Consider this

Have you ever had “one of those weeks”? (The very fact that you know what I mean when I write “one of those weeks” means, of course, that we all have them). Last week started well. I was feeling good and happy, and then things went downhill quickly. A couple of situations came up, I had a conversation or two that were not much fun and suddenly my good week was gone. I was pouty, depressed and grouchy. I did not want to see, talk to, or deal with anyone. In reality, nothing was drastically wrong. From the outside looking, you likely would not see any obvious reason to be upset. Things looked about how they always look. I am aware that my perception of my life is influenced by many things including how much sleep I am getting, how much I am exercising and the fact that winter this year seems never-ending. However, I came across something in my morning devotional that I had not considered. I found it helpful and maybe you will too. In “My Utmost for his Highest”, Oswald Chambers w...

“You cannot do God’s work without God’s power”. That is the lesson that the apostles learned in Luke 9. They had tried to heal a sick boy and, in spite of their best efforts, they could not do it. When they asked Jesus why they failed, he talked to them about their need for stronger faith (Matthew 17:19-21), a more consistent prayer life (Mark 9:29) and a real belief in him (Luke 9:41). Apparently, they had forgotten where their strength came from. Why would anyone try to do God’s work by his or her own strength? Well, to be honest, it is easier. If we do not have to consider God, then we can make plans, set goals and decide on our own what we are going to do. Faith becomes a straight line from “point A” to “point B”. Rally the troops, get people excited, work hard and get it done. By contrast, working with God’s power can seem quite inefficient. Things like praying, waiting on God, trusting in him, making yourself available to be used and serving your neighbour take tremend...

Talk show host and car enthusiast, Jay Leno, heard about an older man in his neighbourhood who was rumored to have an old car in his backyard garage. After finding the man and visiting with him for a while, Leno asked if he could see the car. The man said, “No”. For over 20 years, Leno kept visiting the man and every time he asked to see what was in the garage the man said, “Oh, no, not today. Not today”. Eventually, the man moved to a nursing home. Jay writes, “So I went to see his daughter. She was now in her 60s but she grew up in the house. I asked her when she was last in the garage. She said, ‘I guess when I was about 4 years old.’ That would have been around 1950. I asked her what was in there and she said, ‘Some old car’.” He then offered to buy whatever was in the garage, sight unseen. She talked to her dad and he agreed, so they went to the garage, lifted the tarp and found a 1927 Model X Duesenberg Sedan. What is so special about that? Well, there were only thirteen...

“Then he [Jesus] said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:23-26) Yikes! On first reading that does not sound like the Jesus that we often hear preached these days, does it? What is going on here? As with most Bible passages, the context is important. Jesus has just asked his disciples who they think he is and Peter has replied, “You are the Christ of God” (verse 20). Jesus then tells them that he is going to be killed and raised again on the third day. He then says the things found in the first paragraph of this article. So why does Jesus sound so strict and ...