As the shepherd comes to the sheep, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, comes to us as the Messiah. As anticipated by the prophets of old, He entered by the door, and He laid down His life for the sheep. Jesus came to shepherd His one flock and He is not done yet! He is still at…
Have you ever said something, and the listener heard something completely different? Poor communication has been with us for centuries. The word ‘Fellowship’ (from the original Greek Koinonia) can be misconstrued as well. It meant gathering as friends but also to hold something in common. Thomas’ disbelief put a damper on the fellowship of the…
God has called His people to serve Him throughout history. When Jesus arrived and began His ministry, he likewise began calling His disciples. As He called, they listened and they responded. May we also reject worldly calls and listen instead to the call of Christ!
The Word of God is powerful, it can heal the sick, cast out demons, and even forgive sins. Small words can have a huge effect, like the word made flesh. Jesus came down to us that Christmas night so long ago and brought life and hope! We hope you and your family have a blessed…
Who holds authority over us? A boss, a spouse, a baby? Jesus came to earth as a baby, yet He held authority then and now. The authority of Christ over his flock is clear, as the Good Shepherd He laid down His life, was resurrected and continues to watch over His flock today! We pray…
Our families have many traditions as we celebrate Christmas. The festival of Passover was a tradition for the early Jews. While it celebrated the freeing of the Israelites from slavery, it also foreshadowed the arrival of our Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God. May we not focus only Christ the tiny baby but also Christ…
The early church faced many challenges and tribulations. When Christians had to worship in secret due to persecution, John encouraged them to stand firm in their faith. We can take encouragement today from these words written for the early church in the decades after Christ’s resurrection. Even today, He will shelter us if we only…
When Jesus said His last final goodbye, John 17 captured this prayer, a prayer for who and what mattered most to Him: “May God’s people be one!” Today, we sometimes pull back and exist in isolation. May we strive to be one, to overlook our differences, and tear down those barriers. Lord, help us…
Pictures of Jesus show him as the Good Shepherd, but that’s only part of the story. In reality, shepherds were tough! Like earthly shepherds, He stood ready to protect His sheep from the enemies of the church–this was the strong & tough side of our Good Shepherd. Even today, He continues to give abundant life.…
Reflecting back on times of peace and times of unrest, when do you find your times of peace? Can we ever have peace of our own making? Instead, help us to realize that real true peace comes to us through Jesus Christ. Like He came to the disciples behind their locked doors, Jesus comes to…