Jesus, the rising sun, will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. (Luke 1:78-79) Reflecting Back on 2020 This year has been hard in many ways. But thank God, Bible searches soared online, and a record number of people are …
Immanuel Has Come!
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16) Christ is Still Present with Us Pastor Charles Spurgeon encourages: “Since Christ our King who is risen and reigning was once an infant, I may go to Him …
Jesus our Immanuel
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23) Jesus’ Saving Impact Never Ends In a “Peanuts” cartoon, Lucy throws up her hands and shrieks, “For months we looked forward to Christmas. We couldn’t wait til it came; now it’s all over.” I’m glad that the …
The Best Optimism
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope….Put your hope in the Lord, for with Him is unfailing love and full redemption. God Himself will redeem us from all our sins. (Psalm 130:5-8) Christian Optimism Jesus’ followers navigate through God’s world with Christ-centered thinking and living. We must go through many …
True Optimism in Christ
God says: I will put enmity between you (the serpent) and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel….Christ’s reign (His kingly rule) will and must continue until every enemy has been conquered….And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, …
Optimism in Jesus
The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness. His mercies begin afresh each morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23) By nature, some of us tend to focus on the hole instead of the doughnut. We might be labeled pessimists instead of optimists. But Scripture says: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all …
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Part 3)
Echoing Scripture, Pastor Vance Havner said: I am a pilgrim and a stranger on the earth, but I am not an orphan. Our Lord Jesus makes discipleship hard and loses many prospective followers because He says: Follow me. Christ calls us to a pilgrimage, not to a parade, to a spiritual fight, not to a frolic.1 Likewise St. Augustine said: …
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Part 2)
A. W. Tozer said that there ought to be a beautiful paradox in Jesus’ followers. We ought to be joyful that the Lord has found us and blessed us. And at the same time we ought to continue pursuing Him. We are to be glad that we have God on our side, yet always want more of Him. Augustine said: …
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Part 1)
Joy and peace are rare in America. Politics have divided people into two camps: angry and angrier. Scripture says: “The wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.”1 The 24-hour news cycle, combined with the barrage of economic recession, the pandemic, moral crises, natural disasters, and social unrest, has exhausted many of …
Sins Blotted Out in Christ (Part 2)
I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. (Isaiah 44:22 ESV) Thank God, He provides fresh starts and new beginnings for Jesus’ followers! Scripture says: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great …