Disciples

Love the Next Generation

“People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” – Luke 18:15-17 Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that the disciples, who were called by Jesus to follow Him, were actually teenagers and young men. John, who was the youngest, was probably between 13 and 15 years old when He walked with the Lord Peter was the oldest, and since he was married, scholars believe that he was around 23 to 27 years old. If 27 was the oldest and 13 was the

January 17, 2023 No Comments

Why Did You Doubt?

“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ “ – Matthew 14:31 I want to remind you that in Jesus’ day, the disciples were not just students; they were instructed to do everything the Rabbi did. For instance, Jesus teaches the disciples by demonstrating the miracle of healing the sick. He then instructs them to go out to pray for the sick and watch them be healed. These assignments can be found in Luke Chapters Nine and Ten. Remember the famous story of Jesus walking on water? Peter thinks to himself that he’s a disciple, which means he’s supposed to do it too, so he begins to walk on water. But as he looks around and sees the waves and becomes scared, he starts to sink slowly. I still think this is an amazing feat. Jesus then takes Peter’s

August 5, 2022 No Comments

Your Mess Becomes Your Message

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” – 1 John 3:1a I have witnessed it’s the sinners, the mess-ups, and those who make a muck of things who make some of the greatest disciples. If I go to my doctor with an unknown condition that I cannot cure, and my doctor says, “You know what? I had that, too. I know just the cure.” That makes me feel pretty good. That is what the transforming power of discipleship is all about. Jesus says, “I’ve seen this before. Let me show you.” There is truth to the old adage, “Your mess becomes your message. Your test becomes your testimony.” Just remember that there’s no tragedy; there’s no falling short, that God cannot turn around. I had this radical experience in high school where I

July 16, 2022 No Comments

Jesus Calls the Unlikely

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.” – Matthew 9:9 I enjoy exploring how Jesus called His disciples to follow Him. One of the most amazing things about Jesus is He called unlikely people who you wouldn’t think would be considered. My favorite is the calling of Matthew, the tax collector. Matthew gives his own account of this calling by Jesus in the Book of Matthew. In Jesus’ day, tax collectors were seen as outsiders and traitors. Today’s tax collectors have rules that you follow; you hire an accountant or use an online platform, you fill out all your forms, and pay your taxes. At times you may not appreciate the taxes that are due! Some think their taxes are too high, but most people would say

July 15, 2022 1 Comment

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

April 19, 2022 No Comments

Stress is Strengthening

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:4 I want to share a piece of information with you today that I believe can shape the way you think about your walk with God. While life’s circumstances are often tough, just because things aren’t going the way you want them to does not mean that Jesus is disinterested; He is not withholding Himself and punishing you. God, on the other hand, isn’t always concerned with improving your circumstances; rather, He is constantly concerned with improving you! He is passionate about making disciples, and that is His top priority. What is the definition of a disciple? Someone who aspires to be just like Jesus in terms of intelligence, strength, power, love, forgiveness, mercy, and wisdom. If this sounds egotistical, realize that this is exactly what Jesus desires for us: to become disciples

November 29, 2021 No Comments

An Ambassador for Him

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” – Matthew 10:16 If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that Jesus is a good Father. He prepares us by training and equipping us so that we are never unprepared for life’s fights and problems. In Matthew 10, for example, Jesus commissions his disciples to carry on the work of His Kingdom in the same way that He has modeled it to them. He gives them the power to banish demons and heal the ill, but He also warns them. He warns them that they will be like sheep among wolves when they venture out. I don’t know about you, but that wouldn’t make me feel very safe, and it certainly wouldn’t get me enthused about the travel. The caution, on the other hand, comes with a

November 28, 2021 No Comments

Giving Sight to an Invisible God

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” – John 16:13-15 One of the most important lessons I’ve learned through years of studying the Bible and doing ministry work is that we gain greater authority when we understand our call. The Lord’s gift to us in Jesus is one of impartation; in other words, He has given us His Spirit to make us holy and powerful like He is. Though it can

August 10, 2021 No Comments

Give Up Credit, Even if It’s Due

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” – Colossians 3:23 Harry Truman once said, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” And though this statement wasn’t made specifically in the context of ministry, it pretty much encapsulates how Jesus led. Rather than managing His reputation, our Lord spent all of His time pouring into others. In fact, the bulk of His energy was invested in a motley crew of twelve disciples who came from all walks of life and were as diverse as they could be. Though there were large crowds of people who followed Him, He didn’t seem to care about having their adoration. On the contrary, He preferred sitting down with His closest friends and working through the issues of faith with them. He welcomed their honest inquiries, and

May 8, 2021 1 Comment

Twelve

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28: 19-20

February 26, 2017 No Comments

Love the Next Generation

Why Did You Doubt?

Your Mess Becomes Your Message

Jesus Calls the Unlikely

The Suffering Savior

Stress is Strengthening

An Ambassador for Him

Giving Sight to an Invisible God

Twelve

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