Even John the Baptist had doubts (Luke 7:20-23). To dwell in doubt can lead to faithlessness, but to express it, leads to affirming answers that encourage faith. Consider all that John had been through. No wonder he was discouraged. No wonder he wondered? He did not stay in that state. He went to the Source. Jesus did not condemn him, but answered him in a way that confirmed faith, erasing doubt. ...  Read More

"For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38b, CSB)God's judgment is absolutely fair. Our own attitudes and actions become the measure of the judgment against us. For instance, judgmentalism (in the Greek, the word used is the one from which we get critical and criticism) becomes its own standard used against the hyper-critical person. Judgmentalism leads to condemna...  Read More

I'll never forget someone judging the motives according to his perception of a group of Christians of which I am a part, then lecturing us about how shameful it was that we were insincere and even hypocritical. We should seek reconciliation. We sat their open-mouthed, not knowing what to say. He did not know us. He did not know our hearts. He had not participated in our activities, but with rare e...  Read More

And then, there is Matthew. Or, is it Levi (Luke 5:27-32)? Yes! It was not uncommon for people in his day to have name changes and nicknames. In fact, Levi was not the only disciple to be in that category. Considering his profession...tax collectors were considered traitors and treated as worse than dogs because of their collusion with Rome against their own people...his names might be called into...  Read More

Today my personal devotions led me to those familiar words: 'Those who wait [hope, trust] on the LORD will renew their strength...' (Isaiah 40:31). Yes, I completed my reading for the weekend, but I never want that to be part of my busywork. This weekend is full of church activities...really good things...but I don't want that to be busywork. Everything I do, I pray that it comes out of my relatio...  Read More

I love the humility and surrender of the leper who came to Jesus (Luke 5:12-14). His life was wretched. Not only was he dealing with a debilitating, ultimately life-threatening, disease that left him disfigured and reeking of dying flesh, he was also a social outcast. Everywhere he went he had to warn everyone to stay away, crying out loudly, "Unclean! Unclean!" Imagine living with the vision of p...  Read More