A FRESH START WITH GOD

"This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."  (Psalm 118:24 NKJV)

Monday mornings often bring a long list of responsibilities, challenges, and expectations. It is easy to begin the week focused on what lies ahead and forget the One who goes before us. Yet God's Word reminds us that today is not an accident. It is a gift from the Lord, carefully prepared by His loving hand.

Before rushing into the demands of the day, take a moment to thank God for the opportunity of a new beginning. His mercies are new every morning, and His strength is available for every task you face. You do not have to carry the weight of the week alone. The same God who guided you yesterday is already present in your tomorrow.

As you start this week, choose faith over fear, gratitude over complaint, and trust over worry. Walk confidently, knowing that God is at work in every circumstance and that He will provide the wisdom and strength you need for each day. May the peace of Christ be with you. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6481

WHAT’S IN YOUR WARDROBE? – Part 5 of 5

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

PATIENCE

“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.”  (Psalm 27:14 NLT)

In our fast-paced world, waiting feels like an interruption. We rush to plan the next season, secure the next outcome, and outrun uncertainty, often operating under the anxious assumption that if we aren’t pushing forward, we are falling behind. Yet, spiritual growth rarely happens in the rush. It happens in the stillness -- when we stop trying to outpace God's calendar and learn to anchor our souls in the present.

To get ahead of God’s timing is to rely on our own strength rather than His wisdom. It is driven by the fear that if we don't force a door open, it will remain closed forever. But the posture of faith invites us to exhale, lay down our timelines, and trust the One who holds eternity.

Henri J.M. Nouwen beautifully captured the transformative power of patient waiting when he wrote: "A waiting person is a patient person. The word patience means the willingness to stay where we are and live out the situation to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us... Patient people dare to stay where they are. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there... nurturing the moment."

Nouwen reminds us that patience is not passive resignation; it is an active, courageous choice. To wait well is to stay fully present in whatever season we find ourselves -- even an uncomfortable or quiet one -- believing that God is working beneath the surface. When we rush ahead, we risk missing the exact lessons, character-building, and quiet blessings He has planted right where we are. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6480

WHAT’S IN YOUR WARDROBE? – Part 4 of 5

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

GENTLENESS

"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."  (Philippians 4:5 NIV)

We call it gentleness, but the Greeks called it praotes. Aristotle said that praotes was the perfect mean between too little anger and too much anger.

You thought anger was always bad?

Not at all.  No reform movement would ever have happened if someone hadn't gotten angry about the state of things as they found them.  It was when people grew angry about slavery that its death knell was sounded.  So, too, with child labor.

But the problem is to harness that anger.  That's where praotes -- gentleness -- comes in.  Anger destroys even in the name of great causes; without restraint, anger will defeat the very matters it endorses.  And our usual brand of self-control won't make it.  As William Barclay used to say, we need to be God-controlled.  That’s gentleness.  Because gentleness is power under purposeful direction.

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas (1923-2015) in “New Testament Stories from the Back Side”

#6479

WHAT’S IN YOUR WARDROBE? – Part 3 of 5

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

HUMILITY

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” (Matthew 18:1 ESV)

Who is the greatest? It evokes the very essence of ego. I heard an apt acronym the other day for E.G.O. -- Edging God Out. "Greatest" language activates the cancerous plague of all human cultures (especially internet culture): comparison. It creates a universe of competition where there can be only one winner and an infinity of losers.

Jesus blows up the question and destroys the category.

“And calling to Him a child, He put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’"  (Matthew 18:2–5 ESV)

In lifting up the child as the example, Jesus is not driving at child-like whimsy with rainbows and unicorns. He's exalting extreme humility. He's crushing status barriers, destroying prestige markers, and otherwise eviscerating any shred of human qualification anyone might bring to the table. And let's be clear, He's not handing out participation trophies to mediocre people. He's passing out divine commendations, and they are in endless supply. With a mere thirty-four words He reinterprets the way to greatness from measuring up to measuring down.

Humility is not self-abnegation; it is God-exaltation. Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is not lowering yourself; it is lifting up others.

True humility is becoming so enraptured with Jesus you've taken on His likeness. His mindset has become your mentality.

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

#6478

WHAT’S IN YOUR WARDROBE? – Part 2 of 5

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

KINDNESS

Every morning, we make a conscious choice about what to wear. We look at the schedule ahead, check the weather, and select clothes that fit the day. In Colossians, Paul reminds us that our spiritual lives require a similar daily intention. Before we step out into the world, we are called to dress our hearts.

Notice the foundation Paul sets before giving this instruction: you are chosen, holy, and dearly loved. Kindness isn't something we manufacture on our own to earn God’s favor; it is the natural outflow of realizing how deeply loved we already are. When your own heart is secure in God's grace, extending grace to others becomes second nature.

Kindness in action is rarely about grand, dramatic gestures. More often, it lives in the quiet moments -- choosing a gentle answer when a quick, sharp retort feels justified; offering patience to someone who is having a difficult day; reaching out to check on a friend simply to let them know they are seen.

When we put on kindness, we reflect the very character of Christ to a world that is often harsh and hurried. Today, as you prepare for whatever lies ahead, take a moment to intentionally "clothe" yourself with kindness and let God’s love be seen through your everyday interactions. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™ 

#6477

WHAT’S IN YOUR WARDROBE? – Part 1 of 5

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

INTRODUCTION: Colossians 3:12 marks a turning point in Paul's letter where he moves from doctrine to daily living. After reminding believers that they have been raised with Christ and given a new identity in Him, Paul calls them to live in a manner that reflects their new nature. Because they are God's chosen, holy, and beloved people, they are to clothe themselves with Christlike qualities that demonstrate His character to the world.

COMPASSION

Frederick Buechner wrote, "Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy for you, too."

What is compassion? It is Jesus coming to earth to be like us, to identify with our human experience. One of His greatest desires is that we show the same compassion to others, that we show mercy and ease suffering…

Compassion doesn't come naturally to us. We are by nature self-centered. It takes time and a work of God's grace to develop compassion…

We learn compassion either by going through certain circumstances or by trying to imagine what other people are going through…

When we go through the death of a friend or family member, an illness, or a trying time, we often discover that the people who come alongside us and help the most are people who either have experienced the same difficulties or try to understand what we are going through without feeling a need to fix or make judgments.

Compassion reaches into hearts and lives, past barriers, past judgments, and brings the touch of God. 

-- William and Nancie Carmichael in “Lord Bless My Child” 

#6476

THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF GOD AS A PERSON

Jesus said, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’”  (Matthew 6:7-10 ESV)

The Bible does not simply speak of God as 'one.' It speaks of God as a person. God is not like an abstract mathematical unit which is singular and stands by itself alone. We do not speak of God as an "it." We use a personal pronoun and speak of God as "He." The reason for this is that the Bible always speaks of God as a personal subject, as one who is in relation to another. God keeps His promises (Deuteronomy 4:31). He is merciful. He sees and hears His people (Exodus 3:7-8). He speaks and teaches (Genesis1:1; Deuteronomy 6:1). He loves (John 3:16). God can be angry (Deuteronomy 6:15). God can be long-suffering and patient (1 Peter 3:20). "It's" are none of those things. 

-- Dr. Bill Weinrich, excerpted from an article entitled “One God in Three Persons,” published in “GOD WORDS: Intro to Classic Christian Theology”

#6475

THE IMMANENCE AND TRANSCENDENCE OF GOD

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them?”  (Psalm 8:3-4 NIV)

“How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me.”  (Psalm 13:1-6 NIV)

The psalmists approached their friendship with God with... awe and wonder, and often turned their words into insistent witness. The sense of wonder is always there for the psalmist. He may complain about his life and even about the way he thinks God is treating him, yet the sense of wonder is never lost. I know of no literature that so recklessly brings together the immanence of God and the transcendence of God. The psalmist feels God is so approachable that he dares to raise questions about God's very character; then, suddenly, God is so eternal that the poet struggles for words to express his awe. 

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

#6474

OUR IMAGE OF GOD

What comes into your mind when you think about God?  The great preacher A.W. Tozer wrote that "we tend, by a secret law of the soul, to move toward our mental image of God."  So it's crucial that our idea of God correspond as nearly as is possible to the true being of God.

Certainly, in our limited human condition, we cannot think of God as He really is.  But if we are drawing our image of God from the wrong sources, then He'll be too small.

Today, since "spirituality" is so big in our culture, celebrities and people of influence often talk about their relationship with God... but for many, God seems to be a vague deity they've made up, a personalized edition of a spiritual force who exists to make people feel good about themselves.

We need to take care not to be squeezed into the mindset of the culture around us.  In every situation of each day, we have a choice.  We can fix our attention on ourselves, and recast God in our own image.  Or we can fix our attention on God, as the Scriptures really reveal Him to be. 

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” (Exodus 34:6)

-- Ellen Vaughn in “Daily Seeds from Women Who Walk in Faith” 

#6473

THE GAME OF LIFE – Part 2 of 2

Monopoly often rewards aggressive acquisition, but in real life, unchecked greed can destroy relationships and peace. Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15). The game can be a playful reminder of how easily our hearts can be drawn toward “more” instead of “enough.”

Monopoly may be a game of strategy and competition, but it can also be a mirror for our spiritual lives. The real “victory” isn’t measured in property deeds or stacks of cash, but in a life lived with open hands, a generous heart, and an eternal perspective.

In Monopoly, one player’s gain is often another’s loss. But the Kingdom of God operates differently -- it’s not a zero-sum game. In Christ, we are called to generosity, lifting others up rather than bankrupting them. Imagine if we played life more like that -- offering mercy, forgiveness, and help instead of just trying to “win.” 

-- Mark A. Brady, from his blog

#6472

 THE GAME OF LIFE – Part 1 of 2

At first glance, Monopoly might seem like nothing more than a competitive scramble for cash, property, and power. But if we look closer, this classic board game can actually serve as a thought-provoking metaphor for biblical truths about life, stewardship, and eternity.

In Monopoly, no matter how many hotels you own or how much cash you’ve stacked, the game eventually ends. When it’s over, everything goes back in the box. The Bible reminds us of the same reality: “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:7). Our earthly possessions are temporary; what truly matters is how we use them for God’s purposes. And at the end of your life, you, too, will go into a box.

In the game, you never truly “own” the board -- you’re just managing resources for a time. Likewise, scripture teaches that “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). We are stewards, entrusted with time, talents, and treasures to manage wisely. Winning in God’s eyes isn’t about accumulation, but about faithfulness.

-- Mark A. Brady, from his blog

#6471

VULGAR GRACE

The Apostle Paul wrote, “The Lord said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’”  (2 Corinthians 12:9a)

In my office at the church, I have the following quotation hanging on my wall, 4 foot by 3 foot. It has become a sort of life mantra for me. I made it so large because I tend to forget this simple yet profound message about my being going before my doing. It’s a quote from Brennan Manning’s book “All Is Grace.” This ragamuffin follower of Jesus penned this weighty reminder for hard-headed, performance-addicted people like me:

“My life is a witness of vulgar grace – a grace that amazes as it offends. A grace that pays the eager beaver who worked all day long the same wages as the grinning drunk who shows up at ten til five. A grace that hikes up the robe and runs breakneck toward the prodigal reeking in sin and wraps him up and decides to throw a party no ifs, ands, or buts. A grace that raises bloodshot eyes to a dying thief’s request – “Please, remember me” – and assures him, “You bet!” A grace that is the pleasure of the Father, fleshed out in the carpenter Messiah, Jesus Christ, who left His Father’s side not for heaven’s sake but for our sakes, yours and mine. This vulgar grace is indiscriminate compassion. It works without asking anything of us. It’s not cheap. It’s free, and as such will always be a banana peel for the orthodox foot and a fairy tale for the grown-up sensibility. Grace is sufficient even though we huff and puff with all our might to try to find something or someone it cannot cover. Grace is enough. He is enough. Jesus is enough.” 

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

#6470

MENDING A BROKEN HEART

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” “He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.”  (Psalm 34:18; 147:3)

Let me suggest to you how we can deal with our woundedness and allow God to bind our wounds and heal our broken hearts. God will mend a broken heart, if we will give Him all the pieces.

Frist of all, we need to accept the reality of our wounds. Because God is with us, we can be realistic about our life. God empowers us to accept and face whatever it is that has wounded our life. Real wounds do not go away because we ignore them or suppress them; they only surface in more destructive and dangerous ways later.

Second, we lean on God’s power and strength. One of the things Paul learned in his struggles with his thorn in the flesh was that this wound and weakness made him rely more upon God. He said, “Whenever I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Third, we can hold on to hope. Hope is a necessity for real living, but especially in a wounded [or broken] moment. As Christians, we can have the hope and expectation that life will be good again. It may not be the same, but it can be good again. Hope is belief in possibility. It is not unrealistic optimism that everything will work out and things will be like they were before. It is confidence and faith that however things turnout, God will be with us, will see us through, and will bring healing.

Fourth, we can get in or stay in a healing community. The church is God’s healing community. We are not created to be alone; we were made for community and family. The Bible speaks of the power and strength of community, especially holy community. We give and draw strength from one another.

Finally, we can give ourselves to a cause greater than ourselves and become wounded healers. There comes a time, if we are to be healed, that we turn our attention away from our wounds and focus on something greater than ourselves. Many wounds do not heal because we continuously irritate them by constant examination. If we want to be healed, it helps to forget about ourselves and our wounds for a while and lose ourselves in helping, serving, and caring for others. 

-- Excerpted from “Lord, Give Me Patience!... And Give It to Me Right Now!” by James W. Moore and Bob J. Moore

#6469

WESLEY’S TEACHING ON MONEY

Jesus said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own… Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (Luke 12:15,21 NLT)

In John Wesley’s sermon “The Use of Money,” he offered three rules for Christians: “Gain all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.”

Gaining all you can means to earn all you’re capable of, provided you aren’t hurting yourself or others. Wesley specifically stated, “We ought not to gain money at the expense of life, nor at the expense of our health” (which is in effect the same thing). He also noted, “Our employ cannot be harmful to our neighbor, lest we violate the command to love our neighbor.”

Saving all you can means to set money aside before spending frivolously or on nonessentials, and specifically not to spend just to win the admiration of others. Of indulging our desires Wesley noted, “Daily experience shows, the more they are indulged, they increase the more.” He also warned those who had accumulated a vast estate not to give all of it to one’s children, particularly if the children would use it only to gratify themselves. Instead, he suggested giving enough to the children to keep them from poverty, then giving the rest in whatever way would glorify God.

Finally, giving all you can means to provide for the essential needs of your family, then for the care of those in need within the church, and finally for those outside the church. For Wesley, giving the first tenth of his income to God was something of a floor for his giving, not a ceiling. Even when his income was very small he sought to live in moderation and to give away the rest…

Wesley was teaching and modeling that holiness and a desire to serve God can be judged in part by looking at your finances. If Wesley were here today, I think he would ask, “What does your bank account say about your spiritual life?” 

-- Adam Hamilton in “Revival: Faith as Wesley Lived It” 

#6468

THE GOSPEL STORY COMPELS US

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  (Micah 6:8 NIV)

The story of the gospel makes sense of moral obligation and our belief in the reality of justice, so Christians do restorative and redistributive justice wherever they can. The story of the gospel makes sense of our indelible [spiritualness], so Christians do evangelism, pointing the way to forgiveness and reconciliation with God through Jesus. The gospel makes sense of our profoundly relational character, so Christians work sacrificially to strengthen human communities around them as well as the Christian community, the church. The gospel story also makes sense of our delight in the presence of beauty, so Christians become stewards of the material world, from those who cultivate the natural creation through science and gardening to those who give themselves to artistic endeavors, all knowing why these are necessary for human flourishing. The skies and trees “sing” of the glory of God, and by caring for them and celebrating them we free their voices to praise Him and delight us. In short, the Christian life means not only building up the Christian community through encouraging people to faith in Christ, but also building up the human community through deeds of justice, mercy and service. 

-- Timothy Keller (1950-2023) in “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism” 

#6467

FOLLOWING THE CROWD OR FOLLOWING JESUS

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”  (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)

Every day asks you a quiet but defining question: Are you following the crowd, or are you following Jesus? The crowd offers comfort, safety, and the illusion of belonging. It moves fast, speaks loud, and promises that if you blend in, you won’t stand out. But the crowd rarely leads toward courage, holiness, or truth. It leads toward whatever is easiest. But Jesus warns that this road -- though crowded and convenient -- leads to destruction. Not because God is cruel, but because the wide road is built on self, pride, and the illusion that we can define truth on our own.

Jesus, on the other hand, never walks with the crowd -- He walks ahead of it. His path is narrower, quieter, and often lonelier. The narrow gate is not narrow because God is stingy. It is narrow because truth is specific, holiness is intentional, and discipleship is costly. His path leads to the cross. But it is also the only path that leads to life. Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it." (Matthew 16:25 NIV)

Following Him means choosing conviction over convenience, obedience over approval, and faith over fear. It means stepping out of the noise and into His voice.

Following Jesus on the narrow road, though demanding, leads to life -- real life, abundant life, eternal life. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6466

FOLLOWING JESUS – Part 2 of 2

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”  (Luke 9: 23)

The first two words of Luke 9:23 immediately stand out: “if anyone.” The word if leaves room for doubt. You certainly can choose someone or something else to follow. But that’s your decision, the promise of finding yourself with meaning and purpose doesn’t apply. If also indicates that every convert or new disciple must make the choice to follow Jesus. While we make that decision at the point of repentance and salvation, we also make it at crucial times in our lives and make it every day. That’s why Jesus used the word daily in verse 23.

Choosing the life that Jesus offers also involves choosing a way of life – a life of self-denial and submission... We don’t just amble our way into discipleship. We make a conscious decision to live by faith. We agree to join others who are committed to following Jesus rather than trying to lead Jesus. We fundamentally give up the right to run our own life. In other words, you can follow your heart, your dreams, your gifts, your personality profile, and seek the right fit. But all that is inferior to following Jesus. 

-- Bill Hull in “The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ” 

#6465

 

FOLLOWING JESUS – Part 1 of 2

How do we know God lives and works in us? I think the answer comes from Jesus’ basic call to discipleship in Luke 9:23-25: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for Me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

Beyond calling us to follow, Jesus also described the nature of the commitment that we need to follow Him. My whole life is the answer to Jesus' call to follow Him. He calls and I answer, not just in words, but in the action of following. George MacDonald noted, “Instead of asking yourself whether you believe or not, ask yourself whether you have this day done one thing because He said, ‘Do it,’ or once abstained because He said, ‘Do not do it.’ It is simply absurd to say you believe, or even want to believe in Him, if you do not do anything He tells you.”

When I answered Jesus's call with my whole life, I make myself His disciple at once. Deitrich Bonhoeffer said, “Only those who are obedient believe and only those who believe are obedient. Faith is only real in obedience.” 

-- Bill Hull in “The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ” 

#6464

BIBLICAL JOY

"The fruit of the Spirit is… joy…" (Galatians 5:22)

We live in a sad world -- a world of despair, depression, lack of fulfillment, and dissatisfaction. Man defines happiness as an attitude of satisfaction and delight based upon present circumstances. He relates happiness to happenings and happenstance. It is something that can't be planned or programmed. 

Biblical joy consists of the deep and abiding confidence that all is well regardless of circumstance and difficulty. It is something very different from worldly happiness. Biblical joy is always related to God and belongs to those in Christ. It is the permanent possession of every believer -- not a whimsical delight that comes and goes as chance offers it opportunity. 

A good definition of joy is this: it's the flag that flies on the castle of the heart when the King is in residence. Christians can know true and lasting joy. 

A Christian's joy is a gift from God to those who believe the gospel, being produced in them by the Holy Spirit as they receive and obey the Word, being mixed with trials with a hope set on future glory. 

-- John MacArthur (1939-2025) in a sermon entitled "Joy and Godliness: The Epistle of Joy"

#6463

OUR GUIDING LIGHT

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  (Psalm 119:105 NIV)

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV)

Jesus is the beacon of my journey through life. When fears and doubts, misunderstandings and rejection tend to darken my path, I can always depend on Him to be my guiding light. At times He guides me gently like reflectors on the road. At other times a low beam headlight will amply illuminate the way. Sometimes I will need the high beam for cosmic vision. Whichever way it is, no followers of Jesus will every walk in the darkness. Like David prayed, “make Your way plain for me to follow" (Psalm 5:8). He will surely show you His way if you ask Him to. 

-- Joseph Matthews 

#6462

TODAY’S TWO ROADS

Our daily map offers two roads: one of joy and one of worry. Both carry us toward the same destination -- the end of the day -- but they shape us differently as we travel. Worry fixates on what might happen, draining our strength with imagined futures and burdens we were never meant to carry.

Joy, however, meets us in the present. It doesn’t promise certainty or offer guarantees, yet it reveals itself in small, surprising ways -- moments of mercy, beauty, and grace that appear almost out of nowhere. Joy is drenched in possibility, inviting us to live the day we’ve been given rather than fear the one we cannot see.

Both roads lead to the same sunset. But only one allows us to arrive with a heart that has actually lived. And here is the quiet truth Scripture keeps repeating: God is found on the road of joy, not the road of worry.  Not because He abandons us when we worry, but because worry blinds us to His nearness.

Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow… each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34 NIV) He wasn’t dismissing our concerns -- He was inviting us to walk the road where He is most clearly seen.

-- Based on a quote by Ray Waddle in “The Upper Room Disciplines 2001”

#6461

 

 

A PERCOLATING FAITH

Editor’s note: I have a glass knob from my grandpa’s old percolator coffee pot sitting on my desk. I never connected it to our growth in faith until now. -- DW

A PERCOLATING FAITH

There’s something almost sacred about an old‑fashioned coffee percolator. Long before single‑serve pods and instant brews, coffee took time. Heat rose slowly. Water pushed its way upward into the glass knob. The aroma filled the room long before the coffee was ready. Nothing rushed. Nothing forced. It simply percolated -- moving, rising, transforming little by little until the whole pot was changed.

Our spiritual lives often work the same way. We want instant answers, instant growth, instant clarity. But God rarely works in microwaves; He works in percolators. His truth moves through us slowly, steadily, repeatedly -- circulating through our hearts until it becomes part of us.

Sometimes we don’t notice the change right away. We read Scripture, we pray, we show up to worship, we gather with others, and it feels small… almost too small. But like that old coffee pot, something is happening beneath the surface. God’s Spirit is warming us, stirring us, rising within us. His grace is moving through the places we thought were cold or empty.

And then -- often unexpectedly -- the aroma of transformation begins to fill our lives. Peace where there was anxiety. Hope where there was heaviness. Strength where there was weakness. Not because we forced it, but because we let God’s work percolate.

“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…”  (Philippians 1:6)

Today, don’t rush what God is doing. Let His Word circulate through your thoughts. Let His presence rise in your spirit. Let His grace percolate until your life carries the unmistakable aroma of someone being transformed from the inside out.

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6460

ACCEPT THAT YOU ARE ACCEPTED

“To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”  (Ephesians 1:6-7 NKJV)

Paul Tillich writes, “You are accepted. You are accepted, accepted by that which is greater than you… Do not try to do anything now; do not perform anything; do not intend anything. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted!”

Accept that you are accepted. In the moment that grace strikes, grace conquers sin. Lingering guilt that has grown tumor-like for years in the dark recesses of a person's soul can lose its deathly power. Grace helps us face the truth about ourselves, to embrace it rather than run from it; and by embracing this truth and offering it to God, we discover that God will shape us from this day forward anew. God's been waiting for us, desiring us to let Him in. Can we accept that we are accepted? 

-- Robert Schnase in “Five Practices of Fruitful Living”

#6459

THE GRACE-DEFINED PERSON

“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 4:31-32 NIV)

Build a prison of hate if you want, each brick a hurt. Design it with one cell and a single bunk. (You won’t attract roommates.) Hang large video screens on each of the four walls so recorded images of the offense can play over and over, twenty-four hours a day. Headphones available on request. Appealing? No, appalling. Harbored grudges suck the joy out of life. Revenge won’t paint the blue back in your sky or restore the spring in your step. No. It will leave you bitter, bent, and angry. Give the grace you’ve been given.

You don’t endorse the deeds of your offender when you do. Jesus didn’t endorse your sins by forgiving you… Grace doesn’t tell the oppressed to wink at injustice. The grace-defined person still sends thieves to jail and expects an ex to pay child support.

Grace is not blind. It sees the hurt full well. But grace chooses to see God’s forgiveness even more. It refuses to let hurts poison the heart. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:15 NIV) Where grace is lacking, bitterness abounds. Where grace abounds, forgiveness grows. 

-- Max Lucado in “Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine”   

#6458

ETERNITY IN OUR HEARTS

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end."  (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NKJV)

Have you looked at God’s stars and marveled as they lit the velvet-dark sky? Watched a sunset in which the sky is tinted in reds and oranges on the horizon to a deep tone of blue above and delighted in God’s paintbrush? Then you’ve seen Him make things beautiful in their time.

Though we appreciate our changing world, we only understand so much of it. Even the best scientists cannot describe every detail of our world, from its first day to the present. And if they could, they still couldn’t so combine it with beauty that we could appreciate both simultaneously. God is so much greater than we can be. None of us can fully aspire to His greatness.

Though we’re not up to the task of full understanding all He does, this glorious God still wants us near Him. We can’t meet Him on His own terms, yet He wants us so much that He offered us – through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross -- the great blessing of eternity in our hearts. Even the beauty of a magnificent world can’t fill our hearts and souls. God has given us the desire to spend all eternity with Him.  Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3 NKJV)

So while you’re gazing at the beautiful sky, don’t forget to praise the One who created it and you – and be thankful that you were one He decided to share eternity with. 

– Adapted from “Daily Wisdom to Satisfy the Soul,” published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

#6457

OUR ESTEEM IS GRACE-ESTEEM

“Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all His idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving.”  (Ephesians 2:7-9 MSG)

The greatest need of any person is to be known and loved. The cry is strong; the human desire is deep. "I want to be somebody. I want my life to count." Closely related to the feeling of worth is the perception of who we are. When we esteem something or someone, we highly value it or the person. To esteem ourselves is to have high regard for ourselves. Many of the problems in human relations stem from a person's lack of self-esteem.

[However,]... our worth and value is given. We are called not to muster it up within ourselves, but to receive the gift given to us, a gift of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. God has declared our value. Our value is not rooted in self-esteem, based only on ourselves. Our value is discovered in grace, which is rooted in the greatness and graciousness of God...

God's love makes it possible to know we are valued. We cannot put ourselves down or debase ourselves. We can know our true worth because we are children of God. Our esteem is rooted in the amazing grace of God. Our esteem is grace-esteem.

-- H. Eddie Fox in “Grace-Esteem” 

#6456

A REMINDER ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11

Editor’s Note: While I have shared this quote in the past, it bears repeating as each new generation needs to be reminded of the truths that Billy Graham shared right after the horrific events of 9/11. -- DW

A REMINDER ON THE 25^TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 

No matter how hard we try, words simply cannot express the horror, the shock and the revulsion we all feel over what took place in this nation on Tuesday morning [September 11, 2001]… Today, we say to those who masterminded this cruel plot, and to those who carried it out, that the spirit of this nation will not be defeated… The Bible's words are our hope: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea" (Psalm 46:1,2)…

The lesson of this event is not only about the mystery of iniquity and evil, but secondly, it is a lesson about our need for each other… A tragedy like this could have torn this country apart, but instead it has united us and we have become a family…

Yes, there is hope.  There is hope for the present because I believe the stage has already been set for a new spirit in our nation.

One of the things we desperately need is a spiritual renewal in this country.   We need a spiritual revival in America.  And God has told us in His Word, time after time, that we are to repent of our sins and we're to turn to Him and He will bless us in a new way… And from the Cross, God declares, "I love you. I know the heartaches and the sorrows and the pains that you feel.  But I love you."…

But now we have a choice: whether to implode and disintegrate emotionally and spiritually as a people and a nation -- or, whether to choose to become stronger through all of this struggle -- to rebuild on a solid foundation.  And I believe we're in the process of starting to rebuild on that foundation.  That foundation is our trust in God…

My prayer today is that we will feel the loving arms of God wrapped around us, and will know in our hearts that He will never forsake us as we trust in Him. 

-- Reverend Billy Graham (1918-2018)

#6455

THE PRACTICE AND ART OF GRACIOUSNESS

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  (Ephesians 4:32 NIV)

Graciousness is not accidental. It is a practice -- a deliberate way of moving through the world -- and it is an art -- something shaped, refined, and expressed with beauty.

Paul’s words in Ephesians remind us that graciousness is never self-generated. It begins with God. We forgive because we have been forgiven. We show compassion because compassion has been shown to us. We extend kindness because kindness has already been poured over our lives in Christ. Grace received becomes grace expressed.

But this is where the art comes in. Because extending grace to others is rarely simple. It requires patience when someone is short with us. It requires humility when we feel justified in our frustration. It requires restraint when our emotions want to run ahead of our faith.

Graciousness is the quiet choice to treat others not according to how they’ve acted, but according to how God has acted toward us. As God had been gracious toward us in Christ, we should be gracious toward others.

And when we practice it -- again and again -- it becomes something lovely. A faithful witness. A sweet fragrance. A beautiful reflection of the God who has been endlessly gracious with us. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™ 

#6454

THE PRACTICE AND ART OF HOPEFULNESS

“For surely I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NRSV)

Peter Steinke’s book “A Door Set Open: Grounding Change in Mission and Hope” contrasts hopefulness and hopelessness. Hopefulness, according to Steinke, stirs imagination, expands horizons, influences events, energizes, and creates a sense of buoyancy. Hopelessness shrinks the radius of possibility, becomes apathetic, entraps, minimizes options, resigns to existing conditions, and loses heart. Steinke also writes that hopefulness remembers the future so that we will not remain trapped in the present arrangement of things.

Since reading Steinke’s book, the phrase Remember the Future has lingered in my mind. At first, the words are disorienting. Remember points backward, future looks forward. Yet in every discussion, deliberation, discernment, and decision, a leader must give deep and conscientious consideration to the future -- to the future of the mission, to future contexts, to future generations, to a future with hope. Hope carries us across the threshold of “can’t.” We must always remember the future. 

-- Robert Schnase 

#6453

THE PRACTICE AND ART OF CONTENTMENT

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”  (Philippians 4:11b–13 NIV)

Contentment isn’t passive satisfaction. It is the grateful, faithful, and fruitful use of whatever God has placed in our hands -- little or much. It is lifting the cup Providence gives us and calling on the name of the Lord. The contents of the cup are God’s provision; drawing deeply from it is the practice and art of contentment.

To refuse the cup because it is only half full, because its flavor is unfamiliar, or because someone else’s cup seems finer is to miss the goodness within -- and that loss is the quiet penalty of discontent. No one lives discontented who fully employs and fully enjoys what God has already given.

It may sound lofty to say we can have what we desire if we learn to desire what we have -- but this much is true: contentment is receiving the most and best from life by making the most and best of what God has entrusted to us in Christ. 

-- Updated and adapted from Maltbie D. Babcock (1858-1901) 

#6452 

SHARING SOUND BITES THIS LABOR DAY

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV)

Sharing SOUND BITES Ministry is one of the simplest ways to place hope, truth, and encouragement directly into someone’s day. These short, Scripture‑centered reflections meet people right where they are -- busy, overwhelmed, searching, or simply needing a moment of clarity. When you pass them along, you’re not just sharing a quote; you’re opening a door for God to speak into someone’s life in a way that’s accessible, timely, and genuinely nourishing. A small click or forward from you can become a big blessing for someone else.

Labor Day is an ideal moment to share SOUND BITES Ministry because people are already pausing to catch their breath -- reflecting on summer’s end, resetting routines and priorities, starting college, or simply preparing for the season ahead. It’s a natural hinge in the year when hearts are a little more open and minds a little more reflective. Offering a short, hope‑filled SOUND BITE during this transition can give someone exactly what they need: a grounding word of Scripture, a moment of encouragement, or a reminder that God is present in every new beginning. Sharing now helps others start the fall with clarity, comfort, and a touch of grace.

Thanks for sharing and encouraging others.

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

#6451

WHAT IS WORSHIP?

Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24 NIV)

You will find throughout the Word, and then continued throughout history, that when a human heart truly encounters the love of God -- in essence when the created connects with the Creator -- the response is worship, or worth-ship, as we often say. Worship as a response to revelation is displayed through consecrated lives (Romans 12), through wholehearted songs of love and devotion (the Psalms), and by living lives of love and justice (Micah 6:8). Worship is required not in perfection by man's standards, but in truth, by God's standards. He has never been impressed by offerings that look good, but offerings that are good. As the worship of God continues to gather momentum across the earth, so too does the awareness of His power and presence, along with the understanding of the authority that comes with exalting the name of Jesus over all things.

And whether we follow or lead, the ultimate goal of all we pursue in worship is His honor… As Pastor Jack Hayford has said, "Where worship is released, God's presence comes to dwell, and where God's presence abides, there will be power." Let's be committed to seeing the fullness of this word "worship," so that it may reach its potential on earth as it is in heaven. 

-- Darlene Zschech in “The Worshiper Magazine” Summer 2008 

#6450

PEOPLE ON A PLANE AND PEOPLE IN A PEW

EDITOR’S NOTE: Recently I received this photo of my great-nephew in the cockpit of a commercial plane with the pilots behind him. It reminded me of this story from Max Lucado…

 

PEOPLE ON A PLANE AND PEOPLE IN A PEW

People on a plane and people in a pew have a lot in common. All are on a journey. Most are well-behaved and presentable. Some doze, and others gaze out the window. Most, if not all, are satisfied with a predictable experience. For many, the mark of a good flight and the mark of a good worship assembly are the same. "Nice," we like to say. "It was a nice flight / It was a nice worship service." We exit the same way we enter, and we're happy to return next time.

A few, however, are not content with nice. They long for something more. The boy who just passed me did. I heard him before I saw him. I was already in my seat when he asked, "Will they really let me see the pilot?" He was either lucky or shrewd because he made the request just as he entered the plane. The question floated into the cockpit, causing the pilot to lean out. "Someone looking for me?" he asked.

The boy's hand shot up like he was answering his second-grade teacher's question. "I am!"

"Well come on in."

With a nod from his mom, the youngster entered the cockpit's world of controls and gauges and emerged minutes later with eyes wide. "Wow!" he exclaimed. "I'm glad to be on this plane!"

No one else's face showed such wonder… I mostly saw contentment: travelers content to be on the plane, content to be closer to their destination, content to be out of the airport, content to sit and stare and say little…

Do you see why I say that people on a plane and people on a pew have a lot in common? Enter a church sanctuary and look at the faces. A few are giggly, a couple are cranky, but by and large we are content. Content to be there. Content to sit and look straight ahead and leave when the service is over. Content to enjoy an assembly with no surprises or turbulence. Content with a "nice" service…

A few, however, seek more. A few come with the childlike enthusiasm of the boy. And those few leave as he did, wide-eyed with the wonder of having stood in the presence of the pilot Himself…

"Seek and you will find," Jesus promised. (Matthew 7:7)

-- Max Lucado in “Just Like Jesus”  [2000] 

#6449

GRACE AND JUDGMENT: TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN

“Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God…”  (Romans 11:22a)

Grace and judgment are not opposites in Scripture -- they are inseparable truths flowing from the same holy heart of God. Judgment reveals what grace rescues us from. Grace reveals what judgment would have rightfully required. Together they show us the fullness of God’s character: His holiness that will not ignore sin, and His mercy that refuses to abandon sinners.

Judgment is the honest naming of what is broken in us. It is God’s clear-eyed truth about the chasm our sin creates -- truth that refuses to pretend we are fine on our own. (Romans 2:5) Grace is God’s bridge across that chasm, built not by our effort but by Christ’s sacrifice. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Judgment says, “This is the reality of your condition.” Grace says, “This is the remedy I freely give.”

Without judgment, grace becomes sentimental -- kindness without meaning. Without grace, judgment becomes crushing -- truth without hope. But together, they form the gospel: God sees us fully and loves us completely.

The cross is where these two sides meet. Judgment fell on Jesus so grace could fall on us. (1 Peter 3:18) The wrath we deserved was absorbed by the One who deserved none of it. The mercy we could never earn was poured out by the One who earned all of it.

When we speak of grace, we honor God’s love. When we speak of judgment, we honor God’s holiness. When we hold them together, we honor the cross. (John 3:16)

And this is why grace changes us -- it doesn’t ignore the truth about our sin; it transforms us in spite of it. Grace doesn’t erase judgment; it fulfills it. Grace doesn’t deny justice; it satisfies it. Grace doesn’t lower the bar; it lifts us up to it. Let the cross remind you that both truths -- held together -- are the reason you are His. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6448

WE ARE CALLED TO BE HOLY

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”  (1 Peter 1:14-16 NIV)

Although our God is caring and compassionate, holiness cannot tolerate wrongdoing and evil. They simply cannot coexist. God’s indignation at evil is consuming and complete.

God’s anger with us is assuaged in Christ Jesus, yet we still are called to be holy because God is holy.

Is there anything in your life, past or present, that cannot dwell alongside God’s holiness? Is there anything for which you need to ask forgiveness?

As an act of confession, list your wrongdoings. Confess them to the Lord who “protects those who take refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7).  Roll up that piece of paper, and throw it away or burn it. Experience the joy that comes from letting God cleanse you from all your sin.  

-- From “The Meeting God Bible (NRSV): Growing in Intimacy with God Through Scripture” 

#6447

HOLY IS THE LORD

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.”   (Isaiah 6:3 NIV)

The idea of holiness is so central to biblical teaching that it is said of God, “Holy is His name” (Luke 1:49). His name is holy because He is holy. He is not always treated with holy reverence. His name is tramped through the dirt of this world. It functions as a curse word, a platform for the obscene. That the world has little respect for God is vividly seen by the way the world regards His name. No honor. No reverence. No awe before Him. 

-- R.C. Sproul in “The Holiness of God”

#6446

WHEN GOD SAYS NO

“But [the Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”  (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

There are times when the one thing you want is the one thing you never get…

All you want is an open door or an extra day or an answered prayer, for which you will be thankful. And so you pray and wait. No answer. You pray and wait. No answer. You pray and wait.

May I ask a very important question? What if God says no?

What if the request is delayed or even denied? When God says no to you, how will you respond? If God says, “I’ve given you My grace, and that is enough,” will you be content?

Content. That’s the word. A state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than He already has. Test yourself with this question: What if God’s only gift to you were His grace to save you? Would you be content?

What if His answer is, “My grace is sufficient,” would you be content?

You see, from heaven’s perspective, grace is enough. 

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

#6445

GOD’S WORD IN EVERYDAY LANGUAGE

“I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11 NIV)

Peter Waldo, a business-man in Lyons, France, in about A.D. 1170 became intensely curious as to the content of the Scriptures. But he could not read Latin, and so the Scriptures were a closed book to him.  However, he hired two money-minded priests, who, in violation of strict regulations, translated the Bible for him into Provencal, the language of southern France.  The content of the Word of God made such an impression upon this earnest man that he gave up his business, took upon himself a vow of poverty, and dedicated himself to the simple preaching of the contents of God's Word.

The Latin of the Church only mystified its hearers, [but] Waldo's humble preaching edified the souls of men.  His words were not spectacular but powerful, as he pleaded with them to repent.  Much of his preaching and that of his followers consisted in reciting long passages of Scripture in the vernacular.  Many of them could not afford an expensive handwritten copy of the Bible, and the ecclesiastical authorities could too easily rob them of such a book; but they could not erase the words which were treasured in the heart. 

-- Eugene A. Nida in “God's Word in Man's Language”

#6444