Knowing & Being Known

Lily, a Bible translator, was flying home to her country when she was detained at the airport. Her mobile phone was searched, and when the officials found an audio copy of the New Testament on it, they confiscated the phone and questioned her for two hours. At one point they asked her to play the Scripture app, which happened to be set at Matthew 7:1–2: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with…

You may not want to think of yourself as a sheep, but that is a term Jesus used to describe His children. His sheep are all those who have trusted Him as Savior—and they are the ones for whom He laid down His life. Scripture says these sheep are identified by three characteristics: They know their Shepherd, hear His voice, and follow Him. Our Shepherd knew us before the foundation of the world. He sought us when we were lost, calling us each by name into His flock. We…

“Understanding your identity in Christ is absolutely essential to your success at living the victorious Christian life…The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity.” From Victory Over the Darkness, by Dr. Neil Anderson Here’s what God’s Word has to say about it. John 1:12 I am God’s child John 15:15 I am a friend of God Matthew 5:13 I am the salt of the earth Matthew 5:14 I…

A Roman soldier “girded his loins” with something more akin to a girdle than a belt. (A manly one, I’m sure.) Most scholars agree that more than any other piece of the soldier’s clothing or equipment, this girdle—with its intricate decor and elaborate buckles—distinguished a soldier from a civilian. It wasn’t some optional, secondary accessory, like the kind you or I might add to an outfit. It was a strategic, primary focal point of…

In April 2019, a suburban neighborhood in Victorville, California, became buried in tumbleweeds. High winds pushed the rolling thistles into the development from the adjacent Mojave Desert where the plant grows. At maturity, the pesky weed can grow to up to six feet in height—a formidable size when it releases itself from its roots to “tumble” with the wind to scatter its seeds. Tumbleweeds are what I picture when I read Jeremiah’s description of a…

Can you feel it?  Do you sense it?  Can you hear it?  In the midst of the cacophony that surrounds us...  In the midst of the pressure and business of daily life...  In the midst of the emotional upheaval and unrest of this season... Are you hearing God's invitation?  Can you feel that deep, quiet, persistent knock on the door of your heart? Come away with me.  This beautiful, intimate, blessed invitation is extended to each and every…

It’s easy to trust God when life is pleasant. In difficult times, though, it can be challenging. Yet that’s exactly what God tells us to do: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you” (Psalm 50:15). We can trust the Lord for several reasons. One is because of His love for us. We see it clearly demonstrated through the Father’s character, Jesus’ atoning death, and our adoption as a child of God. Another reason we can rely on…

According to the family legend, two brothers, one named Billy and the other Melvin, were standing on the family’s dairy farm one day when they saw an airplane doing some skywriting. The boys watched as the plane sketched out the letters “GP” overhead. Both brothers decided that what they saw had meaning for them. One thought it meant “Go preach.” The other read it as “Go plow.” Later, one of the boys, Billy Graham, dedicated himself…

In Ephesians 1 Paul gives us an amazing insight. “...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” (ESV) That part where He chose us before the foundation of the world. That’s powerful. He knew us before…