READ: Psalm 25, Isaiah 34-36, John 18, Acts 4 BOLDNESS A favorite tactic of the devil is to use fear to shut the mouths of Christians. Our enemy will issue threats from multiple sources in his repeated attempts to limit our verbal witness of Christ. Satan is more concerned about muzzling verbal witness than acts […]
Region: Arab World
Abiding in Jesus: June 23
READ: Psalm 24, Isaiah 31-33, John 17, Acts 3 REFRESHING REPENTANCE It is astonishing to think that Jesus prays for us (John 17:20). Jesus prays that we would be united in the Godhead (Father, Son, and Spirit) that the world may believe in Jesus (v. 21). Our unity with one another (and thus, our fruitfulness […]
Abiding in Jesus: June 22
READ: Psalm 23, Isaiah 28-30, John 16, Acts 2 TONGUES OF MEN AND ARABS The core doctrine of those called Pentecostal is subsequence. Pentecostals believe that what happened in Acts 2 and following was not salvation and was normative. It is a normal biblical experience to have a fresh encounter with Jesus by His Spirit. It is […]
Abiding in Jesus: June 21
READ: Psalm 22, Isaiah 25-27, John 15, Acts 1 GOD’S FIERY CENTER God says of Himself: “Fury is not in me” (Isaiah 27:4). The fire at God’s center is love, not wrath. Yes, it is true that “God is angry at the wicked every day.” Yes, at the cross wrath and mercy meet. Yes, […]
Abiding in Jesus: June 20
READ: Psalm 21, Isaiah 22-24, John 14, Revelation 22 GLORY PEGS Eternity is the triune God. Without beginning or end, a community of love has always existed and will eternally exist. One God, three persons who outside of time have always loved each other. Man is invited into that community, into that eternal love. Something […]
An Image of the King
I see pictures of the king everywhere in my adopted Arab hometown. He is in every school and government building I enter, looking regal in the local equivalent of dress blues, commanding in his military fatigues, and spiritual in religious garb on his pilgrimage to Mecca. My favorite falafel shop showcases him as a family […]
Abiding in Jesus: June 19
READ: Psalm 20, Isaiah 19-21, John 13, Revelation 21 HEALED BY STRIKING We are not the first to promise to live dead. We are not the first to fail. Peter promises the Lord: “I will lay down my life for you” (John 13:37), moments before denying Jesus three times. All who attempt to live the crucified life fail–numerous […]
Abiding in Jesus: June 18
READ: Psalm 19, Isaiah 16-18, John 12, Revelation 20 TRUTHFUL LIAR Three times in Revelation 20, the devil is referred to as a liar, a deceiver of nations (v.3). Being very good at what he does, the devil is canny enough to mix a fair amount of truth in his deception. The best lies are, […]
Abiding in Jesus: June 17
READ: Psalm 18, Isaiah 13-15, John 11, Revelation 19 JESUS THE FIERCE Much has been written and taught on servant-leadership. The hyphenation of the term is indicative of problematic thinking. In the Bible no such concept exists as relates to Jesus. There is leadership and there is servanthood in Scripture–both of which are real and which […]
Abiding in Jesus: June 16
READ: Psalm 17, Isaiah 10-12, John 10, Revelation 18 VINDICATION AND SATISFACTION In the 18th and 19th centuries personal insults required “satisfaction.” Satisfaction was linked to vindication. When a person felt that personal honor had been assaulted, a duel was arranged and the matter was settled by violence. In our day we are just as […]
