bitterness is simply too heavy. Your knees will buckle under the strain, and your heart will break beneath the weight. The mountain before you is steep enough without the heaviness of hatred on your back. The wisest choice – the only choice – is for you to drop the anger. You will never be called upon to give anyone more grace than God has already given you…

The more we immerse ourselves in grace, the more likely we are to give grace. 

-- Max Lucado in “In the Grip of Grace”

#6057

MEN: YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE THE WANT-TO

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.'”  (Matthew 16:24 NIV)

Most members of my generation are familiar with the classic Rolling Stones song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” The lyrics may indeed speak truth in the world of human relationships and romantic love. We can’t always get what we want, but we might manage to get what we need if only we try hard enough. Tenacity pays off. Fair enough.

In the arena of spiritual growth, however, wanting turns out to be a fundamental prerequisite for making any progress at all. When our wanting lines up with God’s intention, that combination adds up to one powerful recipe. When the heartfelt longing of Christian men is the desire to walk in God’s way, look out, world! In that case, what we want is most certainly and powerfully what we are going to get.

For Christian men, wanting is absolutely the most critical variable in the equation. God will never force His hand if we fail to own the desire. Coercion is not in God’s nature, and bullying is not in His game plan. The Lord of the universe has always been gracious to respect the choices we make.

The ball is in our court. “You’ve got to have the want-to” may be a worn cliché in religious vernacular, but it turns out to be a powerful truth. In practice a large enough dose of want-to adds up to an enormously effective tool on the infrequently traveled road of ongoing spiritual formation. 

-- Derek Maul in “Get Real: A Spiritual Journey for Men” 

#6056

STRUGGLING TO DO GOOD - Part 2 of 2

God did not save us because of our goodness but because of His own kindness and mercy, Thanks to the saving work of Jesus Christ our Savior, God can declare us good. Our goodness is a gift from God. We cannot work for it. We cannot earn it. We do not deserve it.

The Bible calls this work of Christ justification. That’s a big word that simply means God says you are okay because of what Jesus did for you. When you put your trust in Christ, God gives you a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17). (It is like starting over; that is why it is called being “born again.”) Then God not only gives you the desire to do good. but also gives you the power to do good.  Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (NKJV, emphasis added). He gives you the desire and the power to do what is right…

By God’s grace and power we are re-created as good people, and then we are given the ability to do good deeds. God works from the inside out, not from the outside in… God solved the problem of my old selfish nature by giving me a new Christlike nature. 

-- Excerpts from “God’s Power to Change Your Life” by Rick Warren

#6055

STRUGGLING TO DO GOOD - Part 1 of 2

Do you struggle to do good, even when you want to do what is right? God says that this struggle is normal… It takes more than willpower to change your nature. You don’t just snap your fingers and become a good person.

The apostle Paul found this to be true in his own life. Perhaps you can identify with him. I can. Paul wrote, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do -- this I keep on doing.”  (Romans 7:18-19 NIV)

When we realize we are not perfect we tend to comfort ourselves with comparisons: “Well, I may not be what I ought to be, but I am better than so and so.” You have probably heard someone say that, or you may have even said it yourself. The only problem with this approach is that God does not grade on a curve. He does not judge us according to how we compare with other people. Jesus Christ is His standard of measurement, and He is perfect. That means that when we measure ourselves by Christ, we do not measure up. We all fall short (Romans 3:23)...

We must evaluate ourselves by God’s perfect standard of goodness, Jesus Christ. When we do that, we realize the truth that no one is perfectly good. 

-- Excerpts from “God’s Power to Change Your Life” by Rick Warren

#6054

DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM

“But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) … God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”  (Ephesians 2:4,5,8,9 NLT)

Doctors study medicine not so they can go around telling people they are sick, but so they can heal those who are sick, and the healing care can’t start until patients are willing to admit they are sick. Once patients admit this, there is the important task of the diagnosis, which then makes possible the cure. So it is with Christianity. We speak about sin in an attempt to diagnose the spiritual malady that affects us all. My goal, then, is not to accuse you of being, or even to tell you that, you are sick, but to offer you the medicine that makes you well. It’s not simply to ask you the question, but to lead you to the answer. Yes, we’re all sinners, and yes, this is a serious issue. But God is a God of grace and mercy. 

-- Adam Hamilton in “Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go”

#6053

ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  (Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV)

Part of what it means to be made in God’s image is our capacity for connectedness, because God created human beings and then said, “It isn’t good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18)  Paul paints a picture of that connectedness in writing to the church in Ephesus that they are “being rooted and established in love.”

When a tree puts roots into the ground, those roots are able to take in nutrients and water, and the tree grows and has life and strength -- but only if it is rooted. In the same way, we are rooted and our souls are nourished in the love of God and other people. We experience this both physically and emotionally when we connect with somebody.

You are walking down the street, and someone you know smiles at you. They care about you through words, through touch, through listening, through prayer together. Whenever there is an exchange of genuine caring, it is as if the roots of your soul are getting fed. Every life has to have that connectedness. 

-- John Ortberg in “The Me I Want to Be” 

#6052 

WITH ALL YOUR HEART

“The most important [commandment],” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”  (Mark 12:29-31 NIV)

Sometimes our minds interfere with our hearts.  Logical objections get in the way of compassionate actions.  It’s not my responsibility.  I’m certainly not suggesting that you shouldn’t count the cost.  You should.  But if God is speaking to your heart, don’t let your mind get in the way of what God wants you to do.  Sometimes loving God with all your heart simply means listening to your heart instead of your head.

What does it mean to love God with all our hearts?

It means our hearts break for the things that break the heart of God.  It means we have identified the God-ordained passion that makes us glad, sad, or mad.  It means inaction is not an option, because the compassion of Christ is the driving motivation of our lives.

-- Mark Batterson in “PRIMAL: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity”

#6051

BESIDE STILL WATERS

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.”  (Psalm 23:1-3a NKJV)

Researchers once surveyed people about their favorite room in the house. The top answer was the kitchen. People love that one. Most husbands’ top answer was the bedroom. Want to guess what the top answer was for mothers of young children? The bathroom.

Why? You lock the door. You keep those little rug rats out of there for at least a couple of minutes. You keep your husband out of there for at least a couple of minutes. The idea is that you find some place where you know you are alone. You are free of stress. You find sanctuary -- a holy place.

God wants to give us sanctuary. There is another kind of presence when we are gathered together, but there is a unique way in which we experience the presence of God when we are alone.

I have one friend who finds this special solitude with God at a little Italian restaurant. Another friend experiences it most often while driving country roads. One finds it on airplanes. Another likes to go to a retreat center in the hills of Malibu Canyon. Still another finds it is the early hours of the morning in his office. You will recognize the place where you can be yourself before God. 

-- John Ortberg in “The Me I Want to Be”

#6050

AN ACT OF BLIND OBEDIENCE

“’Go,’ Jesus told the blind man, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”  (John 9:7 NIV)

Like many of the miracles Jesus performed, this one comes with a set of instructions. Jesus tells the blind man to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. While we don’t know the exact distance he traveled to get to the pool, it was a hike…

So why would Jesus send this blind man on a scavenger hunt? Why not just heal him on the spot? A trip to the Pool of Siloam seems unnecessary, doesn’t it?

I recently heard a story by an Episcopal bishop named William Frey. As a young man, he volunteered to tutor a student who was blind. The student had lost his sight at the age of thirteen in a chemical explosion. He felt like his life was over. The only thing greater than his self-pity was his hatred toward God. For six months after the accident, all he did was feel sorry for himself. Then one day his father said, “John, winter’s coming and the storm windows need to be up – that’s your job. I want those hung by the time I get back this evening or else!” Then he pretended to walk out of the room, slamming the door. John got good and angry! In fact, he was so angry that he decided to do it. He thought, “When I fall, they’ll have a blind and paralyzed son!” But John didn’t fall. He discovered that he was capable of doing more than he realized. Even with blind eyes. Only after completing the job did he discover that his dad was never more than five feet away. He shadowed his son to make sure he was safe, but he knew that helplessness was a far worse curse than blindness.

I’m not entirely sure why Jesus had this blind man go and wash, but I’m guessing that he had lived a relatively helpless life. He depended upon everybody for everything! So Jesus didn’t just heal his blind eyes. He restored his dignity by rebuking helplessness… And that’s one secret to experiencing the miraculous: most miracles require an act of blind obedience. 

-- Mark Batterson in “The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible”

#6049