No Divisions
Read: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you. (v. 10) Sometimes I think about how divided the Christian church has become. Thousands of different churches; thousands of denominations. How come a divine structure […]
Called to Be Saints
Read: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. (v. 2) What is a saint? When we declare, in the Apostles’ Creed, that we believe in the “communion of saints,” who are we talking about? Especially virtuous and long-suffering people? Martyrs […]
Paul Plants a Church
Read: Acts 18:1-11 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. (v. 1) I’ve never worked as a church planter. The churches I’ve served as a pastor—in New York, Iowa, and Michigan—were all up and running when I got there. But church planters start with nothing. No congregation, no building, no staff, nothing. To […]
The Future Transition
Read: Revelation 21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. (v. 1) Genesis 1–2 and Revelation 21–22 show us a time when there will be no death or mourning or crying or pain (v. 4). We live in a world tainted […]
Future Plans
Read: Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (v. 11) When we go through life transitions, we quickly realize things will not be the same. There are losses that cannot be regained. There […]
When It Seems Hopeless
Read: Habakkuk 3:16-19; Isaiah 43:1-3 . . . yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. (v. 18) In the transitions of life, we often experience loss. Perhaps you have experienced the death of a spouse, child, or friend. Maybe you sent a child off to […]
Learn a Little Javanese!
In Indonesia, daily devotional programs are currently being translated into 16 different languages. The work of translating must be done carefully. Certain words and phrases do not always have direct equivalents, and references that might make sense on one Indonesian island may not be fitting in other parts of the country. But perhaps one of […]
Transitioning with Perseverance
Read: Romans 5:1-5; Philippians 3:13-14 Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. (Rom. 5:3-4) When you find yourself experiencing a life transition, do you try to move through it as quickly as possible? It’s easy to face transitions with an attitude of “getting it over with.” However, there may be something […]
Transitioning with Prayer
Read: 1 Peter 5:6-11 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (v. 7 NIV) It’s not uncommon to ask God for help after trying to handle a situation on your own. Think about the difference it could make if you spent more time in prayer and less time trying to control […]