“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (Jn 12:32). Jesus spoke of the benefits and advantages of His being Lifted up. It was not the elevation that many seek. It was not a platform of prominence, or the glitter and glamour of celebrity. It was the execution of the intentions of…
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). Life takes on a new meaning once Christ has come into the heart of the believer. He does not merely exist among the other things once deemed important, but rather sets the priorities for his existence. Any other place given to Him constitutes a warm feeling…
“So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps 90:12). When we were born, we were given a name and assigned a number. Our last name identifies where were from or the origin of our birth while our first name identifies where we are going, or our future. A good name is worth…
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1Pet 2:1-3). The passions and desires of a converted saint are different from the cravings of the sinner. Even though there is…
“Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you” (Is 60:1). The pronouncement of God is to arise above the circumstances and above all that was previously seen. All things are now viewed in the light that is in you rather than the darkness that is around you! The light of His…
“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” (Prov. 18:14 KJV). Our spirits possess resilience in order not to sink under the force of pressure. Once our spirits are awakened to the reality of the Eternal, its communion with the Holy Spirit will convey hope within our souls. The spirit of a…
Jesus spoke with the deepest of thought. Everything He said expressed the heart and mind of His Father. He was asked on one occasion—“Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ’Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your…
“Since All this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away” (Heb 2:1 AMP). The things we neglect we forget. The things we give attention to are remembered. It is easy to have good intentions and resolve to apply…
The distinct cultures of the world are the current cause of much controversy. It is the cultural clashes that divide people into competing and warring factions. The exclusivity of a particular culture, in their eyes, becomes the standard and measure of right and wrong. We changed the name of our church to Cross Culture Church over five years ago realizing…
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:25). Is Church the place that we attend or a people in the process of being made? Many place more emphasis on place than on purpose. It is not a matter…
“ For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1Corinthians 2:2). Memory is a gift from God. When appropriately used, it can serve as a blessing. But when the lingering effects of memory close our minds to God, it is then a curse. During times of stillness the mind can relive experiences of…
“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1Cor 2:2). Once Jesus Christ is revealed to you, it is then necessary to measure all information by and through the knowledge of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Former experiences and former schools of thought may try to compete with this newly gained knowledge. The…