As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed […]

“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:9 NIV) Moses had a staff. David had a slingshot. A little boy had five small barley loaves and two small fish. These might seem insufficient in our hands, but in God’s […]

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV) Being called by God does not always involve changing careers. […]

…and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. (Acts 18:3 NIV) Paul was an apostle and his calling was missions, but he made a living as a tentmaker. Not only did this allow him to support himself and preach the gospel free of charge (1 Cor. 9:18), it […]

For I am the Lord your Godwho takes hold of your right handand says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. (Isaiah 41:13 NIV) What is it you fear? What is holding you back in your walk with God? Perhaps it’s fear of making a mistake. Perhaps it’s fear of failure. There is […]

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11 NIV) Moses had once been a prince in Egypt, but after becoming a murderer and a fugitive, he became a shepherd—a vocation detestable to the Egyptians (Gen. 46:34). Imagine Moses’ astonishment when, […]

The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” (Judges 6:14-15 NIV) […]

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” (John 1:48 NIV) God knows you. He sees you. He knows everything that has ever happened in your life— your joys as well as your pain—and He calls you. ACTION: Reflect. […]

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened— burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8 NIV) […]

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27 NIV) James exhorts followers of Jesus to care for some of the most powerless, marginalized people of his day: orphans and widows. […]

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40 NIV) After saying this to those on His right—those who are blessed and will inherit God’s kingdom (Matt. 25:34)—the King says to those on His left, […]

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? (James 2:5 NIV) The poor might be despised in the eyes of the world, but not in the eyes […]

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2 NIV) The Greek word translated here as “hospitality” is philoxenia—to befriend or entertain a stranger. This has the same root word as xenophobia—to fear a stranger. ACTION: Reflect. How does this […]

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9 NIV) At the tower of Babel, humankind became scattered and divided by language as the result of sin (Gen.11:1-9). However, we […]

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:12–13 NIV) God does not reserve salvation for any specific people groups. He offers salvation to everyone who […]

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matthew 5:46-47 NIV) To love those who are different from us or do not […]

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37–39 NIV) Jesus said that everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs on these […]

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. (Jonah 3:10-4:1 NIV) Jonah was upset that God had mercy on the Ninevites, a people known for […]

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. (1 John 4:19-20 NIV) Our love for others is not of us—it is […]

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17 NIV) This doesn’t say that God […]

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 NIV) You were once in darkness, but now, you are not only in the light—you are the light of the world, a light that counters the darkness and threatens it. […]

I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you.I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. (Isaiah 41:9 NIV) God spoke this to the descendants of Abraham. By faith, this includes you. You have been called. You have been chosen. You […]

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13-14 NIV) God didn’t make a mistake when He made you, or me, or anyone else. However, some cultures shun those who […]

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV) We are all unique, but we are not meant to be alone. We are all part of a greater whole—the body of Christ—and each of us has specific gifts to fulfill our particular roles, […]

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV) Most parents would be willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of their children, but what parent would […]

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10 NIV) Good works don’t save you (Gal. 2:6), but you were created by God to do them, and He has already prepared these works ahead of you. All you need to […]

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in […]

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9 NIV) The world might try to convince you that you’ll never be good enough, but God’s word says otherwise. […]

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) Your past may have shaped who you are today, but it no longer defines you. In Christ, you are made new. God will redeem your past—your skills, your experiences, even your mistakes—as […]

Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:10-11 NIV) Jesus spared this woman from a death sentence she incurred for her sin. He then told […]