John 20:27-28 Then He said to Thomas, ” Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop doubting and believe. ” Thomas said to Him, ” My Lord and my God!” There’s an old story about two pots. One was perfect in every way. The other had cracks and broken places. Each day a woman filled the pots with rainwater she had collected and then carried them down the path to her home. The first pot felt proud that she never spilled a single drop. The other felt ashamed because no matter how hard she tried, she lost a lot along the way. One day the two pots overheard the woman talking with someone who lived nearby. The neighbor exclaimed , ” The flowers along your path are so beautiful! … [Read more...]
It Is Finished!
Imagine looking at Leonardo da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa painting in the Louvre Museum. Would you think of adding more brush strokes to it? Of course not! It was done by a master, so what could you possibly add to the painting to improve it? In the same way, that is how we are to look at Jesus' work on the cross. He cried out, " It is finished!" You cannot complete a completed work. You cannot finish a finished work. Our salvation is won. Our sins are all forgiven. We are made forever righteous by His blood. Christ paid completely and perfectly for our total forgiveness, righteousness and every blessing! In fact, these three words, " It is finished", come from one Greek word teleo. In the days of Jesus, a servant would use it when … [Read more...]
Choose Not to Worry
Many Christians are familiar with Jesus' rhetorical question, " Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to this stature?" But not as many of us actually let it get into our hearts and allow the love of God to free us from our habit of worrying. The truth is , no amount of worrying can lengthen your life or add anything to your physical person. Instead worrying robs you of sleep, health and many good years. In fact, it is only when you are worry-free that God's anointing flows freely in you, strengthening, healing, restoring and adding to you. A church member , after undergoing a mammogram, found that she had lumps in her breast. Upon receiving the doctor's report, she wrote this down on the report: "Jesus is my healer. I receive my … [Read more...]