Joni Eareckson Tada Then he (Jesus) said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” Luke 9:23-24 Counterintuitive means something is counter…

I am finding that getting older involves a lot of dying. And while I’m not that old yet (43 at the time of writing), I expect that as more time passes, it will also come with a lot more death. Obviously physical mortality will be my final end, just as it has been for everyone…

Joni Eareckson Tada Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24 In John Bunyan’s classic, Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian reaches the shores of the celestial river with his companion, Hopeful. It is Hopeful who leads the pilgrim to the other side to the golden city. As Christian crosses the dark,…

Scotty Smith   Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15   Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be…

John Piper “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) Meekness begins when we put our trust in God. Then, because we trust him, we commit our way to him. We roll onto him our anxieties, our frustrations, our plans, our relationships, our jobs, our health. And then we wait patiently…

Scotty Smith Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT Heavenly Father, thank you for promising to give us all the grace we…

Jared C. Wilson We all do, actually. Or, at least, we all believe some version of it at various points in our lives. Oh, I know you aren’t cheerleading the charlatans on religious television or sending “seed money” for Creflo’s private jet. But the essential theology of the prosperity gospel lies close at heart in…

Stan Gale “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) I have a neck problem. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve encountered a number of medical maladies, but my neck problem is something I’ve wrestled with since my early 20s. My neck problem is not the one diagnosed by doctors in my…

Scotty Smith Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for…

Scotty Smith And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34 NIV) Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matt. 27:46 (NIV) “It is finished.” John 19:30 (NIV) Lord Jesus, we feel conflicted…