Joe Barnett

Examine yourselves … test yourselves. —2 Corinthians 13:5 In 1729 John Wesley jotted down 21 questions for his own self-examination. Those questions remain as relevant today as the day he wrote them. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In other words, am I a hypocrite? Am […]

The Sovereign Lord comes with power.                         —Isaiah 40:10 The nation of Judah paid a high price for her sins. We sometimes wonder if there is any hope for ours. God dispatched Isaiah to remind Judah—and us—that this is his world and he is

Comfort, comfort my people.              —Isaiah 40:1 Our nation is a tangle of crime, immorality, abuse, injustice, corruption. But God still has loyal people in the land. Always has had. In Isa. 40:1 he charged Isaiah, “Comfort, comfort my people.” The prophet calmed their despair by reminding them that God

It is by grace you have been saved.                  —Ephesians 2:5 The Message translates 2 Cor. 1:13, “Don’t try to read between the lines or look for hidden meanings.” Not everything in your Bible is easy to understand. But there is no fine print. No “gotchas.” Paul’s focus

Making the most of every opportunity. —Ephesians 5:16 Is your life being crucified between the two thieves of regret for yesterday and dread of tomorrow? When you wake up tomorrow, today will be yesterday. It will be an irreversible loss if you wasted it. It may have had wonderful things in store for you, but

Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.                   —Luke 10:40 What are your priorities? This is where self-deception is the flavor of the day, so get clear-eyed honest. Here’s the bottom line: the way you spend your time reveals your priorities. And

Her children arise and call her blessed.                    —Proverbs 31:28 Irene was washing dishes and chatting with a neighborhood friend when her four-year-old son barged through the door with a picture in his hand. Tugging on her skirt, he pointed to the picture and started asking questions.

I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve.                 —Ecclesiastes 2:11 John Broadus had a major flaw: he couldn’t say “No.” A gifted speaker, John was inundated with invitations, to which he always said “Yes.” His fame grew. He was on

You received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”                  —Romans 8:15 The spirit of Old Testament religion was fear—know your place and keep your distance from the holy God. The Jews were so afraid of God they wouldn’t even speak this name. His