Weekly Devotions

一個病人去看病,想病能痊癒,首先,他不能隱瞞自己的病情,如實的說出來;其次,他需要相信醫 生有能力治療他的病;最後,無論醫生給他的開藥,還是要求他做手術,他都必須順服。如若不然, 醫生治不了他的病,也只能無奈的看著這個病人受苦、甚至直到死亡。...

“Nonsense.” That’s what the apostles thought. They couldn’t believe the testimony of the women who had been to Jesus’ tomb. The stone rolled away. The tomb empty. An angel proclaiming Jesus has risen. Utter nonsense! The evidence, however, told a different story. Eventually, every detail Peter saw at the tomb supported the women’s earlier witness....

The Bible teaches a rather uncomfortable truth. It says that you and I are sinners. On this side of heaven, we’ll continue to struggle with our sinful flesh. It’s a given. But with the Holy Spirit’s power, we are daily called to engage in a holy battle. And with his help, we will be victorious. ...

When we face something particularly challenging—maybe even something painful—it may be that someone alongside us will offer us some encouragement by saying, “Come on, now. It’s mind over matter.” What they mean, of course, is that we need to block out the thoughts of any immediate difficulty or pain that we might experience. Instead, we need to set our sights on the reward we will receive when it’s all said and done. It’s a matter of focus, mind over matter. ...

When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses appeared to be insecure and unsure of himself. He openly questioned God’s choice in sending him. But, perhaps rather than saying Moses was insecure, it is more accurate to say that Moses’ security rested in the wrong place. Moses held on tightly to the security that he believed resided with his shepherd’s crook and fuzzy flock, security that he had trouble envisioning in his new calling. After all, it would take tremendous courage to confront Pharaoh. His physical well-being might be in danger. He had certainly become a very public figure with a very sizable target on his back. If he saw greater security in the fields, one can hardly fault his thinking. ...

Patrick would have had good reason to curse the Irish. Born in Scotland, he was raised as a Christian but was not very serious about his faith. He was kidnapped at the age of sixteen and enslaved in Ireland. He did hard labor for six years and got much more serious about his faith. Finally, he escaped, made his way to the coast, got a job on a ship, and returned to Scotland....

Notice the difference in the reaction of the same people to Jesus, and all in a matter of a few minutes. In verse 22, “all spoke well of him…” In verse 28, “All…were furious when they heard this.” In fact (vs. 29), they tried to kill him. What had Jesus said that so changed their demeanor? Using the words of the Bible, Jesus told the people that he was the Messiah (the Savior) promised by God for his people, Israel. Further, he pointed out that when Israel did not receive God’s plan of salvation for them in Old Testament times, God sent the message to foreigners....

There are places and people you enjoy that you want to stay forever. Maybe it is a special family vacation or coffee with a close friend that are so perfect you wish that the moment could last forever. ...

It is fun to watch little children explore and discover their world. As they are having fun at a park, they venture further away from mom or dad. They run up ahead as they begin to gain confidence. Children will push the boundaries and grow bolder. They will do all of this until finally, something scares them; a loud noise or a scary-looking dog, and suddenly those children come running back wanting to know, “Is it all going to be okay?”...

This is one of the most striking incidents recorded in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah saw the Lord high and exalted, surrounded by angels and seated on his throne. He was overwhelmed by his sin. He was convinced that he was ruined....