He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25, ESV). If you don’t have a conversion story, you don’t have a conversion. I’m not saying you need to know the date, the exact moment. But you need to …
Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:17–19, ESV). It’s hard for us to imagine what this scene was like. …
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1–2, ESV). Let’s take an informal survey. Question: …
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God (Psalm 42:1, ESV). Happy 2019! What does the new year hold for you? Are you longing for something new, better, different? Are you tired of flipping pages on the calendar and going through the motions of your life? Want to …
The twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever. They cast their crowns before the throne. (Revelation 4:10, ESV) Many people may be fascinated by it or try to imagine it, but few in their lifetime will ever be entitled to wear a crown, either by birth or …
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy (Matthew 2:10, ESV). Have you ever noticed how Christmas can sometimes feel disappointing? After all the buildup, after all the weeks of investment and preparation and growing excitement, it’s usually not quite as picturesque and ideal as you’d envisioned it being. The wise men …
He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour” (Matthew 26:40, ESV)? Most likely, you’ve read and heard the story so often, you could almost quote the narrative by heart. You’ve spent time trying to picture what Jesus was enduring, both …
So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again(Matthew 26:44, ESV). We tend to think of prayer as asking for things—prayers of petition. And that’s a biblically valid function of prayer. But sometimes prayer is not so much about getting something from God, as much as …
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10, ESV). When we hear the Lord’s Prayer recited, we usually hear emphasis on the words kingdom and will. It sounds like this: “Your kingdom come, your will be done” (emphasis mine). We can subtly change the meaning of wording …
Then one of [the ten lepers], when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan (Luke 17:15–16, ESV). Thankfulness is the attitude that perfectly displaces our sinful tendency to complain and thereby …
