My Daily Pause

Category: In 100 Words

  • Sly Grins

    ...and the one who grins is planning something wrong...
    …and the one who grins is planning something wrong…

    Someone who winks is planning evil, and the one who grins is planning something wrong. – Proverbs 16:30 NCV

    I once heard a story – I don’t know if it was an anecdote or a real event – about the employee that brought his boss information he had stolen from a competitor. He was fired because, as the boss said, “If you will do this for me, you will do it to me.”

    Christ saw this problem in his people and had a solution (Matthew 13:15). He planned his ministry around helping the heart be more sensitive to sin.

  • An Opinion and a Dollar Buys a Cup of Coffee

    Opinions are offered freely as if they have value
    Opinions are offered freely as if they have value

    Jesus called it.

    Jesus really nailed how the world would react to him in John 15:18-25.

    The world hated him.

    The world hated the Apostles.

    The world hates God’s word.

    You might have noticed the world hates when you talk about God’s word too. Making a reference to the Bible often ends a moral discussion in a stalemate because they hate hearing it.

    It is worse when “Christians” do it. More and more, they let opinions, feelings and thoughts take precedence over the written word of God. They have begun to let the world dictate what is acceptable.

    They choose what they want over what God wants.

    What will get you to heaven – obeying God’s word or popular opinion?

  • Running Out The Clock

    “Are there not twelve hours in a day?” – John 11:9a

    How we choose to use our alloted time is critical
    How we choose to use our alloted time is critical

    The way the Jews marked time, the daylight was always broken into twelve parts. Winter or summer, there were twelve “hours” of light so some hours were a lot shorter than others.

    In the account of raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus knew the urgency of doing God’s will before his “day” was over. It was dangerous to go back to where he had angered the Jews, but God’s will was most important. (John 11:1-16) Even the disciples sensed this and prepared themselves to face the peril (John 11:16)

    We face the same urgency. We cannot be sure how long our “twelve hours” will last.

    Following Jesus’ lead, we need to make use of our lifetime to do God’s will – no matter how the world treats us.

  • 7 Important Resources Jesus Provides

    Without a healthy vine, there are no branches and no fruit.
    Without a healthy vine, there are no branches and no fruit.

    Jesus made every effort to teach us that he was everything we needed to sustain our spiritual life. He is our strength and support. He is the way in and the path to life.

    John records for us seven times that Jesus said he is something key to our salvation.

    Jesus said “I am …”

    • the bread of life (John 6:35)
    • the light of the world (John 8:12)
    • the door (John 10:9)
    • the good shepherd (John 10:11)
    • the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)
    • the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)
    • the vine (John 15:5)

    Today, review these passages in their full context and consider how much more priority we should give Christ in our lives.

  • How to Let God Do His Work

    Healing the son of a royal official - 1752 - Joseph-Marie Vien (1716 - 1809 )
    Healing the son of a royal official – 1752 – Joseph-Marie Vien (1716 – 1809 )

    The healing of the nobleman’s son is more than a lesson on having faith. (John 4:46-54) It is a lesson on how to act if you really have that faith.

    When Jesus said “Go,” the nobleman went – after dragging his feet a little. He eventually had to accept that Jesus could heal his son from a distance. He braced himself and went on his way home like Jesus told him.

    What if Jesus had gone with him instead? Would the nobleman’s faith have grown at all?

    Sometimes our prayers are answered far differently than we expect…

    That’s because God works in his way and his time – not ours.

  • 1 Simple Way to Glorify God

     

    Let your light so shine ...
    Let your light so shine …

    John 1:1-14 is one gorgeous passage.

    Go ahead and read it. I’ll wait.

    One awesome thing about being in Christ is that we also get be a light to others. Christ told us to use that light to glorify God and not hide it. (Matthew 5:14-16)

    Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify the father which is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16

    Think about that today as you go about your business. Whatever it is you do, do it to glorify God.