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

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN 0 AND 153

“Jesus called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’ ‘No,’ they answered. He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, ‘It is the Lord,’ he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.”  (John 21:5-11 NIV)

First-century fishing boats were seven and a half feet wide. So what’s the point of trying the other side? What difference does ninety inches make?

Then Jesus gives them an unforgettable object lesson: sometimes ninety inches is the distance between 0 and 153. You may be only seven and a half feet from a miracle – but you have to try the other side!

Miracles don’t just happen when we believe God for big things. Miracles happen when we obey God in the little things. When we do little things like they are big things, God will do big things like they are little things. 

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

#6346

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

JESUS IS THE GOOD NEWS

“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ He said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’”  (Mark 1:14–15 NIV)

From the very beginning of His public ministry, Jesus didn’t merely announce the Gospel -- He embodied it. The “good news of God” wasn’t a distant promise or a future hope. It was standing in Galilee, speaking with authority, healing the broken, and calling hearts to repentance. Jesus is not just the messenger; He is the message.

When Jesus said, “The time has come,” He was declaring that the long-awaited fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan had arrived -- not in a scroll, not in a temple ritual, but in a person -- in Him. The kingdom of God was no longer a concept -- it was present, active, and accessible through the Lord of the Kingdom Himself.

Bishop Kenneth L. Carder wrote, “The Gospel is a person, not an abstract argument. That person, Jesus Christ, confronts our sin and suffering by entering our guilt and pain and death. He extends an outstretched, pierced hand of forgiveness and love.”

To “repent and believe the good news” is to turn from self and sin, and to turn toward Jesus. It’s not just believing a set of doctrines -- it’s trusting a Savior and Lord. The Gospel is not merely about what Jesus did; it’s about who Jesus is. His life, death, and resurrection are the heartbeat of the Gospel; His presence is its pulse. 

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

#6229

THE HANDS OF CHRIST

“So the other disciples told Thomas, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.’ Eight days later, the disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’”  (John 20:25-27 ESV)

These hands fed the multitude but gave them more than bread.  These hands healed the sick, but gave them more than health.  These hands touched the sinner, but gave him more than encouragement.  These hands expressed the pity of God, as well as the suffering of the Son of man.  He who began to identify Himself with us in baptism, identifies Himself with us in our sorrows and makes us whole.

These hands began no economic reform, initiated no political action, started no social transformation.  These hands were given over to His enemies, laid on a cross, pierced by nails, torn in agony, hurt for a wearisome world.  Even the resurrected Jesus bears the nail prints in His hands for all to see. 

-- H. S. Vigeveno in “Jesus the Revolutionary”  [1966]

#6214

GROWTH MEANS MATURITY

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”  (James 2:14-17 NIV)

If we are to be mature we must get hold of a mature faith -- or better, it must get hold of us. For the immaturities of our faith will soon show themselves in immaturities in our actions and our attitudes. “The creed of today becomes the deed of tomorrow.” Nothing can be more immature than the oft-repeated statement: “It doesn’t matter what you believe just so you live right.” For belief is literally by-lief, by-life -- the thing you live by. And if your belief is wrong your life will be wrong.

Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean to say that if you have a correct belief you’ll necessarily have a correct life. That doesn’t follow. The creed, to be a creed, must be a vital rather than a verbal one. For the only thing we really believe in is the thing we believe in enough to act upon. Your deed is your creed. But it does matter what you hold as the basic assumptions of your life. If you have no staring point, you’ll have no ending point. 

-- E. Stanley Jones in “Christian Maturity”

#6122

FAITH BEYOND SIGHT

“Jesus told Thomas, ‘Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20:29 NIV)

Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, often called “Doubting Thomas,” had missed the moment when the risen Jesus first appeared to the others. His doubt wasn’t born of defiance but of a deep longing to see and experience for himself the truth of the resurrection. In John 20:24-29, Jesus graciously meets Thomas where he is, inviting him to touch the wounds in His hands and side. Thomas responds with a powerful declaration, “My Lord and my God!”

This story is a reminder that doubt doesn’t disqualify us from faith -- it’s often a step along the journey. Jesus didn’t rebuke Thomas; instead, He gently guided him toward belief. But Jesus also blessed those who believe without seeing, inviting us into a faith that trusts His promises even when evidence isn’t visible.

When we face moments of uncertainty or struggle to perceive God’s presence, this passage assures us that faith doesn’t require perfect understanding. Trusting in His faithfulness and love, even in the unseen, brings a special blessing.  As Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us: "Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." 

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

#6104

THE MYSTERY OF LIFE AND DEATH

EDITOR’S NOTE: This prayerful reflection was first shared at a service that was held for people gathered to mourn the loss of five music students from Indiana University who died in a plane crash on April 20, 2006.

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4 NIV)

Oh Dear God, we come to You because we do not know where else to go. We come to You with more questions than affirmations. We want to ask, "Why?", "Why now?" "Why them?"

We can not accept the glib answer that You need them for some angelic choir more than we need them here. It is not so. We can not - we will not believe that it is some direct act of will on Your part that these young persons should die so soon. You would not tease us with promising futures, only to snuff out these lives before any fulfillment of their dreams. We want to quarrel, but must confess that the mystery of life and death is beyond our mortal minds.

But we still come, in spite of questions, in spite of anger, because our pain is such that we need Your love and need Your comfort and need to feel Your presence more than we need answers that will not satisfy. Hold us close to You, close to each other and close to those we have lost.

Even as our own grief seems too much to bear, we remember those for whom these deaths are far more personal. We pray for their families, for those for whom life will be forever changed, where empty chairs and empty rooms and silent instruments will be constant reminders of their loss.

But, we also come to be reminded that we live in the light of Easter. We have proclaimed that Christ is risen, that death has been conquered, that life continues beyond the event we call death and we claim the promises made that in life and in death we belong to You, brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore Your children always.  Amen 

-- Joe G. Emerson, Teaching Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Bloomington, IN

#6042

AN INEXPRESSIBLE AND GLORIOUS JOY

Everyone is looking for joy. Marketing companies know this. Every commercial [and internet ad] promises the same product: joy. Want some joy? Buy our hand cream. Want some joy? Sleep on this mattress. Want some joy? Eat at this restaurant, drive this car, wear this dress…

Joy. Everyone wants it. Everyone promises it. But can anyone deliver it? It might surprise you to know that joy is a big topic in the Bible. Simply put: God wants His children to be joy-filled. Just like a father wants his baby to laugh with glee, God longs for us to experience a deep-seated, deeply rooted joy.

The joy offered by God is different than the one promised at the car dealership or shopping mall. God is not interested in putting a temporary smile on your face. He wants to deposit a resilient hope in your heart. He has no interest in giving you a shallow happiness that melts in the heat of adversity. But he does offer you a joy: a deep-seated, heart-felt, honest-to-goodness, ballistic strong sense of joy that can weather the most difficult of storms.    

Peter referred to this joy in the opening words of his epistle: “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (I Peter 1:8-9) 

-- Max Lucado

#6013

KINGDOM PROMISES: WHAT LIFE SHOULD BE

“Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’”  (Mark 1:14b-15 ESV)

Jesus spoke a lot about the kingdom of God. In one sense that kingdom is all of creation, and God is the "King of the Universes," a phrase my Jewish friends use to address God. But human existence has been marked by rebellions against God. From Adam and Eve on, people have regularly turned aside from God's will (a practice we call sin), with the result that human history is littered with wars, acts of inhumanity, and injustice. As we say in the prayer of confession that often accompanies the Eucharist, "We have not loved You with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves." So when Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God, He is usually articulating a vision not of what life is, but what it should be. Through new birth [in Christ] and the sanctifying work of the Spirit, we seek to reflect that kingdom in our lives. 

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

#5976

A PLACE IN GOD’S HEART

Jesus said to Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  (John 3:16-18 NKJV)

Augustine wrote (in “Confessions”): "Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they rest in Thee."

Could it be true that there is a place in God's heart that only you can fill, that only I can fill -- that God is restless until we rest in Him?

What a thought -- that there is a place in God's heart that only you can fill! That's more than a thought; it's a truth verified in the most dramatic and convincing way: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 NKJV)

Think about that for a moment. I don't know of a more exhilarating truth. If you love someone, you need that someone to return that love, don't you? Sure you do! So it is with God. God loves you and needs your love. God will not allow death to destroy you. If you are forever separated from God, it will be your choice, not God's. In God's heart there is a place that only you can fill.

-- Maxie Dunnam in “Living the Psalms: A Confidence for All Seasons” 

#5965

RESPONDING TO GOD’S TRUTH

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But what about you?’ Jesus asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’”  (Matthew 16:13-16 NIV)

What if Peter had not been receptive to the truth?  What if no one had been willing to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God?  For two years the trouble had not lain with the transmission of the Word of God, but with the reception of the instruments.  For two years Jesus had not forced His identity on the apostles.  He was not about to change His methods.  They must respond.  They must be open to God.  They must find God in Jesus.

When they do -- when we do -- meaning is found to the drama of the New Testament.  Unless they do -- unless we do -- that New Testament remains a mere collection of interesting stories and sayings.  But when we acknowledge God in Christ, when we know God sent His only Son into the world, then we find the key which unlocks all mysteries, to God and Jesus, to life and eternity.  Revelation is vital, but Jesus commends response to God's truth, and openness to that revelation.

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven." (Matthew 16:17 NIV) 

-- H.S. Vigeveno in “Jesus the Revolutionary” 

#5913

SALVATION 101 - JOHN 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)

 The heart of salvation: “For God so loved”

The breadth of salvation: “For God so loved the world”

The act of salvation: “For God so loved that He gave”

The Savior of salvation: “That He gave His only begotten Son”

The means of salvation: “That whosoever believes in Him”

The need of salvation:  “That whosoever believes may not perish”

The promise of salvation: “That whosoever believes may not perish but have eternal life”

-- Rev. David J. Kalas

#5891

THE SEAL OF THE SPIRIT

“In [Christ] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.”  (Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV)

Have people ever told you they loved you, but their actions betrayed their words?  When I was in seventh grade, I thought a boy loved me.  The notes he passed to me in math class said so.  In reply, my notes were always "sealed with a kiss."  But one day my boyfriend saw me being silly with my friends, got embarrassed, and dumped me!  When I grew up I met Skip Heitzig.  He also told me he loved me, but he showed me how much by sealing his love with a ring.  That ring became my guarantee that Skip would do what he said.  It represented the promise that one day Skip would take me as his bride.

Jesus loved you so much that when He made you His own, He put His "seal of approval" on your life.  That seal is the Holy Spirit, who is your guarantee that God will do what He has promised you.  He is completely trustworthy.  Paul said that when you believed, "you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit."  The Holy Spirit's indwelling in your life is your engagement ring.  God intends to marry you, His bride, at the marriage supper of the Lamb.  God's love letter, the Bible, is better than any romance novel, and He made certain it was "sealed with a kiss."

-- Lenya Heitzig and Penny Pierce Rose in “Pathway to God's Treasure: Ephesians”

#5860

BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS – Part 4 of 4

“Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.” (James 2:18b GNT)

Then is basic Christianity the belief that Jesus is the Son of God who came to be the Saviour of the world? No, it is not even that. To assent to Christ’s divine person, to acknowledge man’s need of salvation, and to believe in Christ’s saving work are not enough. Christianity is not just a creed; it involves action. Our intellectual belief may be beyond criticism, but we must transfer our beliefs into deeds.

What must we do, then? We must commit ourselves, heart and mind, soul and will, home and life, personally and unreservedly to Jesus Christ. We must humble ourselves before Him. We must trust Him as our Saviour and submit to Him as our Lord; and then go on to take our place as faithful members of the Church and responsible citizens in the community. 

-- John R. W. Stott in “Basic Christianity” 

#5791

 

BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS – Part 3 of 4

Supposing Jesus was the Son of God, is basic Christianity merely an acquiescence in this truth? No. Once persuaded of the deity of Christ’s person, we must examine the nature of His work. For what purpose did He visit this world? The Biblical answer is “Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15b) Jesus of Nazareth is the heaven-sent Saviour whom we sinners need. We need to be forgiven and to be restored to fellowship with the all-holy God, from Whom our sins have separated us. We need to be set free from our selfishness and given strength to live up to our ideals. We need to learn to love one another, friend and foe alike. This is the meaning of “salvation.” This is what Christ came to win for us by His death and resurrection. 

-- John R. W. Stott in “Basic Christianity” 

#5790

BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS – Part 2 of 4

“[The Jailer asked Paul and Silas], ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved -- you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.”  (Acts 16:30-32 NIV)

Third, we are called upon to believe “in” the Lord Jesus.

William Barclay, In “The Letters of John and Jude,” writes: “The Bible speaks of the man who ‘believes in the Son of God.’ There is a wide difference between believing a man and believing in a man. If we believe a man, we do no more than accept the fact that whatever statement he may be making at that moment is true. All that we are saying is that in a particular case we believe he is telling the truth. If we believe in a man, we accept the whole man and all that he stands for in complete confidence and trust. We would not only be prepared to trust his spoken word; we would also be prepared to trust ourselves and our life to him. To believe in Jesus Christ is not simply to accept what He says is true; it is to commit all life into His hands and into His direction; it is to place ourselves in His hand in time and in eternity.” 

-- Richard Peace in “Learning to Love God” 

#5789

BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS – Part 1 of 4

“[The Jailer asked Paul and Silas], ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved -- you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.”  (Acts 16:30-32 NIV)

Notice that there are three parts to this key phrase in this passage: “Believe in the Lord Jesus.” First we must “believe.” We have an intuitive sense of what the word “believe” means: to assert that something is true. Certainly “believe” has this meaning in this passage. However, what the Bible means by belief goes beyond cognitive affirmation. Believe also means “to put one’s trust in something or someone.” Because you hold certain facts to be true, you act on them. For example, you say you can believe that an airplane can carry you from Detroit to Los Angeles. But this is not belief in the full biblical sense until you get on the plane and trust your life to it.

Second, the passage calls upon us to believe in something quite specific. Belief as an end in itself is not being commended. We must believe in “the Lord Jesus.” We are called to believe one main thing: that the Lord Jesus, by His death, made it possible for us to be saved from our sin. 

-- Richard Peace in “Learning to Love God”

#5788

FACING DEATH

As we face death we should find comfort in the declaration that God, by His grace, forgives and delivers us from all that would bar us from the joys of heaven.  He not only undoes the consequences of the evil that has marked our lives, but God also forgets that we ever sinned in the first place (Isaiah 43:25).  Because of God's work in our lives, on that great day when we are presented to the Father, we will be introduced as faultless.  The Book of Jude affirms this truth:  "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24).  I can just imagine Jesus saying, "Father!  I want you to meet my friend Tony … the perfect one!"  And that is just what God will do for everyone who trusts in God on the other side of the great divide.

In light of all this good news about how those who understand and live out the gospel can face the last enemy, we can more fully understand why Jesus said what He did, in what many consider to be the most comforting passage of Scripture in the face of death:

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going."  (John 14:1-4) 

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

#5785