cross

Jesus is the Solution

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” – Titus 2:11 Yesterday we talked about how a Kingdom worldview addresses the problem of sin and shame in the world. Today, I want to discuss the fourth and final question a worldview must answer (and it’s the most important of all): “What’s the solution?“ Quite simply, the cross and resurrection of Jesus are the only true answer to the problem of sin, wickedness, guilt, and shame on the earth. The grace, or favor, that comes to us because we are seen through the Father’s eyes (in the same way He sees Jesus) has the power to break chains and set us free eternally! When Jesus went to the cross, He took every sin you’ve ever committed — past, present, and future — upon Himself, and it was nailed there, never to emerge again. When He died,

Read More »

The Suffering Savior

“Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they slapped him in the face.” – John 19:1-3 Having just celebrated Easter, the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus is fresh on our minds. There’s no better time to remember the long and painful road our Savior endured to get to the cross. After three years of difficult public ministry that were no doubt physically, emotionally and spiritually draining, He was betrayed by one of His own disciples. He was turned over to Roman authorities, who, after pressure from the zealots among His people, agreed to have Him killed. As if the sentence of death by crucifixion wasn’t horrendous enough, He was beaten to

Read More »

You Are a Mind

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” – Romans 8:5,6 Dallas Willard, an American philosopher and Christian scholar, once made the assertion that a human being is first and foremost a mind. What do you think about that? A person has a mind that influences a will and from that will, decisions are made that forge the course and trajectory of their life. This is why there is so much power in changing the way we think, both individually and as a society. In order for real change to be affected in churches, schools, and ultimately the world as a whole, minds must be

Read More »

Salvation Through Suffering

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5 On this Good Friday, we turn our focus to the cross. And while it’s important to view this day in light of Jesus’ death, it’s equally as important to understand that the depth of His agony equates to the fullness of our freedom. You see, our Savior didn’t have to die the way He did — any manner of passing would have sufficed. However, He bore enormous physical and spiritual pain so that we could be healed and made whole…completely. Not only does His journey to Calvary show us that there’s nothing we go through that He cannot sympathize with, but it reminds us that He took upon Himself the weight of affliction to liberate us from it.

Read More »

Will You See Him?

“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” – Isaiah 53:2 I often wonder if I had been alive when Jesus roamed the earth if I would have given Him the time of day. While it’s easy to assume that our Lord had a magnetism that captivated everyone who crossed His path or that He was a celebrity who was widely accepted by society, this really wasn’t the case. He hung out with sinners and outcasts, and while many paid attention to Him, their reaction wasn’t always positive. You see, our Savior was actually quite “fringy,” especially to the devout Jews. In a culture that had its own routine and bustle, not to mention very distinct religious traditions, many walked by Him lost in the busyness of their day. Still others considered Him a lunatic because of the

Read More »

The Wonder of Worship

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.” – Matthew 2:11 The second offering the Magi presented to Jesus was frankincense, otherwise simply known as incense. Like the gold they brought to Him in abundance, incense was a valuable commodity in the ancient world, and it was used traditionally in temple worship and burned ceremonially by the priests as an offering to the Lord. Known for its calming and healing properties, this second in the trio of original Christmas gifts offers us a message of hope and encouragement in years like this one. Just as gold signifies that Jesus has dominion over the affairs of history, incense denotes that He reigns supreme in the Heavenly realm. While there is a very real spiritual battle raging around us, the baby who was born in Bethlehem triumphed over Satan when

Read More »

Receive your daily eDevotional

Don't miss new updates in your email!