My Thoughts and Reflections

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.  Remember the great reward it brings you!  Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will.  Then you will receive all that he has promised.”  – Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT) On what or in whom are we placing our trust?  As Christians, our trust can be confidently placed in the Lord.  Why can we have this hope?  We can have this hope because not only is scripture littered with promises about God’s faithfulness and reliability, but there are countless witnesses over the course of world history who could give testimony to this truth.  However, it isn’t always easy to trust in God and to rely on his provision for our lives physically, mentally, and spiritually.  When our confidence in God waivers, we open ourselves to placing our trust in things or people who do not have the ability to follow through for us!  What reward is the writer talking abou...

“Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children.  Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us.”  – Ephesians 5:1-2a (CEB) Who or what are you patterning your life after?  Are you living your life in a way that is mirroring God’s example for us, or are you living your life in a way that is not congruent with God’s example?  God’s example for how he desires us to live is Jesus Christ.  Jesus lived his life by following what he called the greatest commandment, “ You must love the Lord with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind ” (Matthew 22:37, CEB).  He also lived by the second most important commandment, “ You must love your neighbor as you love yourself ” (Matthew 22:39, CEB).  Our Father in heaven has set an example for us to follow.  Just as little children learn how to talk and behave by observing their parents, we are expected to learn how to live and act b...

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”  – Isaiah 46:4 (NIV) What an amazing set of promises from the God of the universe!  He is the creator of all things and is in perfect control of such an amazing expanse of space, that we cannot even begin to comprehend its size and magnitude!  Yet, he reminds us, here in Isaiah, that he not only made us, but he continues to carry, sustain, and rescue us throughout our lives to the very end.  I like how Eugene Peterson puts it in his translation of this verse in “The Message,” “I’ll be there bearing you when you’re old and gray.  I’ve done it and will keep on doing it, carrying you on my back, saving you.”  God has already carried us, sustained us, and rescued us up to this very point in our lives and he promises that he will keep on doing it!  God is running on a perfect record, a ...

“Jesus came near and spoke to them, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you.  Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.””  – Matthew 28:18-20 (CEB) It has been a common misconception in the church today that evangelism is meant to be left for the “professionals,” i.e., pastors, missionaries, and professional evangelists.  What a sad misconception!  This command recorded at the end of Matthew’s gospel is Jesus’ last command to his disciples.  At that time, those who were present at Jesus' ascension were the church.  Therefore, Christ’s command wasn’t just for those who are in church ministry, but for the entire church!  Did you notice Jesus saying to, “go and make disciples?”  He isn’t just intere...