Be Holy
As he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. —1 Peter 1:15 In 1882, William Longstaff heard a sermon on 1 Peter 1:15-16: “As he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” …
Choose Your Adjectives Carefully
Think of ways to encourage one another. —Hebrews 10:24 Best-selling author Philip Yancey noted that “C.S. Lewis once likened his role as a Christian writer to an adjective humbly striving to point others to the Noun of truth. For people to believe that Noun,” wrote …
Questions Jesus Asks
Jesus’ teachings were often clothed as questions. His hearers—at least those who would listen—became self-taught, as they examined themselves under the searchlight of those questions. Most of the questions he asked are as pertinent and penetrating today as they were when he first asked them; thus the title of this piece is “Questions Jesus Asks” …
Abba, Father
God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father! —Galatians 4:6 The Aramaic word, Abba, is an intimate term that was used by Jewish children in addressing their father. It came to have broader application: each Christian has …
Where Do I Sign?
The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also . . . teach others. —2 Timothy 2:2 “For the support of this …
Memories in the Making
The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber. —Romans 13:11 Movies have an advantage: if a scene doesn’t go well, no problem; reshoot it—as many times as it takes to get it perfect. Real life doesn’t offer that option. Here’s something you’ve said more than once: “If I …
Overcoming Bad Habits
Those who do not control themselves are like a city whose walls are broken down. —Proverbs 25:28 Do you have any bad habits? If you say “No,” I need to remind you that lying is a bad habit. If you want to conquer a habit, here’s a …
What Irritates You?
It is better to win control over yourself than over whole cities. —Proverbs 16:32 Name three things that irritate you. I’ll go first: Know-it-alls who do little but know what everyone else should do and how they should do it; Interrupters who jump in with their two cents when …
You’ll Beat This Bully
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. —1 Corinthians 15:22 We exercise, we watch what we eat; which may—or may not—delay death. At best, it only postpones it. Death is the biggest bully in the building, and fear is his most potent weapon. …
Use Time Wisely
Be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. —Ephesians 5:15 It wasn’t Ernest Hemingway’s best-crafted sentence, but it makes the point: “Time is the least thing we have of.” Or as Alexander Pope had it: “Swift fly the years.” You don’t need the …