RIDING ON A DONKEY

A prince is identified with privilege, rank, and special benefits, but Jesus, the Prince of Peace, comes into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, a symbol of lowliness. His entrance is greeted with affirmation and acclamation. There is a joyous mood in the crowd as the people anticipate the promise of the prophets before them.

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off; He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."  (Zechariah 9:9-10 NKJV)

The promise of peace for a people plagued by war and strife was wonderful news. Perhaps now their long agony would come to an end. The promise of peace is enough to make suffering people celebrate. Do you suffer today? Sometimes the wars within are as devastating as the wars without. At some time in our lives, most of us will know the darkness of loneliness, disappointment, and despair. When the prince of peace comes to offer release, redemption, help, and hope, we are also filled with joy and the “hosannas” burst from our lips as well.

Jesus chose the way of peace in a violent world. He taught His disciples to do the same. Just for a moment Peter forgot, and because of that, one in the arresting party lost an ear. But still Jesus rebuked Peter and courageously continued His journey as the Prince of Peace on the way to His own death.  

-- Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”

#6335

THE “I AM” OF JESUS – Part 2 of 2

John’s Gospel gives us a series of breathtaking declarations from Jesus -- statements that don’t just describe what He does, but reveal who He is. We continue today with the last four. Take time with each of these statements. Let them draw you closer to Christ.

4. “I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11):  He knows your name. He leads you with tenderness. He seeks the lost. He lays down His life for you. Let His voice be the loudest in your life today.

5. “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25):  Jesus doesn’t just promise life after death -- He brings life into the dead places now. Wherever hope has faded, He speaks resurrection. Where do you need His life-giving touch?

6. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6):  Jesus is not one option among many. He is the path to the Father, the truth that sets us free, and the life that never ends. Follow Him with fresh trust today.

7. “I am the True Vine” (John 15:1):  We are not called to strive, but to abide. Fruitfulness flows from connection, not effort. What would it look like to rest in Him instead of trying to produce for Him? If you want to be fruitful, concentrate on your relationship with Jesus.

Each “I Am” is a doorway into the heart of Jesus. Each one reveals a facet of His glory. Each one invites us to trust Him more deeply. He is everything we need. He is everything our world longs for. He is the great “I Am.”

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6334

THE “I AM” OF JESUS – Part 1 of 2

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”  (John 8:58)

The Gospel of John gives us a series of seven breathtaking declarations from Jesus -- statements that don’t just describe what He does, but reveal who He is. Each “I Am” pulls back the curtain on His divine identity, echoing the name God spoke to Moses at the burning bush: “I AM WHO I AM.”  In Jesus, the eternal God steps into human history and says, “This is who I am for you.” Take time with each statement. Let these words draw you closer to Him as we approach Holy Week.

1. “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35):  Jesus meets our deepest hunger -- not with something, but with Himself. We chase satisfaction in a thousand places, but only Christ can fill the emptiness within us. Where are you hungry today? Bring that hunger to the One who satisfies.

2. “I am the Light of the World” (John 8:12):  In a world clouded by confusion, fear, and darkness, Jesus shines with truth, hope, and clarity. He doesn’t just show the way -- He is the way. Invite His light into the places where shadows still linger.

3. “I am the Gate” (John 10:7):  Jesus is the doorway into safety, rest, and abundant life. He guards, guides, and welcomes all who come to Him. Are you trying to live life out there through your own strength? Walk in through His grace instead. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6333

FIRST THINGS FIRST

“Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them…  ‘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…”  When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”  (Matthew 5:1-2, 6:33-34, and 7:28-29 NIV)

During the height of Jesus’ popularity in Israel, crowds followed Him everywhere, hungry for a word of insight or a touch of compassion. At that time, Jesus spoke at length the words of what has come to be known as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Seated on a hill, Jesus shared practical lessons based on spiritual principles relating to everyday concerns. Jesus spoke about anger, revenge, and greed; the importance of building strong relationships; and God’s provision for everyday needs, such as food and clothing.

Just like people today, the people of Jesus’ time must have struggled to put all this into perspective. They must have longed to “get their priorities straight.” Jesus’ answer was simple: Put God first and everything else will fall into place. This life principle is as powerful today as it was back then. Relationships, goals, responsibilities, and desires are constantly competing for your attention. Only by looking at them from God’s perspective can you make wise decisions on how to use your time and energy in the way that makes the most positive and effective difference.

By constantly choosing to live out your life in a way that reflects the priorities of God’s kingdom in heaven, your concerns about things that are out of your control lose their grip on your heart. Your dependence on material provisions is transformed into a deep dependence on God. That’s when you discover that whatever God provides is enough. 

-- From “100 Favorite Bible Verses”

#6332

YOKED WITH JESUS

Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11:28–30 NIV)

At our home in Door County, Wisconsin we have a yoke that my great-grandfather used on his farm in the late 1800’s. Seeing that yoke I have always been curious about Jesus’s use of that term in Matthew 11. There’s a reason Jesus doesn’t simply say, “Come to Me and rest.” He goes further. He says, “Take My yoke upon you… and you will find rest for your souls.”

A yoke is an instrument of work, not leisure. It joins two animals together so they move in the same direction, at the same pace, sharing the same load. At first glance, it seems strange -- why would Jesus offer rest by giving us a yoke?

Because His yoke is not a burden. His yoke is a relationship.

To be yoked to Christ means we no longer walk alone. We no longer pull the weight of life by ourselves. We no longer guess which direction to go or strain to keep up. When we take His yoke, we step into a life where He sets the pace, He bears the weight, and He guides the way.

When we are yoked to Him our striving becomes steady, because His strength steadies us. Our direction becomes clear, because His wisdom leads us. Our burdens become lighter, because His shoulders carry what ours cannot. Our souls find rest, not because life is easy, but because He is near.

Jesus doesn’t promise a life without burdens. He promises a life without weariness. A life where we move in step with the One who is gentle, humble, patient, and strong. A life where we learn from Him -- not by listening from afar, but by walking right beside Him.

Seeing my great-grandfather’s yoke is a good reminder to me to be yoked with Christ. And today, Jesus invites you again: Come. Take My yoke. Walk with Me. Let Me carry what you cannot.  In His presence even the heaviest loads become light.

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6331

FOLLOWING JESUS

“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. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?’”  (Matthew 16:24-26 NLT)

To follow Jesus Christ, who was betrayed, wept, bled, and died before He rose again, is to be at high risk of being taken where we had not intended to go. Eugene Peterson pinpoints the trouble with prayer: “We are often asked to respond in ways that we never intended when we first began to pray.”

It matters little where or in what century we are called to live out our Christian life. The witness of those who have gone before informs my own experience, telling me that we are often taken to places where we receive unwarranted accolades and to other places where we receive unwarranted suffering and pain. A disciple, one who chooses to be a student and follower of Jesus, is not a “self-made person” and is not on a personally designed journey… We choose to follow Jesus and then Jesus chooses where we will go. It is that simple.

The saving truth here is not that we are taken where we do not want to go, rather the saving truth is that we are not alone. There is One who leads us and who goes with us… While we may not choose the places to go, we can choose to remain with the One who sends us and there find comfort, companionship, grace, peace, and joy in Christ. 

-- Adapted from Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”

#6330

JESUS WEPT

It was customary in ancient Israel to bury someone on the day of death. After death, the Talmud prescribed seven days of deep mourning and thirty days of light mourning. So [after Lazarus died] Jesus shows up right in the middle of their deepest sorrow and grieves with them. John 11:35 simply says, “Jesus wept.”

It’s one of the shortest verses in the Bible, but it speaks volumes. And I’m not sure the English translation does it justice. The force of the Greek verb tense suggests that Jesus bursts into tears. This was not a measured response. Jesus literally lost it. It reveals how much Jesus loved Lazarus. It also reveals a God who sheds tears! And He doesn’t just cry over us, He collects our tears in a bottle (see Psalm 56:8).

Your tears are precious to God. Whether they are tears of joy, tears of sorrow, or tears of pain -- not one teardrop is lost on God.

If you’ve endured the type of loss Mary and Martha experienced [in losing their brother], you know that sometimes you need a shoulder to cry on. I’m grateful for those friends who seem to show up when everybody else disappears. Jesus is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (see Proverbs 18:24), and His broad shoulders can bear any burden. 

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

#6329

A FUN-LOVING JESUS?

“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,  and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.”  (John 2:1-2 NIV)

Why would Jesus, on His first journey, take His followers to a party? Didn't they have work to do? Didn't He have principles to teach?  Wasn't His time limited? How could a wedding fit with His purpose on earth? Why did Jesus go to the wedding?

The answer? It's found in the second verse of John 2. “Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.”  Why did they invite Him? I suppose they liked Him.

Big deal? I think so. I think it's significant that common folk in a little town enjoyed being with Jesus. I think it's noteworthy that the Almighty didn't act high and mighty. The Holy One wasn't holier-than-thou.

You just don't get the impression that His neighbors grew sick of His haughtiness and asked, “Well, who do you think made you God?”

His faith made Him likable, not detestable. Would that ours would do the same!

May I state an opinion that may raise an eyebrow? May I tell you why I think Jesus went to the wedding? I think He went to the wedding to -- now hold on, hear me out, let me say it before you heat the tar and pluck the feathers -- I think Jesus went to the wedding to have fun.

Maybe these thoughts catch you by surprise. They do me. It's been awhile since I pegged Jesus as a party-lover. But He was. His foes accused Him of eating too much, drinking too much, and hanging out with the wrong people! (See Mattew 11:19.) I must confess: It's been awhile since I've been accused of having too much fun. How about you?

We used to be good at it. What has happened to us? What happened to clean joy and loud laughter? Is it our neckties that choke us? Is it our diplomas that dignify us? Is it the pew that stiffens us?

Jesus took time for a party… shouldn't we?

 -- Max Lucado in “When God Whispers Your Name”

#6328

IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS

For many years during my ministry at the two churches I served -- in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and in Green Bay, Wisconsin – we produced Lenten devotional booklets for daily meditation during the forty days leading up to Easter. We would come up with a theme each year, members of the church would be invited to write a personal story, and I would desktop publish them for distribution to the congregation. I recently came across a file on my computer from 2005 containing that season’s authors who wrote on the theme “It’s All About Jesus.” I realized that a number of those faithful believers were now in the church eternal, and for many of them I had the honor of officiating at their memorial service. While they are no longer here on earth, their words of personal witness and spiritual wisdom live on. Such is the case with the following devotional.

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry™

 

“THE MISSING PIECE” by Gerry Christoph (1931–2019)

I knew a lot about Jesus.  I attended Sunday School and church as a child.  I continued regular church attendance and Bible studies as an adult.  Church activities and Christian outreach were a part of my life.

I also had time and opportunity to participate in many fun activities, such as golf, tennis, bowling, and exercise classes.

In my early 40's I got to a point where my life was just the way I had always wanted it to be with a loving family, many friends, and many activities.

Why was I restless?  Why did I feel insecure?  It seemed like all my life I added new pieces so my life would feel complete.  I was still missing one piece.  I had a feeling it had something to do with God.  All my life I had a longing to know Him better.

The obvious thing to do was to read and pray and search.  After six months, I had less faith than when I started.  After deciding to abandon my search, I decided to pray one more time.  My prayer went something like this, "God, I've searched and searched for You and I can't find You."  Then I paused because I didn't know what to pray next.  To my amazement, God gave me the words to continue.  "I'm not as good as I want to be, and I'm certainly not as good as I want You to think I am, but if You will take my faults, I want You to be Lord of my life."  It was at that moment of being completely honest with God and completely relinquishing my life to Him that He filled every pore of my being with His love.  I had never felt so undeserving, but I had never felt so loved.  I knew I would never doubt again.  I knew I would never be the same again.  Jesus had come into my life when I prayed that prayer.  Jesus is the missing piece that has completed my life's picture.  It really is ALL ABOUT JESUS!  I praise His Holy Name.

#6327

RESURRECTION FAITH

“On His arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days… ‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if You had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know that even now God will give You whatever you ask.’”  (John 11:17, 21 NIV)

This one statement reveals two types of faith.

The first is what I call preventative faith… Preventative faith believes God can keep things from happening. So we pray for traveling mercies or a hedge of protection around our children. And while there is nothing wrong with that, there is a second dimension of faith that believes God can actually undo what’s been done. I call it resurrection faith. It’s a faith that refuses to put periods at the end of disappointments because God can make your impossible possible. Even when the application is denied or the adoption falls through or the business goes bankrupt, don’t put a period there…

What needs to die in your life so that it can be resurrected? So that God can reveal more of His power? So that God gets all the glory? You need to bury it. Then if it’s resurrected, you know God did it.

It takes courage to end an unhealthy dating relationship, but you won’t find Mr. Right as long as you are dating Mr. Wrong. It takes courage to quit a job, but it might be the difference between making a living and making a life. It takes courage to change majors, but it’s better to fail at something you love than succeed at something you hate. Maybe you need to bury the relationship, bury the job, or bury the major. Then you need to wait for Jesus to show up.

“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.’”  (John 11:43-44 NIV)

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

#6326

FAITH BELIEVES, TRUST RESTS – Part 2 of 2

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  (Hebrews 11:1) “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”  (Psalm 56:3)

Faith and trust are like two sides of the same coin, yet they move differently in the life of a believer.

Faith is what we believe about God -- His character, His promises, His power. Faith says, “God can.” It is the conviction that He is who He says He is, even when our eyes may see nothing but uncertainty.

Trust, however, is what we do with that belief. Trust says, “Because God can, I will rest in Him.” Trust is faith lived out -- faith applied to real fears, real delays, real disappointments, real unknowns.

Faith is the foundation. Trust is the follow-through. Faith is the seed. Trust is the fruit. Faith says, “I believe God will lead me.”  Trust says, “So I will take the next step, even if I can’t see the path.”

Jesus invites us into both. He calls us to believe in Him and then to place the full weight of our lives into His hands.

Where is God inviting you not just to believe in Him, but to trust Him -- practically, personally, completely -- today?

Lord, deepen my faith so that my trust becomes steady and strong. Teach me not only to believe Your promises but to fully rest in them. Help me place every fear, every plan, and every step into Your faithful hands. Amen.

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6325

FAITH BELIEVES, TRUST RESTS – Part 1 of 2

What is faith? John Patten (1824 -1907) traveled to New Hebrides (a group of islands in the Southwest Pacific) to tell the tribal people about Jesus. The islanders were cannibals and his life was in constant danger. Patten decided to work on a translation of John’s Gospel, but found that there was no word in their language for “belief” or “trust.” Nobody trusted anybody else.

Eventually, Patten hit upon the way to find the word he was looking for. One day, when his native servant came in, Patten sat back in his chair, raised both feet off the floor, and asked, “What am I doing now?” In reply, the servant used a word which means “to lean your whole weight upon.” This was the expression Patten used. Faith is leaning our whole weight upon Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross.

It all starts with God’s love for us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)  [As a result of our sin,] we all deserve to “perish.” God, in His love for us, saw the mess we were in and gave His only Son, Jesus, to die for us. As a result of His death, everlasting life is offered to all who believe. 

-- Nicky Gumbel in Alpha’s “Questions of Life: A Practical Introduction to the Christian Faith”

#6324

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”

#6323

 

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

“One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized Him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, ‘You are My dearly loved Son, and You bring Me great joy.’”  (Mark 1:9-11 NLT)

In the Greek language, Mark’s Gospel uses strong words to describe what happened when Jesus was baptized. The translators of the New Living Translation of the Bible describe the event this way: “He saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on Him.” Mark is the only Gospel writer to use a Greek word that doesn’t just mean “open” but “tear.” Mark wants us to know that God “ripped open” heaven and sent His Spirit to descend upon Jesus. This was a cosmic event of epic proportions even though it was happening in nowhere Israel under the ministry of an insignificant, self-appointed prophet named John. Things would be different in the universe after this event, according to Mark.

What happens next defends Mark’s position. The ancient Rabbi’s taught that when God speaks, “the daughter of His voice,” or “the echo of His voice,” is heard. But Mark does not record God’s voice in this way. Instead, Mark says that the very voice of Jesus’ heavenly Father spoke words of approval over His Son. “You are My dearly loved Son, and You bring Me great joy.”  John’s baptism of Jesus serves as a declaration to the world across time that Jesus was and is the Son of God.  

-- Jorge Acevedo in “Everybody Needs Some Cave Time: Meeting God in Dark Places”

#6322

CALLED TO FELLOWSHIP

We are called to fellowship with one another. The Greek word koinonia means “having in common” or “sharing” [--  sharing possessions, sharing experiences, sharing life, sharing one’s self with another.] It is the word used for the marital relationship, the most intimate between human beings. Our fellowship is with God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – 1 John 1:3; 2 Corinthians 13:14) and with one another (1 John 1:7). Christian fellowship cuts across race, color, education, background, and every other cultural barrier. There is a level of friendship in the church that I have certainly never experienced outside the church.

John Wesley said, “The New Testament knows nothing of solitary religion.” We are called to fellowship with one another. It is not an optional extra. There are two things we simply cannot do alone. We cannot marry alone and we cannot be a Christian alone. Professor C.E.B. Cranfield put it like this: “The freelance Christian… is simply a contradiction in terms.”

The writer of Hebrews urges his readers, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another…” (Hebrews 10:24-25a NIV). Often Christians lose their love for the Lord and their enthusiasm for their faith because they neglect [biblical] fellowship. 

– Adapted from Nicky Gumbel in Alpha’s “Questions of Life: A Practical Introduction to the Christian Faith”

#6321

GROWING AND MATURING

“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”  (Hebrews 5:12-14 NIV)

I like the story of the little boy who fell out of bed. When his Mom asked him what happened, he answered, “I don’t know. I guess I stayed too close to where I got in.”

Easy to do the same with our faith. It’s tempting just to stay where we got in and never move.

Pick a time in the not-too-distant past. A year or two ago. Now ask yourself a few questions. How does your prayer life today compare with then? How about your giving? Have both the amount and the joy increased? What about your church loyalty? Can you tell you’ve grown? And Bible study? Are you learning to learn?

There they are. Four habits worth having. Isn’t it good to know that some habits are good for you? Make them a part of your day and grow. Don’t make the mistake of the little boy. Don’t stay too close to where you got in. It’s risky resting on the edge.

Growth is the goal of the Christian. Maturity is mandatory. 

-- Max Lucado in “When God Whispers Your Name”

#6320

WORRY VS. MEDITATION

Scripture talks about meditating on God’s Word. The psalmist says that godly persons meditate on the Word “day and night” (Psalm 1:2). How much is that?

You may feel that meditation is something only monks and mystics can do. So let me ask you, do you know how to worry? If you can worry, you can meditate. To meditate merely means to think about something over and over. Let it simmer in your mind. Reflect on it from different angles until it becomes part of you…

A friend recently sent me a card that read, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NIV)

When I think about that single statement, I am reminded that…

• GOD is the source of all hope.
• He is even now seeking to fill my body with not just joy and peace, but ALL joy and peace.
• His desire is that I should not just contain hope, but OVERFLOW with hope.
• This process is dependent not on my power, but the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT at work in me.

My mind is having different thoughts than it would be if I were [doomscrolling social media.] With my mind fixed on God, I am ready [for whatever lies ahead today.]  

-- Adapted from John Ortberg in “If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat”

#6319

FREE BUT COSTLY – Part 2 of 2

Then Jesus 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 9:23-24 NIV)

In offering ourselves as fully as we can, we discover the cost of discipleship. For to bind our lives to Jesus Christ requires that we try to walk with Him into the sorrows and sufferings of the world. Being bound to Jesus Christ, we see barriers broken down and we are led to places we have never been before. Having offered ourselves to Jesus Christ, we may expect to become the eyes, ears, voice, and hands of Jesus Christ in the world and in the church.

The cost of salvation? It is completely free and without cost. The cost of discipleship? Only our lives -- nothing more and nothing less. 

-- Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God” 

#6318

FREE BUT COSTLY – Part 1 of 2

“Yet to all who did receive Him to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”  (John 1:12-13 NIV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  (John 3:16 NIV)

Salvation is free, but the cost of discipleship is enormous. I try to hide from the truth, but when I read the Gospels and seek to live in communion with God, I discover both parts of the statement are dead-center truth.

I can do nothing to earn my salvation. My redemption is a pure gift of grace, a gift offered to me without qualification or reservation. I am God’s child and no one or no thing can change that fact. Jesus Christ lived, died, and lives again to bring this gift of salvation to me in all its fullness. My faith can appropriate this gift, but even my greatest doubt cannot change its reality. I am God’s beloved, embraced in God’s love for now and eternity. All words are inadequate to describe the extravagance and grandeur of the gift of salvation. Our hymns of praise and gratitude fall lifeless before the immensity of this gift. We simply and humbly offer all that we are to the One who offers us the option of becoming more than we are. 

-- Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God” 

#6317

JESUS OFFERS LIVING WATER

“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give Me a drink?’… The Samaritan woman said to Him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.’ … ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’”  (Excerpts from John 4:17-14 NIV)

Have you ever been extremely thirsty? If you have experienced deep thirst, you know how wonderful and refreshing cool water can be. We can live for many days without food but only a short time without water. When the Samaritan woman encountered Jesus at Jacob’s well, she was searching for that which would quench her body’s thirst for life-giving and life-sustaining water. In the presence of Jesus she recognized a deeper thirst, the thirst for God. And it was to this thirst that Jesus offered living water and the promise that her thirst for God could be satisfied.

The thirst for God is universal because we have been created with a longing for the Creator. This desire to know and be known by the One who made us and loves us is often ignored, denied, and finally buried under a multitude of pursuits and interests. But then some event in life invites or forces us to pause, and the desire for God comes rushing back to our awareness. And once again we know that real life is impossible without the companionship of the One who first gave us the gift of life and who sustains us even now. We know for certain that we need living water; we need what only God in Christ can give if we are to truly live.

Today Jesus continues to offer living water, a way, and a companionship that can quench our thirst for God. Our part is to recognize the deep need for God within us and to offer hospitality to the One who seeks to fill and satisfy that need. Like the psalmist, our souls thirst for God (Psalm 42:1-2). The good news we share is that through Jesus Christ our thirst can be satisfied. 

-- Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”

#6316

THE BEATITUDES – A WINDOW INTO THE JESUS WAY

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-10) give us a window into the Jesus Way -- a way that runs against the grain of the world but leads us deeper into the heart of God. Jesus doesn’t begin His teaching with commands or demands. He begins with blessing. He names the overlooked, the weary, the humble, the hungry, and says, “You are seen. You are welcome. You are blessed.”

The Jesus Way is not about climbing higher but kneeling lower. It’s the way of poverty of spirit -- recognizing our need for God. It’s the way of meekness -- strength surrendered, not strength lost. It’s the way of mercy, purity, and peace -- living with a heart shaped by God’s compassion. And it’s the way of perseverance -- holding onto hope even when following Jesus is costly.

Walking the Jesus Way means trusting that God’s kingdom grows in unlikely places: in mourning hearts, in gentle hands, in those who hunger for righteousness, in those who choose peace over power. It’s a path marked not by self‑promotion but by self‑giving love.

During this Lenten season, look for one small way to embody the Jesus Way in your interactions.

Lord Jesus, teach me Your Way. Shape my heart to reflect Your kingdom -- humble, merciful, pure, and peace‑seeking. Help me walk in Your blessing and extend it to others. Amen. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6315

THE BEATITUDES – A SELF-PORTRAIT OF JESUS

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Then He began to speak, and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit… those who mourn… those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… the merciful… the pure in heart… the peacemakers… those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake…’” (Excerpted from Matthew 5:1-10)

The Beatitudes offer us a self-portrait of Jesus. At first it might seem to be a most unappealing portrait -- who wants to be poor, mourning and persecuted? Who can be truly gentle, merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker, and always concerned about justice? Where is the realism here? Don't we have to survive in this world and use the ways of the world to do so? Jesus shows us the way to be in the world without being of it. When we model our lives on His, a new world will open up for us. 

-- Henri Nouwen

#6314

THE BEATITUDES LIFESTYLE

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 5:3-10 NIV)

I applied for a position in a Christian organization years ago and was presented with a list of legalistic rules having to do with the use of alcohol, tobacco, and certain forms of entertainment. “We expect Christian behavior from our employees” was the explanation. I could agree with this list because I, for reasons mostly unrelated to my faith, didn’t do those things. But my argumentative side thought, Why don’t they have a list about not being arrogant, insensitive, harsh, spiritually indifferent, and critical? None of these were addressed.

Following Jesus can’t be defined by a list of rules. It’s a subtle quality of life that’s difficult to quantify but can best be described as “beautiful.”

The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3–10 sum up that beauty: Those who are indwelt by and dependent on the Spirit of Jesus are humble and self-effacing. They’re deeply touched by the suffering of others. They’re gentle and kind. They long for goodness in themselves and in others. They’re merciful to those who struggle and fail. They’re single-minded in their love for Jesus. They’re peaceful and leave behind a legacy of peace. They’re kind to those who misuse them, returning good for evil. And they’re blessed, a word that means “happy” in the deepest sense.

This kind of life attracts the attention of others and belongs to those who come to Jesus and ask Him for it… Such a way of living comes only by God’s grace and can be put into practice only by those in whom God’s Spirit resides. The “Beatitudes lifestyle” is entirely, radically dependent on the Holy Spirit. God will transform our lives so that those around us can’t help but notice the joy within us. 

--  Excerpted from “Our Daily Bread Ministries Canada” with David H. Roper 

#6313

THE PERSON OF JESUS

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind… The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:1-4, 14 NIV)

So what is the main thing?

Jesus.

But it’s not Jesus as an idea or an ideal or a set of teachings or miracles or sayings or doctrine or theology or paradigm or practices or habits or disciplines or T-shirts. Just Jesus. The beautiful person of Jesus. I’m not talking about Jesus without the Father and the Spirit, but without Jesus, we have no idea of the Father or the Spirit. Yes, I'm talking about New Testament Jesus; Jesus of Nazareth -- the Word from before the beginning of the Bible, who is its inspiration and author, its fire and fulfillment, and to whom every page points -- the Word made flesh. Jesus, our God.

Courage is not the absence of fear, discouragement, or despair. Courage is the presence of Jesus. Jesus is all the courage of God in a human person. The main thing, my friends, is the right here, right now presence of the person of Jesus. It is not so much about practicing the presence. It is about presencing the person of Jesus.

Father, thank You for sending us Jesus, without whom we would have no idea of You. And thank You for sending us the Spirit, who makes Jesus known to us and brings Him closer than our breath. How thankful we are to know you. Come, Holy Spirit, and help us to lift our hearts to Jesus, to set our minds on Jesus, to fix our eyes on Jesus, to focus our gaze on Jesus. He is our courage, and to be with Him is to be encouraged. Orient all the things into the thing of knowing Jesus, of presencing the person of Jesus -- for our good, for others’ gain, for Your glory. In Jesus’s name, amen. 

-- Excerpted from “Wake-Up Call” with J. D. Walt

#6312

CHOOSING REPENTANCE – Part 3 of 3

If you are tired of the physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences of guilt, these five steps of action will help you develop an attitude of repentance.

1.    Identify areas of your life where you have failed to meet God’s standards. The first step in repentance is an honest evaluation of every part of your life. The Psalmist prayed, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24 NIV)

2.    Acknowledge your failure to God. To humble yourself before God means to sincerely acknowledge your failure and your need for forgiveness.

3.    Accept God’s forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 declares, “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

4.    Make restitution where necessary. If we have wronged another person, it is necessary for us to seek that person’s forgiveness. And, like Zacheus, monetary restitution might also be in order. Such an action is a sign of genuine repentance.

5.    Turn away from known sin in your life. It is possible to follow the first steps without truly repenting. The word repent carries the idea of turning around… turning from sin to God

You may have been traveling down the road of unresolved guilt for a long time. Don’t be discouraged. There is a way out. Decide you are tired of going in that direction; ask for God’s forgiveness, make any necessary restitution, and turn around.

-- Adapted from “Choose Your Attitude, Change Your Life” (1992) by Robert Jeffress

#6311

CHOOSING REPENTANCE – Part 2 of 3

Contrary to popular opinion, repentance is not an emotion; but it is an attitude that leads to specific action. The Greek word metanoeo, which is translated “repent,” means “to change one’s mind.” The word pictures someone heading in one direction who, because of a change of mind, starts going in another direction. Maybe you have had the experience of driving down a street and suddenly noticing that all of the street signs are backwards and every other car is headed in the opposite direction, including those in your lane! What do you do? You make a quick U-turn and head in the opposite direction in order to avoid some serious consequences. In the same way, repentance both honestly acknowledges failure and causes a change of direction.

Repentance is not a popular topic today, because it requires us to honestly confront sin. None of us likes to be reminded of our faults. As the writer Maurice Samuel put it, “No man loves his alarm clock.” And yet the failure to confront sin can have a much more severe consequence than driving the wrong way down a one-way street or refusing to set an alarm clock. What is the result of not repenting? In a word, guilt.

The Psalmist captures this in Psalm 32:5. “Then I acknowledged my sin to You and I did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And You forgave the guilt of my sin.” 

-- Adapted from “Choose Your Attitude, Change Your Life” (1992) by Robert Jeffress

#6310

CHOOSING REPENTANCE – Part 1 of 3

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season the Church sets aside for reflection, humility, and renewed dependence on God. When the ashes are placed on our foreheads, as will be done today in many churches around the globe, we’re reminded of two profound truths: our human frailty and God’s endless mercy. The ashes don’t shame us -- they invite us to honesty. They call us to repent -- to turn FROM the sinful patterns that pull us away from God and to return TO the One who welcomes us with grace.

CHOOSING REPENTANCE – Part 1 of 3

“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)

Many years ago, the following note in the thief’s handwriting was found in a stolen Trans Am returned by police to its owner in Los Angeles: “Your CB is in the trunk. The radio is out because I couldn’t stop my friend from taking it (insurance will cover radio). I’m sorry it had to be your car, but I was looking for one and the car lot left the key in and unattended. Your left back tire loses a little air at times. Your brake light comes on a lot and sometimes stays on when you drive (check your brakes.) I hope this didn’t put you out for me taking your car. I would have preferred a dealer’s car. But this was all that was available. Sorry (needs gas).”

Everyone -- including car thieves -- at one time or another faces moral failure. How do we deal with such failure? We have a choice. We can choose to ignore it or we can repent. Repentance is an attitude that chooses to confront sin rather than ignore it. And such an attitude choice is absolutely vital to our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Unfortunately, most of us have a limited view of repentance. We tend to think of repentance only in terms of salvation. The word repent conjures up images of some scraggly street preacher announcing the end of the world via a sandwich board. Yet, an examination of Scripture reveals that repentance is an attitude that is more characteristic of Christians than of non-Christians. It is not just a one-time action that ensures heaven after we die.  Instead, repentance is an attitude that confronts and deals with failure in every area of life. Martin Luther understood this truth. The first of the Ninety-five Theses he nailed to the church door in Wittenberg in 1517 read, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘repent,’ He willed that the entire life of believers be one of repentance.” 

-- Adapted from “Choose Your Attitude, Change Your Life” (1992) by Robert Jeffress

#6309

EYES OF COMPASSION

“When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, ‘Why are your faces downcast today?’”  (Genesis 40:6-7 ESV)

Joseph’s suffering gave him eyes of compassion.

In the midst of the storm, do you read the faces of people around you the way Joseph did? Most people wear on their faces what is going on inside of them.

Do you look for friends, coworkers, people who serve you, or children in your life, and notice if their faces are downcast? It is a paradox: Self-preoccupation is actually self-defeating and produces loneliness.

Joseph expressed his heart to his fellow prisoners in a single question: “Why are your faces downcast today?”

Someone noticed them. Someone cared about their lives. Words can do this. Every word you speak boosts someone’s hope a bit, or kills it just a little…

Here’s a little test: During the stormy periods in your life, how often have you expressed genuine concern for others when you have had nothing to gain? 

-- John Ortberg in “If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat”

#6308

ARE YOU OKAY WITH THIS?

The Prophet Jeremiah wrote of good King Josiah, “‘He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know Me?’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 22:16)

United Nations health and food organizations calculate that twenty-five thousand people throughout the developing world die every day from starvation and malnutrition.  Are you okay with this?  There are a hundred thirty thousand children up for adoption at any given time in the United States, and millions more children worldwide are without families.  Are you okay with this?  A child dies from drinking contaminated water every twenty-one seconds.  Are you okay with this?  That question can be and must be asked of all suffering and every injustice.  Are you okay with this?

Most of us are okay with it.  And we’re okay with it simply because it’s an issue without a name or a face.  We’ve never held someone who is starving to death.  No one in our family has needlessly died from contaminated water.  We don’t know anybody who has been kidnapped and sold into slavery.  And none of our family members sleeps on the streets.  But once the issue has a name and a face, it changes everything, doesn’t it?  God knows each of those names.  God knows each of those faces.  And it breaks His heart.

So let me ask the question again: Are you okay with this?

If you are in Christ and Christ is in you, you cannot be okay with suffering or injustice or starvation.  Why?  Because His heart is in you.  And His heart beats for the suffering, the victim, the poor, and the needy.  If you are a Christ follower, then you have been drafted into an army of compassion that knows no enemy but those things that break the heart of God.  And it’s not okay to not do something about that.  

-- Mark Batterson in “PRIMAL: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity” (2009)

#6307

A VALENTINE’S DAY REMINDER

“We love because He first loved us.”  (1 John 4:19 NIV)

Valentine’s Day has a way of stirring up all kinds of emotions. For some, it’s a day of celebration and connection. For others, it highlights loneliness, loss, or longing. But beneath all the cards, flowers, and heart‑shaped everything lies a deeper truth: love didn’t begin with us. It began with God.

Before you ever loved someone… Before anyone ever loved you… Before you succeeded, failed, rejoiced, or wept… God loved you first.

His love is not fragile or fickle. It doesn’t depend on your performance or your perfection. It doesn’t fade with time or shift with circumstances. It is steady, initiating, pursuing, and unchanging.

Valentine’s Day reminds us that human love, beautiful as it is, can only ever be a reflection of a greater love. The cross is the truest Valentine ever given: God saying, “I choose you. I want you. I love you enough to give everything for you.”

And because God loved us first, we are free to love others without fear. Free to forgive. Free to serve. Free to show kindness. Free to love even when it’s hard, because we’re not drawing from our own limited quantity -- we’re drawing from God’s endless supply. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6306

A PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)

The push for power has come to shove. And most of us are either pushing or being pushed.

I might point out the difference between a passion for excellence and a passion for power. The desire for excellence is a gift from God, much needed in society. It is characterized by respect for quality and a yearning to use God’s gifts in a way that pleases Him.

There are certain things you can do that no one else can. Perhaps it is parenting, or constructing houses, or encouraging the discouraged. There are things that only you can do, and you are alive to do them. In the great orchestra that we call life, you have an instrument and a song, you owe it to God to play them both sublimely.

But there is a canyon of difference between doing your best to glorify God and doing whatever it takes to glorify yourself. The quest for excellence is a mark of maturity. The quest for power is childish. 

-- Max Lucado in “The Applause of Heaven”

#6305

AND HE BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS

^“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.” (John 1:40-42a NIV)

We don't hear much more about Andrew except that he was always bringing people to Jesus (John 6:8, 12:22). But Simon Peter, his brother, went on to be one of the greatest influences in the history of Christianity. We cannot all be Simon Peters, but we can all do what Andrew did -- we can bring someone to Jesus.

Albert McMackin was a 24-year-old farmer who had come to faith in Christ. He was so full of enthusiasm that he filled a truck with people and took them to a meeting to hear about Jesus. There was a good-looking farmer's son whom he especially wanted to get to a meeting, but this young man was hard to persuade. He was busy falling in and out of love with different girls and did not seem to be attracted to Christianity. Eventually, Albert McMackin managed to persuade him to come by asking him to drive the truck. When they arrived, Albert's guest decided to go in. He was spellbound and began to have thoughts he had never known before. He went back again and again until one night he went forward and gave his life to Jesus Christ. That man, the driver of the truck, was Billy Graham. The year was 1934. [Throughout his ministry Billy Graham (1918-2018) led hundreds of thousands] to faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot all be like Billy Graham, but we can all be like Albert McMackin  -- we can all bring our friends to Jesus. 

-- Nicky Gumbel in Alpha’s “Questions of Life: A Practical Introduction to the Christian Faith”

#6304