No one taught me this specifically, but growing up in the church there seemed to be the idea that the way Jesus and Paul lived was an anomaly. We weren’t necessarily supposed to follow the example of how they specifically…
When God calls us into His work, we tend to have objections. Moses said he wasn’t a communicator. Gideon claimed he didn’t have the right status in Israel. Sarah said she was too old. Most of us are quick to…
The heart of living outwardly is having a compassionate heart toward others. And the heart of compassion is love. The outward heart of the Father is rooted in His love for us. John 3:16 begins with these famous words: “For…
In Matthew 9:35-38, we have the famous words of Jesus calling the disciples to pray for God to send laborers into His harvest. What I find interesting in this passage is that it begins with Jesus proclaiming the good news…
It is always intriguing to read verses that give us a glimpse into the heart of Jesus. Matthew 9:36 is one of those verses which says, “When (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed…
In Acts 1:8, Jesus is giving final instructions to his disciples and in these last words he reminds them of where their eyes should focused. Jesus says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will…
One of the things that I appreciate about the life of Jesus recorded for us in the Gospels is that the writers do not avoid the humanity of Jesus. In John 4, we have the account of Jesus’ conversation with…
There are many amazing moments in the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well but one of the most convicting moments may be after the woman leaves. Jesus entered into a conversation with this woman when she…
Recently I was reading in 2 Timothy and was struck by these words from the Apostle Paul in verse 10: “I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God…
One of the things that helps the most in encouraging me toward outward living is being in community with other Christians who are also desiring to live with an outward focus. When I am attempting this pursuit on my own…