The Daily Memo

Goliath was a daunting enemy of Israel, and a strong incentive was offered to anyone who could kill the giant: money, exemption from taxes, and marriage to King Saul’s daughter. Though these rewards would intrigue any young man, David was not foolhardy. The young shepherd had a different motivation for standing against Goliath: He wanted to serve the Lord. And so David called out, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he has dared to defy the armies of…

Godly wisdom enables us to view things as the Lord does and to respond according to biblical principles. This discernment isn’t automatic, but it is available to all believers who “try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph. 5:10; James 1:5). And the best way to know what pleases God is to read His Word. When we resolve to honor the Lord in all we do, say, and think, it transforms the way we make decisions. Instead of following natural instincts or…

Following Jesus put the disciples under great pressure. Leaders measure their true followers by how they handle the places of pressure. Anyone can follow through exaltation; it takes a special person to follow during aggravation. When things intensified with Jesus, great contention, wrestling, and turmoil followed. Jesus died in such a humiliating way that it left doubt, fear, and disarray. Now that Jesus was dead, the heat was on those who followed him. The pressure was so…

If for all practical purposes we believe that this life is our best shot at happiness, if this is as good as it gets, we will live as desperate, demanding, and eventually despairing men and women. We will place on this world a burden it was never intended to bear. We will try to find a way to sneak back into the Garden and when that fails, as it always does, our heart fails as well. If truth be told, most of us live as though this life is our only hope. In his wonderful…

The Bible is God’s Word, so does He still want to speak to us personally? The answer is yes, and there are several reasons why. First, His guidance is a necessity for our lives. In Scripture, we see the Lord giving specific directions to His servants, and we often forget that we, too, need His instructions. Second, we rely on the Lord’s power just as much as the Israelites. We all have “Red Sea” experiences, when we don’t know where to turn.…

There is a great deal of misinformation regarding the meaning of the term “born again.” Such ignorance and confusion could have disastrous ramifications if those who think they are born again really aren’t. In a conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus used this term to explain how one enters the kingdom of heaven. Nicodemus thought the Lord was referring to a subsequent physical birth and couldn’t fathom how this was possible, but Jesus was speaking in…

Most people go through their entire lives without anyone, ever, speaking honest, loving, direct words to the most damaging issues in their lives. Pause for a moment, and count the times this has been done for you. Better, pause and count the times you have offered this to someone you love. Let’s be honest—why aren’t we more honest with each other? Because it will cost us. Socrates didn’t exactly get a warm reception for telling the truth. John the…

Would you describe yourself as totally in love with Jesus Christ? Or do the words halfhearted, lukewarm, and partially committed fit better? The Bible says to test ourselves, so I am going to offer you a description of what lukewarm people can look like. As you read these examples, I encourage you to take a searching, honest look at who you are now, and how you are living today. Lukewarm people: Attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they…

I don’t think we’ve admitted to ourselves just how much belief is a choice. Some mornings you wake and feel God is near; the day looks hopeful. Next morning God seems far; the day has no color to it. For years I wrote this experience off to the ins and outs of the spiritual life, clouded by the weather of my emotions. Then Jesus began to show me something. Innumerable times in the past several years, I’d be in a time of prayer, asking God’s help or…