Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ? To live, speak, and function as He did while on the earth? What quickly comes to mind may be His many miracles, or His powerful teaching through parables. But what if we looked at His operating focus? Were there specific strategies underlying His purpose? Can we imitate the same? Following are 5 key points from the Scriptures that give us insight into how the Son of God operated while on the earth: Jesus did nothing of Himself. Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, ‘Truly,…
Imagine yourself gathering with Jesus and His closest followers for dinner—not just any dinner, but the meal that will be their last before the Messiah is led away and crucified. That evening, Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples are recorded in John 14–16. He spells out what is coming: He will be leaving, but the Father will send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will teach all things to those who believe in Him. John 15 gives a beautiful illustration of how we are to bear fruit in our lives by abiding in Jesus Christ. It begins: “I am the…
Do you have a quiet place you go to be alone with God? A place where you pour out your prayers and praises and seek His counsel? For me, during my early years as a Christian in high school and college, a local park and nearby beaches were my special places. I loved to sit and watch the tide roll in, reminding me of God’s faithfulness as I quieted my heart in His presence. Today, I have my comfy chair at home. Quiet time with the Lord is imperative if we want to maintain peace in our lives. Jesus tells…
A new year brings hope, a sense of new beginnings and better days. For many, it’s a time to redefine goals and sharpen our focus on what is truly important. As Christians, perhaps now more than ever we need to stay strong in the Lord. Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10) This verse begins a section of scripture—Ephesians 6:10-17—which gives us the crucial reminder that at its core, life is spiritual. We’re to “put on” the armor of God to ready ourselves for the spiritual battle at hand, and to be victors in this…
A few days ago I lost my favorite watch. After stumbling through the day feeling like part of my arm was missing, that evening I found my watch. What joy! A few days later, however, remembering the lost watch incident, my joy was not as intense. After a week, the joy had completely faded away. Yet at that moment the watch was not lost again! So what happened here? Simply that what was now lost wasn’t again the watch, but the joy in finding it! Chinese Christian teacher Watchman Nee likens such an example to the Christian experience. He wrote…
