Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You…

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. —Genesis 45:4-7 Twenty-two years…

They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” —Genesis 42:21-22 There are those who would dismiss guilt as a way society or a group within society manipulates people into doing what they want. They see the conscience as something that has evolved according to the cultures requirements and not as a God-given…

Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.” He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.” Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave.” So his…

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus is not like the teachers of the law and Pharisees. Jesus said, “They do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23:4). No instead we are told “In fact, this is…

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” —Matthew 10:37-39 Who are you living life for— yourself or Jesus? Is Jesus first place in your life? Do you love Him above all? Are you faithfully following Him regardless of the…

He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” —Matthew 9:37-38 Is this our prayer? Or have we gotten so callused toward the harvest that we do not even think about praying this? When was the last time we shared the gospel? Jesus is in charge of the harvest. Have we talked to Him about where He would have us be working in the harvest? Have we asked Him to send others into the harvest to work for Him? May we do so! Dear…

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” —Matthew 7:13-14 I have heard people say, “Well, I don’t have much of a testimony.” What they are saying is that they were not involved in some gross lifestyle before they trusted the Lord Jesus. But, this is a wrong focus. Every person who has come to Jesus Christ has a powerful testimony because it is about coming through the narrow gate. Jesus is that Narrow Gate—…

Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. —Genesis 19:4-6 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. —Genesis 19:24 The arguments for homosexuality are so illogical and fraudulent. People can do what they want to do. I am…

Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” —Genesis 17:17 I had met with my neighbors awhile back for coffee and we got into a discussion about a woman who had a child when she was 90 years old. My neighbors, being in their mid 80’s laughed, especially the wife. “How can a woman that old have a child?” was her response. So I had the opportunity to share the historical story of Abraham and Sarah and how the Lord God Almighty enabled them to have a…