The Daily Memo

The apostle Paul writes, “For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). He explains that though one part of the body can’t accomplish what another part can, this doesn’t mean it is any less important. So it is with us. We are each different, and every difference represents a unique contribution we can make in serving the Lord. Whether we…

The Bible brings us freeing boundaries and time-tested truths to become better at life. Just think about it. Culture says things like, “Compete! Compare! There’s not enough to go around! Hurt those who hurt you. Think about number one.” Jesus says, “There’s plenty to go around. Pray for those who hurt you. Forgive those who don’t deserve it. Go the extra mile for someone else.” Initially, it sounds like a lot of work. And living…

Who are you? It’s a complicated question, isn’t it? On one hand, your self-concept is rooted in your “Healing prayer,” said Leanne Payne, “is not the ‘instant fix,’ nor the bypassing of slow and steady growth. It is that which clears the path and makes such progress possible.” This type of prayer is beautiful and indispensable in our journey toward maturity, toward holiness, toward wholeness. But the journey requires other…

Who are you? It’s a complicated question, isn’t it? On one hand, your self-concept is rooted in your family background, your personality, the belief systems you’ve been taught, and the key people in your life. On the other hand, you may not be who you think you are. God is the author of your true identity. He knows exactly how He designed you. He knows the gifts He’s given you to fulfill the purposes He’s called you to. That’s why Paul…

We would all agree life can be difficult. Pressures of daily living can feel overwhelming, relationships can disappoint us, and at times our expectations go unmet. So it’s good to remember an important truth that can sustain us: This life is not all there is; the best is yet to come. Having the promise of the resurrection gives us the motivation we need to “be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). We know that…

God wants to give you the best. Not the easiest or most luxurious but the best—as He defines it. Remember, His will is “good, pleasing, and perfect.” But most Christians don’t experience God’s best. Why? One reason is because of lies: Lies about the meaning of life and about God’s purposes for us. Lies keep us conformed to the ways of the world. Looking at life the way the world does blocks us from knowing God and understanding His.…

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters ... Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (Isa. 55:1– 2) You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace ... You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon. (Song of Song 4:9, 15) Beauty is what the world longs to experience from a woman. We…

Our tendency is to monitor our behavior while pretty much ignoring our hearts. After all, how do you monitor your heart? I can’t get too far off base in my behavior without somebody drawing it to my attention. But my heart? That seems a bit more complicated. Jesus said something that still has huge implications today: “The things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart,” and then, “Out of the heart come evil thoughts.” The…

Does everything happen for a reason? The short answer is “yes”; because God is sovereign, there are no random, out-of-control happenings. God’s purposes may be hidden from us, but we can be assured that every event has a reason behind it. There was a reason for the blindness of the man in John 9, although the disciples misidentified the reason (John 9:1–3). There was a reason for Joseph’s mistreatment, although his brothers’ purpose in…