Tagged: message of the day

“You form a building which rises on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the Capstone.” –Ephesians 2:20 Some people declare themselves spiritual, but not religious. They pride themselves on not belonging to any church; they resent “structure” and “organized religion”. They see the sinners in the Church and are repulsed. They resent the Church’s “rules and regulations” and limit their relationship to “me and Jesus.” Yet Jesus never offered that as an option. Jesus came to create His Church (Mt 16:18). Jesus, the Firm Foundation, laid the Church’s foundation on Simon, Jude, and the...

“I consider the sufferings of the present to be as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed in us.” –Romans 8:18 We must never compare ourselves with others. Nor should we compare the present with the past and idealize the “good old days.” Nevertheless, we should compare the present sufferings with the future glory. When we do this, our sufferings seem like nothing. We are filled with hope and become able to endure anything, even the burdens and boredom of everyday life. When we fix our eyes on the future glory, we do not escape from present realities. In...

“If we are children, we are heirs as well: heirs of God, heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him so as to be glorified with Him.” –Romans 8:17 Jesus is with us (Mt 28:20), and we are with Him. We are heirs with Him and glorified with Him “if only we suffer with Him.” Everyone wants to be a glorified heir, but are we willing to be a crucified sufferer with Him? Do we miraculously even find joy in sharing in His sufferings? (Col 1:24; 1 Pt 4:13) Do we consider it a privilege not only to believe...

“Be on your way. Your faith has healed you.” –Mark 10:52 The blind beggar Bartimaeus had faith, and Jesus immediately healed him of blindness (Mk 10:52). Bartimaeus expressed his faith in Jesus vocally, publicly, and repeatedly, even after he was scolded and told to keep quiet (Mk 10:47-48). Bartimaeus also expressed his faith when “he threw aside his cloak, jumped up and came to Jesus” (Mk 10:50). When a blind man throws away his cloak, he had better be healed, or he may never find his cloak. Moreover, a cloak was worth much more in Biblical times, for it was...

“Look here! For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree and found none. Cut it down.” –Luke 13:7 Jesus clearly warns that we will suffer tragic ends unless we bear the fruit of holiness (see Gal 5:22) and evangelization (see Lk 13:3, 5, 7). Nevertheless, we cannot bear fruit by our own power. All we need is to live in Jesus as branches that are part of a vine and He will live in us (Jn 15:5). We can do nothing apart from Jesus (Jn 15:5), but in Jesus we will bear abundant...