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

REALLY, LORD?

“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit.”  (1 Peter 3:18 NLT)

Really now, Lord Jesus, is our sin so serious as to necessitate the sort of ugly drama we are forced to behold on Good Friday? Why should the noon sky turn toward midnight and the earth heave and the heavens be rent for our mere peccadilloes? To be sure, we’ve made our mistakes. Things didn’t turn out as we intended. There were unforeseen complications, factors beyond our control. But we meant well. We didn’t intend for anyone to get hurt. We’re only human, and is that so wrong?

Really now, Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, we may not be the very best people who ever lived, but surely we are not the worst. Others have committed more serious wrong. Ought we to be held responsible for the ignorance of our grandparents? They, like we, were doing the best they could, within the parameters of their time and place. We’ve always been forced to work with limited information. There’s always been a huge gap between our intentions and our results.

Please, Lord Jesus, die for someone else, someone whose sin is more spectacular, more deserving of such supreme sacrifice. We don’t want the responsibility. Really, Lord, is our unrighteousness so very serious? Are we such sinners that You should need to die for us?

Really, if You look at the larger picture, our sin, at least my sin, is so inconsequential. You are making too big a deal out of such meager rebellion. We don’t want Your blood on our hands. We don’t want our lives in any way to bear the burden of Your death. Really. Amen. 

-- Will Willimon in “The Best of Will Willimon”

#6339

THE LOVE AND SACRIFICE OF OUR SAVIOR

"[Jesus] made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death -- even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name."  (Philippians 2:7-9 NIV)

In Charles Wesley’s hymn, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” we sing these words: "Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth; Born to give them second birth."

This Christmas season, we are reminded of the profound humility and sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. In Philippians 2:7-9, we see a glimpse of the extraordinary nature of His incarnation. Jesus, who was in very nature God, chose to lay aside His divine privileges and embrace the form of a servant. He entered our world in the most vulnerable way possible -- as a helpless baby.

Wesley’s Christmas carol beautifully encapsulates this divine mystery. "Mild He lays His glory by" reflects Jesus' willingness to set aside His heavenly majesty. He did not cling to His status but instead chose to be born among us, to walk our streets, and to experience our joys and sorrows. This act of humility was not just a fleeting moment but a lifelong commitment that culminated in the ultimate sacrifice -- His death on the cross.

"Born that man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth; Born to give them second birth." These lines remind us of the purpose behind Jesus' incarnation. His birth was not an end in itself but the beginning of a redemptive mission. He came so that we might have life -- eternal life. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus conquered the grave and opened the way for us to be reconciled with God. He offers us a second birth, a spiritual rebirth, through which we are made new and become children of God (John 1:12).

As we reflect on these truths, let us remember the depth of God's love for us. Jesus' humility and obedience are a model for our own lives. In a world that often values power and status, we are called to follow the example of our Savior, embracing humility, and serving others. Let us also rejoice in the hope that Christmas brings -- the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

May this Christmas season be filled with joy and a deeper understanding of the love and sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™ 

#6269

THE GOSPEL OF FORGIVENESS – Part 1 of 3

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”  (John 3:17)

More than any other world religion, Christianity teaches, preaches, veritably shouts forgiveness. Yes, some of our preachers dwell too long on guilt, and consequently many see Christianity as primarily a religion of guilt. That is unfortunate, for a Christianity obsessed with guilt is no Christianity. Christianity is a faith whose central focus is not guilt and condemnation, but grace, redemption, healing, forgiveness, and mercy.

But the process of forgiveness begins with our awareness and understanding of sin, for if we are not aware of our sin, we go on living self-absorbed lives while hurting others. So the purpose of preaching and learning about sin is to open the door to healing…

God wants to relieve us of the burden that comes with a life of sin, and to set our feet back on the right path. That is precisely why Jesus came. His life and ministry are defined by forgiveness. It was a mission laid out for Him before He was born. He was still in the womb when the angel spoke to Joseph and said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)…

Jesus did as He taught. He forgave the tax collectors, prostitutes, and adulterers. At the Last Supper, He took the wine and said to His disciples, “Drink this cup, for it is My blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” In this He offered Himself as an amends -- an atoning sacrifice -- for the sins of the world. Later, as He hung on the cross, Jesus demonstrated the ultimate in forgiveness, praying for those who were putting Him to death.

-- Adapted from “Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go” by Adam Hamilton

#6217

SOMEONE ELSE PAID A GREAT PRICE

“[Jesus Christ] gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:14 NIV)

The late radio broadcaster, Paul Harvey, used to tell a story about Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry "Butch" O'Hare, the Navy's number-one ace in the Second World War and the first naval aviator ever to win the Congressional Medal of Honor.  Chicago's O'Hare International Airport is named for him.

What Butch O'Hare became, however, was made possible because someone else paid a great price.  That someone else was Butch's father, Edward J. O'Hare, a slick lawyer for the gangster Al Capone.  "Artful Eddie", as he was known, had money and power, but one day he squealed on Capone.  The reason for this sudden change of heart?  He wanted to give his son a break, he said.  Before long, the mob silenced Artful Eddie with two shotgun blasts.

But because of Eddie's courageous change of heart, his son Butch was accepted at Annapolis:  Eddie's confession and subsequent death satisfied admissions people that the family's mob connections were severed.  Artful Eddie paid with his own life for his son's chance to make good, something that Jesus Christ did for each of us on the Cross. 

-- Steven D. Mathewson 

#6123

THE ULTIMATE TRIUMPH OF GOD’S WILL

“We were therefore buried with Christ through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”  (Romans 6:4-5 NIV)

Ultimately, hardship and suffering, evil and sin, will not have the final word. That is the overwhelming message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was put to death by men whose hearts were evil. God, in Jesus Christ, is subject to the forces of darkness. Yet we cannot forget that the cross is not the end of the story. With great triumph Christianity affirms that though Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried, on the third day God raised Him from the dead!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is itself a shout from God that good triumphs over evil, that the forces of light will defeat the forces of darkness, and that life will vanquish death! Eventually, most of us come to recognize this. We most certainly see it in our deaths. And ultimately everyone will see it at the last day. 

-- Adam Hamilton in “Why?: Making Sense of God’s Will”

#6098

ON HIS WAY TO JERUSALEM

"The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.  They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting, 'Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the King of Israel!'"   (John 12:12-13)

Reflecting on the scene of Palm Sunday, we see a crowd gathered for a momentous occasion. Each person waved their palm branches, driven by unique motivations and desires. Political activists saw in Jesus the potential for revolution, believing His supernatural power could liberate them from Roman oppression. Others, consumed by personal grief, longed for His miraculous healing touch for their sick and dying loved ones. Some were merely curious onlookers, seeking entertainment in the spectacle, while true followers hoped He would establish an earthly kingdom.

Yet, amidst this multitude with varied agendas, Jesus stood alone in His understanding of the true purpose of His journey. He knew that His path led to the ultimate sacrifice -- He was heading to Jerusalem to die for humanity's redemption. Jesus had a mission, while everyone else had an agenda.

This contrast invites us to examine our own hearts and motives. Are we approaching Jesus with our own agendas, seeking what He can do for us? Or are we aligned with His mission, surrendering our will to His greater plan?

Take a moment to quiet your heart and seek alignment with Jesus' mission. May we not be swayed by personal desires but be steadfast in following Him, understanding that His purpose transcends our individual ambitions. In this coming Holy Week, let us remember His sacrifice and commit ourselves to His divine mission.

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

#6092

UNDERSTANDING WHO CHRIST IS

“[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”  (Colossians 1:15-20 NKJV)

In these verses Paul paints a breathtaking picture of Christ's unparalleled role in creation and redemption. It declares that Christ is "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation" and emphasizes that "by Him all things were created". This passage invites us to reflect on the majesty of Jesus as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

Jesus is not just a historical figure; He is God revealed to us. Everything in heaven and on earth exists through Him and for Him. Recognizing His authority reminds us that He holds all things together, including our lives, even in moments of chaos.

This passage also highlights Jesus' mission to reconcile all things to Himself through His sacrifice on the cross. His love extends to every corner of creation, bringing peace where there was once brokenness.

Understanding who Christ is calls us to surrender our lives to Him. We can trust Him completely because He is the foundation of all things. Worship Him with awe, knowing that the One who created the stars also knows your heart.

Today, let these verses encourage you to deepen your reverence and gratitude for Jesus. He is supreme and yet personal, the creator and yet the sacrifice, and He invites you to experience His peace and purpose. 

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

#6089

RECONCILIATION: THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS – Part 2 of 2

^“All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”  (2 Corinthians 5:18-19 NIV)

According to Charles Wesley, reconciliation is… the message of Christmas:

          Hark the herald angels sing,
          “Glory to the newborn King;
          peace on earth, and mercy mild,
          God and sinners reconciled!”

Jesus came that we might be reconciled to God, and Paul states explicitly that God has called us to share in this ministry of reconciliation. However, there is a word of warning to all would-be reconcilers. True reconciliation is hard work. It takes commitment. It takes unswerving tenacity. The cost to God’s only Son was high. We should refuse to settle for cheap imitations…

As we celebrate Christmas, will we laud and honor Jesus, affirming that He is God incarnate [reconciling the world to Himself] and proclaiming the Good News to others? Will we continue to wait expectantly for His return, living as holy people until the time God appoints for the Second Coming? We as individual believers and as the body of Christ must decide how we will answer these questions, remembering that our answers have eternal significance.

-- Adapted from Kevin Baker in “Hail the Heaven Born” and the companion Leader Guide

#6008

THE GREATNESS OF GOD’S SALVATION

“This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.”  (1 John 4:9-12 NIV)

The deepest longing in a person's heart is to have a relationship with God. When we open the Scriptures, we are surprised to discover how much God desires for His people to have a love relationship with Him. In fact, the more we study the Scriptures, the more we are overwhelmed at the greatness of God's salvation and the love relationship that He seeks to develop with us. God's salvation set in motion everything He intended to accomplish in us. If we do not understand the extent of God's accomplished work on our behalf, we will never experience abundant life, nor will we fulfill God's purpose for our lives. God is not primarily interested in making us successful; instead, His heart desires for us to experience the full measure of His great salvation.

-- Henry Blackaby and Melvin D. Blackaby in “Experiencing God Together: God's Plan to Touch Your World”

#5966

ONE HONEST LOOK

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”  (Romans 8:32 NKJV)

Nothing like one honest look, one honest thought of Christ upon His cross. That tells us how much He has been through, how much He endured, how much He conquered, how much God loved us, who spared not His only begotten Son, but freely gave Him for us. Dare we doubt such a God? Dare we murmur against such a God? 

-- Charles Kingsley (1819-1875)

#5906

JUSTIFIED BY WHAT?

“Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by His blood, effective through faith.”  (Romans 3:23-26 NRSV)

We all automatically gravitate toward the assumption that we are justified by our level of sanctification, and when this posture is adopted it inevitably focuses our attention not on Christ but on the adequacy of our own obedience. We start each day with our personal security resting not on the accepting love of God and the sacrifice of Christ but on our present feelings or recent achievements in the Christian life. Since these arguments will not quiet the human conscience, we are inevitably moved either to discouragement and apathy or to a self-righteousness which falsifies the record to achieve a sense of peace. 

-- Richard Lovelace in “Dynamics of Spiritual Life”

#5724

WHITEWASHING THE CROSS

Read Mark 8:27-38

We are told in this passage that Jesus began to teach the disciples that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elder and chief priests and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again. After hearing this, Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him. In other words, Peter was trying to get Jesus to avoid the cross of sacrificial service and become some messiah other than the Messiah God was calling Him to become.

That temptation is still real for the Body of Christ today. John Donders tells about a church in Holland in which the members had a habit of bowing and kneeling before a whitewashed wall in front of the sanctuary before they sat down for worship. None of them knew why they continued the ritual throughout the years. One day the trustees decided to have the whitewashed wall repainted, but before painting the wall, they decided to scrape off the old paint. They were surprised to discover beneath the old paint a centuries-old painting of Jesus on the cross. Somebody had covered up the cross, and it was subsequently lost from memory. The people had forgotten their purpose for bowing and kneeling before they worshipped. Thus they were tempted to become some congregation other than the congregation God was calling them to be. They had kept the ritual, even though it had long since lost its meaning. For the congregation that covers up the cross cannot be a vital and faithful congregation. 

-- Zan W. Holmes, Jr. in “Encountering Jesus”

#5717

FREEDOM IN CHRIST

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”  (Romans 8:1-2 NIV)

Grace, the gift that cannot be earned, has set us free from being slaves to the law. Because we have felt God's love -- that amazing grace -- we are free from the world's silly games. We can step outside the ways of the world that say our worth is measured in power and possessions and prestige. We are free because we know who we are – children of God. Freedom for us is not about creating yourself in your own image, but about finding the Creator's love for you in your own soul.

We are set free from the anxiety of the world to love one another as Christ loves us, which means that the love that sets us free binds us to our brothers and sisters. Therefore, the sign of our freedom is finally the sign of the cross. Because Jesus was free, He was not afraid of what the world could do to Him. He would not bow down to Pilate or play the political game. He would not cut a deal so that someone else would suffer and He would keep His resume intact. He was free to love without fear and to live and die for us.

Once we know Christ's love for us, everything changes. That love changes how we see and act toward other people …

We are to serve one another not because we have to, not because we are trying to win God's affection by doing the right thing, but because the nature of love is to love. 

-- Excerpted from “From Anger to Zion: An Alphabet of Faith” by Porter Taylor

WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE?

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.”  (1 Peter 3:18 NIV)

To understand why Jesus had to die it is important to remember both the Result of the Cross (costly forgiveness of sins) and the Pattern of the Cross (reversal of the world’s values). On the cross neither justice nor mercy loses out -- both are fulfilled at once. Jesus’ death was necessary if God was going to take justice seriously and still love us. This same concern for both love and justice should mark all our relationships. We should never acquiesce in injustice. Jesus identified with the oppressed. Yet we should not try to overcome evil with evil. Jesus forgave His enemies and died for them.

Why then, did Jesus have to die? Even Jesus asked that question. In the Garden of Gethsemane He asked if there was any other way. There wasn’t. There isn’t. On the cross, in agony, He cried out the question, “Why!?” Why was He being forsaken? Why was it all necessary? The answer of the Bible is -- for us! 

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

#5575

JESUS CAME TO GIVE HIMSELF

“Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”  (Isaiah 53:4-5 NIV)

Jesus did not come merely to disclose God’s character. He came to make it possible to be remade in the likeness of that character. He came to redeem us from what we are and remake us in the likeness of what He is. He is not merely a teacher, a doer – He is a redeemer.

He came not merely to give His word, His example. He came to give Himself. He became like us that we might become like Him. He was baptized into the world’s toil for thirty years, baptized into our temptations for these years, and baptized into our sin at the end. He became sin for us at the cross. He died between two malefactors like one of them and cried the cry of dereliction that you and I cry when we sin: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” If “life is sensitivity,” then there was infinite life, for here was infinite sensitivity – every [person’s] hunger His hunger; every [person’s] bondage His bondage; and every [person’s] sin His sin. “He bore in His own body our sins upon a tree.” (1 Peter 2:24)

Don’t ask me to explain it. I can’t explain it; I bow in humility and repentance at the cross, at the wonder of it, that God should give Himself for me. I bow and I am redeemed! 

-- E. Stanley Jones in “A Song of Ascents”

#5567

NO GREATER LOVE

“So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” (John 1:14 NLT)  “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)  “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NLT)

In the greatest showing of love imaginable, Christ came into human life, into the story that love had made, as Jesus of Nazareth. Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, left the place of Creation and power and became mortal, open to temptation, to weakness and fatigue, to sorrow and joy, and laughter and tears. Who was this Jesus? God? Mortal? Both? Yes, both! How could such a thing be?

It is impossible, but Jesus reiterated that although many things are impossible for us, nothing is impossible for God. (Matthew 19:26)…

I struggle to write about God and God’s love, knowing that I am totally inadequate, and yet feeling called to proclaim a love so marvelous that it can only be wondered at and rejoiced in with delight…

Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, is not limited by the mortal body of Jesus of Nazareth. Christ is the Word who shouted all things into being and who continually calls each one of us into fuller being, every day, every minute, right now. 

-- Madeline L’Engle

#5559

THE HEART OF JESUS – Part 2 of 3

Jesus refused to be guided by anything other than His high call. His heart was purposeful. Most lives aim at nothing in particular and achieve it. Jesus aimed at one goal – to save humanity from its sin. He could summarize His life with one sentence: "The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10 RSV). Jesus was so focused on His task that He knew when to say "My time has not yet come" (John 2:4) and when to say, "It is finished" (John 19:30). But He was not so focused on His goal that He was unpleasant.

Quite the contrary. How pleasant were His thoughts! Children couldn't resist Jesus. He could find beauty in lilies, joy in worship, and possibilities in problems. He would spend days with multitudes of sick people and still feel sorry for them. He spent over three decades wading through the muck and mire of our sin, yet still saw enough beauty in us to die for our mistakes. 

-- Max Lucado in “A Heart Like Jesus”

#5533

LAST WORDS FROM THE CROSS

Jesus said, “It is finished.”  (John 19:30)

What was finished?

The history-long plan of redeeming man was finished. The message of God to man was finished. The works done by Jesus as a man on earth were finished. The task of selecting and training ambassadors was finished. The job was finished. The song was sung. The blood had been poured. The sacrifice had been made. The sting of death had been removed. It was over.

A cry of defeat? Hardly. Had His hands not been fastened down I dare say a triumphant fist would have punched the dark sky. No, this is no cry of despair. It is a cry of completion. A cry of relief. A roar of fulfillment. A shout of victory. 

-- Max Lucado in “The Cross: Selected Writings & Images”

#5330

AN ACT OF GRACE AND MERCY

“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals -- one on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’”  (Luke 23:33-34a NIV)

In the midst of the darkness and gloom of the cross, there came a voice from one of those two thieves. It flashed into the soul of Jesus as He hung there, “This must be the man; this must be the true Messiah.” He cried out, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!”

We are anxious to get the last word of our dying friends. Here was the last act of Jesus. He snatched the thief from the jaws of death saying, “This day you will be with Me in Paradise.” Such was His forgiveness of sin, an act of grace, just as His forgiveness of His murderers was any act of mercy. 

-- Dwight L. Moody

#5328