When Jesus is central in our hearts; when He is our First Love; when He is leading us and we are following Him—then, and only then—we have unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. When I am so in love with Jesus Christ, as a bride loves her husband, I enjoy sweet fellowship with others in the Body of Christ who are similarly love-struck. We may have differences in our understanding of Scripture, but when we look to Jesus, the Living Truth, we experience harmony with one another. We may have different ways of worshipping, but it is the…
When our son graduated from Christian college, along with his diploma he was presented with a towel. It exemplified that no matter what career path he pursued in the days ahead, his greater calling was to serve others like Christ. In a record commonly known as “The Last Supper,” Jesus used a towel, giving us a moving example of service by washing the feet of His disciples. In that day, it was the duty of the lowliest servant to wash the feet of guests—a custom used any time travelers or strangers came into the house with dirt of their feet…
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) In our western culture, common interpretations of this passage of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount suggest that “treasure” refers to money and all its material enticements. It offers no lasting security, because like moth and rust, it breeds decay and thieves may…
In our activity-addicted world, many proudly wear busyness as a badge. While feeling good we’re being productive, it can also become all too easy to go through the day so busy that we’re oblivious to those around us with needs. Jesus warned us of this in a parable in Luke 10:25-37. After quoting the great commandment from the law, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself,” a lawyer, wanting to justify himself, asked Jesus, “And who is my…
