Taking the Next Step | Matthew 28:19–20

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19–20 NLT)   As …

The Proof Is in the Love | John 13:35

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35 NLT)   Before I became a believer, one of the things that attracted me to the Christian faith was the way Christians loved each other. I was raised in the 1960s, when the hippie and drug culture was coming…

A Harvest of Fruit | Matthew 7:20

“Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” (Matthew 7:20 NLT)   Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? Not every Christian necessarily is. Some people go no further than making a decision to accept Christ as Savior. They treat their Christian fa…

A Surpassing Love | Luke 14:26

“If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26 NLT)   Many people choose not to follow Jesus because they’re afraid of what othe…

Unfair-Weather Followers | Acts 17:5–6

“But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethr…

Grow Up | Hebrews 6:1

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.” (Hebrews 6:1 NLT)   As a father…

Oh, Brother | Mark 6:4

“But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.’” (Mark 6:4 NKJV)   Imagine being the half brother of Jesus. You could never blame Him for anything. Think about it. Who were Mary and Joseph going to believe—you or …

More Andrews | Mark 2:3–5

“Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to…

Personalized Care | Mark 2:17

“When Jesus heard it, He said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’” (Mark 2:17 NKJV)   Jesus interacted with a remarkably diverse group of people during His public ministry. The Gospels…

Willing Spirit, Weak Flesh | Mark 14:38

“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:38 NKJV)   Have you ever been caught doing something you weren’t supposed to do? One day I found my son playing a game on the computer, something he wasn’t allowed to do until he finish…