It would be reasonable to assume that Jesus Christ, during His human life, was a man of good reputation. But this was not always the case. During Jesus Christ’s life He was considered a deceiver, a blasphemer, demonically possessed, and even Satan himself. A man of “no reputation,” no good reputation (Philippians 2:7). How can this be? How much it must have hurt to be falsely accused by the people He loved and for whom He was to give His life. Surely a good reputation is the primary goal of a … [Read more...] about A Lasting Reputation
Repentance and Conversion
Stay Alert in Satan’s World
Many years ago, in the mid-1990s, while looking for a new church hall, I heard an interesting tale about a piano. There in South Florida, the retiree population loved to dance, so dance halls were plentiful to rent. At one location, the hall director was having trouble getting the stage arranged to his satisfaction. Specifically, the piano was in the wrong spot. When he tried to move it, the regular customers protested and demanded it be moved back. Frustrated, the director gave up. Some … [Read more...] about Stay Alert in Satan’s World
Spiritual Energy
It is hard to believe, but only about four years ago did I find out that I am an introvert! I started my career in Australia working in the basement of a hospital running five computers. The exhaustion introverts experience in the presence of a crowd of chatty co-workers was unknown to me. That all changed when I moved to California to work in a cubicle among fifteen noisy, bubbly people. It was exhausting. I counseled about this issue, took a Myers-Briggs personality test, and confirmed that … [Read more...] about Spiritual Energy
Staying in the Right Lane
I live just outside Denver, Colorado, and commute into the city for work. Over the past two years, I’ve noticed certain patterns in traffic flow. One of the four lanes available to me is the one that gets me to work in fifteen short minutes. In the “right lane,” the journey is consistent, a proven path. Now and then, my “right lane” appears to slow, and I am tempted to move into the adjacent lane. If I do, inevitably, it seems the car that was behind me rolls right past as the “right lane” … [Read more...] about Staying in the Right Lane
Are You Listening?
How many times have we thought in our minds, “Why doesn’t God just tell me what to do?” If He’s not verbally communicating with us, how do we hear His voice? Sometimes God literally directs our physical path. “In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:6). When we ask for an answer from God it must be according to His principles. For God’s Spirit to work in us, we have to have the right attitude and live according to God’s way. Looking and listening for … [Read more...] about Are You Listening?
Christ’s First Miracle
The first recorded miracle of Jesus Christ was turning water into wine at a wedding celebration. Let’s look at how ancient wedding customs can shed light on the significance of this miracle found in the second chapter of John (John 2.1-10). The account starts with, “On the third day". If we look back to the previous chapter of the book of John, we find that it was the third day since Christ had begun to call His disciples to follow Him, and three days since John the Baptist had acknowledged … [Read more...] about Christ’s First Miracle
Conversion Is a Process
Can reading just one scripture save your neck? It sounds outlandish, but King Henry II of England, crowned in 1154, issued a decree that ultimately allowed certain English prisoners to do just that. King Henry issued a law that stated, “A person subject to the death penalty could appeal for the benefit of clergy.” A minister or cleric assigned to the prison would then be called in to stipulate a passage of the Bible that the prisoner would have to read aloud. The accepted passage came to be … [Read more...] about Conversion Is a Process