Every step to the cross Jesus echoed the words: “My Father is of infinite worth. His will, His pleasure, His holiness, and His justice are the reality of life.” And every hammer blow driving the nails into His hands and feet on the cross echoed through the universe: “My Father is of infinite value. What He has purposed, is all that matters.” The Father delighted in His Son. His Son delighted in Him. And the Son, and the Father delighted in us out of m...

There really is no middle ground. Either Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, or He wasn’t. If He was, how is it that the Jewish people by and large didn’t recognize him when He came 2000 years ago? Our text in Isaiah 53 tells us that almost no one believed what He had to say. Jesus came as the Messiah, but Israel wanted nothing to do with Him. We know that for a time Jesus had a powerful and growing ministry, especially in Galilee. Thousands flocked to hear Him speak and watch Him heal ...

There is a direct connection between the resurrection of Jesus and our future hope. There is also a direct connection between the resurrection of Jesus and our present rest and security. This is hope that can stand in the middle of the deepest difficulties of life; hope that won’t fade in the face of disappointment and discouragement; hope that doesn’t die in the face of pain and loss and it is only found at the empty tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ. There we find our future hope; there w...

We all walk closer to the edge than we think. There is a thin line between disaster and prosperity, joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, life and death.Let a car pull out in front of you. Let a tiny switch malfunction and the whole plane crashes. Let the train jump the tracks. Let the brakes give away. Let a tiny virus enter our system. Let the lightning flash and in just a moment we are gone.So much teaches us that we’re not in control of our own destiny. W...

If you are not actively fighting against it, you are a self-centered person; and so am I! The human nature, due to the corruption of the original sin, is deeply curved in on itself. Self comes first! Sometimes it is so bent that we can even become prideful about the gifts of God. Dr. T. D. Worthington reminds us that when you are curved inward, your happiness will depend on people and circumstances. Cynicism, hopelessness, grumbling, complaining, self-pity, apathy, cow...

Do you ever talk to yourself? Sure, we all do. So, what do you say to yourself when you talk to yourself? I'm talking about the ongoing self-talk, the stuff that you say to yourself over and over and over again in your mind. If you're like a lot of people, unfortunately, you get stuck in what you might call a negative loop.A negative mindset is easy to acquire, but it is not always easy to get rid of. Actually, you will probably need a little supernatural help from God...

All of us, one time or another, have prayed and asked God for something and have had to wait…and wait. Waiting is perhaps one of life's most difficult tasks. We hate the fact that we have to wait for something. We have become a society where delays are not accepted or tolerated. We have become a society of impatient people and now it is pouring over into the church. If you have been a Christian for very long, you have experienced God’s delays. David experienced them. He wrote, “I am wea...

Are you open-minded or narrow-minded? The modern world says that if you are open-minded, you are accepting, tolerant, unbiased and understanding; you are just a wonderful person. But if you are narrow-minded, you are bigoted, conservative, opinionated, reactionary and intolerant; you are some kind of jerk. So, we know what the answer is supposed to be. Let’s all be open-minded.But is that always a good idea? When I hire someone one to do a job for me, I want him to be pretty narro...

“Don’t sweat the small stuff,” we’re told. While it is important not to major on the minors, we still know that small things have the power to influence the direction of a day—or a life. A set of lost car keys can put the whole household in an uproar. A leak under the sink can lead to a huge mess. In a positive way, a dandelion from a child can be a treasured gift. Little things matter.The small decisions that we make this year will shape the direction of our lives. Dr. T. D. Wort...

Marriage is one of the most powerful relationships that we can participate in, as human beings. The first book of the Bible establishes marriage as the foundation for human connection. Families are produced, homes are situated, and cultures extend from the central point of marriage. While marriage is an important institution, it also challenges both husband and wife to go beyond their limitations to connect with each other. As we gain a deeper understanding of God’s design for marriage, we ca...