Jesus declares in John 15:4, “Abide (or remain) in me, and I in you.” Abide is a beautiful word. It is a vital condition of fruitfulness. We can never bear fruit or become like Christ unless we abide in the Vine. This command to abide or remain in Christ comes to...
This Week at Hope
To Love Like Jesus
What is your standard of living? As followers of Jesus, love is to be our standard of living. Jesus gave us the command in John 13:34, “Love one another.” But Jesus did not stop there; he added a qualifying adverbial phrase to modify this new command. He said,...
God Sees Potential in You!
Are you aware that God sees positive potential in YOU? The Angel of the Lord addresses Gideon in Judges 6:12, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” The angel of the Lord didn’t see Gideon in his present situation. The angel of the Lord saw what Gideon...
One Another
We read in Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Probably the most threatening part of this verse is...
On Who’s Authority?
Referees are a great help in football, where the object is not only to score touchdowns but to score them in a way that does not infringe on the carefully laid-down rules. Likewise, umpires are indispensable to baseball where the outcome of the game may hinge on...
Assurance of Salvation
Are you sure of your salvation? If we want to be sure of our salvation, we must trust in God’s work of salvation in us. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Philippians 1:6. I often write this verse on birthday cards – “. . . And I am sure of this, that he who...
Thinking of Ourselves Less
What does it mean to be “great?” I want to suggest that genuine greatness is defined by humility! Jesus declared in Matthew 18:4, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” If you are saved, you have come to the place where...
Are You a Life-Giver?
Have you ever responded to a situation instantaneously? There is built into each of us the capacity to respond instantaneously. Now, sometimes we make good choices and sometimes we make bad choices. One time I made an instantaneous decision to swerve and miss a...
Feeling Stressed . . . Sing!
When was the last time you felt stressed? Amid those times, feeling stressed, there is one thing that will determine the course of your life: your priorities. Everyone has a set of priorities. If your priorities are not clearly defined, you will be swept away in...
Broken Cisterns
Water is an essential ingredient in life. People can only live without water for 8 to 14 days. We must have a source of clean water. In Bible days the best source of water was a fountain flowing with fresh living water. God was likened to this best source of water...