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The Life of Power to Follow
“And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ’Follow Me’ ” (John 21:19). Three years earlier Jesus had said, “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19), and Peter followed with no hesitation. The irresistible attraction of Jesus was upon him and he did not need the Holy Spirit to help him do it. Later he came to the place where he denied Jesus, and his heart broke. Then he received the Holy Spirit and Jesus said again, “Follow Me” (John 21:19).
Let’s Not Miss What’s Most Important
Today on Discover the Word, we continue the series titled, “Eye Openers” by taking a closer look at some biblical truths we might miss if we’re not careful. Today’s topic examines how we might miss something that seems too good to be true. Listen today right here on Discover the Word!
Hiding In Plain Sight!
Glasses and a haircut might not seem like much of a disguise, but it’s enough to conceal Superman’s identity. He’s hiding in plain sight! And often so is Jesus. Today on Discover the Word, group members examine how we might miss Jesus walking right beside us. Listen today to Discover the Word.
“Eye Opener”
Have you ever run around the house looking for your glasses, only to find them already on your head? Sometimes we miss the most obvious things! And today on Discover the Word, we’ll continue a series called “Eye Openers” by showing a common reason we miss seeing Jesus in our lives. Get your spiritual vision […]
Would You Recognize Jesus’s Voice?
It can be really awkward when someone waves and calls your name and you realize you have no idea who they are! There’s plenty of people we should recognize, but don’t. But what if one of those people we don’t recognize is Jesus? Today on Discover the Word, we’ll get a fresh look at how […]
What on Earth?
When Andrew Cheatle lost his cellphone at the beach, he thought it was gone forever. About a week later, however, fisherman Glen Kerley called him. He had pulled Cheatle’s phone, still functional after it dried, out of a 25-pound cod.
Life is full of odd stories, and we find more than a few of them in the Bible. One day tax collectors came to Peter demanding to know, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” (Matt. 17:24). Jesus turned the situation into a teaching moment. He wanted Peter to understand His role as king. Taxes weren’t collected from the children of…
God with Us
“Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ at my right, Christ at my left . . .” These hymn lyrics, written by the fifth-century Celtic Christian St. Patrick, echo in my mind when I read Matthew’s account of Jesus’s birth. They feel like a warm embrace, reminding me that I’m never alone.
Matthew’s account tells us that God dwelling with His people is at the heart of Christmas. Quoting Isaiah’s prophecy of a child who would be called Immanuel, meaning “God with us” (Isa. 7:14), Matthew points to the…
Home for Christmas
Christmas 1982 found me on assignment in a place many of my friends couldn’t locate on a map. Trudging from my worksite back to my room, I braced against the chill wind blowing off the bleak Black Sea. I missed home.
When I arrived at my room, I opened the door to a magical moment. My artistic roommate had completed his latest project—a nineteen-inch ceramic Christmas tree that now illuminated our darkened room with sparkling dots of color. If only for a moment, I was home again!
As Jacob fled from his brother Esau, he found himself in a strange and lonely…
Breaking the Silence
At the end of the Old Testament, God seems to be in hiding. For four centuries, the Jews wait and wonder. God seems passive, unconcerned, and deaf to their prayers. Only one hope remains: the ancient promise of a Messiah. On that promise the Jews stake everything. And then something momentous happens. The birth of a baby is announced.
You can catch the excitement just by reading the reactions of people in Luke. Events surrounding Jesus’s birth resemble a joy-filled musical. Characters crowd into the scene: a white-haired great uncle (Luke 1:5–25), an astonished virgin (1:26–38), the old prophetess Anna (2:36).…
Big World, Bigger God
As we drove through northern Michigan, Marlene exclaimed, “It’s unbelievable how big the world is!” She made her comment as we passed a sign marking the 45th Parallel—the point halfway between the equator and the North Pole. We talked about how small we are and how vast our world is. Yet, compared to the size of the universe, our tiny planet is only a speck of dust.
If our world is great, and the universe is vastly greater, how big is the One who powerfully created it? The Bible tells us, “For by [Jesus] all things were created, both in the heavens…
Global impact begins with our local community
I think it’s safe to say we all want to make a difference in the world, in some small or big way. But where do we start? Today the Discover the Word team concludes their weeklong study in the gospel of John, with the revelation that global impact begins in our local community. Making a […]
Why I’m In Awe of Baby Jesus
This month, I celebrate one year of motherhood. Yes, that means my baby has turned a year old, and what a year it has been! It may be a cliché, but what’s been said about motherhood is true: it’s tiring, trying, and stretching, yet every single bit of it is worth it.
More Than a Hero
As Star Wars fans around the world eagerly await the release of Episode 8, “The Last Jedi,” people continue to analyze the remarkable success of these films dating back to 1977. Frank Pallotta, media reporter for CNNMoney, said that Star Wars connects with many who long for “a new hope and a force of good at a time when the world needs heroes.”
At the time of Jesus’s birth, the people of Israel were oppressed and longing for their long-promised Messiah. Many anticipated a hero to deliver them from Roman tyranny, but Jesus did not come as a political or military hero. Instead,…
Jesus is making all things new
Out with the old, in with the new! Today on Discover the Word, the team continues their study in the gospel of John, looking at how Jesus removes anything that stands in the way of our relationship with God, even if that “thing” is religion. Jesus is making all things new, and that includes you […]
The first miracle Jesus performed
You’ve probably heard someone say, “Everything happens for a reason”! Well today on Discover the Word, we will take a closer look at the first miracle Jesus performed, playing wine steward at a wedding in John chapter one. What was John’s reason for recording this miracle? Listen today to Discover the Word!
