Mighty Mountain Ministries

DEVELOPING FAITH THROUGH ADVERSITY
“The apostle Paul spent over half of his life serving Christ, and yet he experienced suffering. It doesn’t seem fair, does it? Why would God let one of His servants go through so much pain? We may be asking the same question because of issues we face today. Many believe the Lord should prevent hardship, but He doesn’t necessarily do so in this life.”

“Maybe our reasoning is backwards. We may think faithful Christians don’t deserve to suffer, but suffering aids in the development of faithful Christians. If we all had a life without trials or pain, we’d never really know God, because we’d never need Him. Adversity teaches us more about the Lord than simply reading the Bible ever will. If what we believe is never tested by adversity, it remains head knowledge. The Lord gives us opportunities to apply scriptural truths to the difficulties facing us, and in the process, we find Him faithful. For example, how would Paul ever have known the strength of Christ if he had never been weakened by persecution, pain, and adversity?”

“Trials can either build our faith or lead to discouragement. If you’ll believe what Scripture says and apply its principles to your situation, your trust in God will grow. In that way, your faith will be strengthened through adversity.”- Dr. Charles Stanley- “In Touch”- July 17, 2024

SEEING ADVERSITY FROM GOD’S VIEWPOINT
“When adversity hits you like a ton of bricks, it could easily cause discouragement. However, God’s purpose in the hardship is not to destroy you; His goal is to stimulate your spiritual growth. In His great wisdom, the Lord knows how to take a situation and use it to transform you into the image of Christ.”

“Every adversity that touches your life has been sifted through God’s permissive will. That doesn’t mean the difficulty itself is His perfect will, but He’s allowed the trial so He can use it to achieve His good purposes for you. While some of the suffering we see and experience may seem senseless and awful, we have a very limited perspective and can’t always understand what God is doing.”

“Our heavenly Father sees every aspect of life, but our view is restricted to what’s right before us. His plans include not only you but also all of His creation, and they reach from the beginning of time to eternity. Though we’ll never grasp the infinite mind of God, we can know His faithfulness and love.”

“When you can’t understand God’s ways, focus on the truth that He has perfect knowledge, wisdom, and power. Remember, the entire picture is clear to the One who loves you more than you can imagine. This is a time to walk by faith, as perfect understanding will come only in heaven.”- Dr. Charles Stanley- “In Touch”- July 16, 2024

THE SOURCES OF ADVERSITY
“Have you ever wondered why God allows painful situations in our life? To our way of thinking, this simply doesn’t fit with His role as our loving heavenly Father. In order to understand what’s going on, let’s consider the possible sources of adversity:

• A Fallen World. When sin entered the world, suffering came with it. God could have protected us from these harmful effects by making us like puppets who couldn’t choose to sin. But that would also have meant being unable to choose to love Him, since love, by its very nature, is voluntary.

• Our Own Doing. Sometimes we get ourselves into trouble with sinful choices. If the Lord rescued us from every negative consequence, we’d never grow into mature believers.

• Satanic Attack. The Devil’s goal is to destroy our testimony, thereby making us weak and useless for God’s purposes.

• God’s Sovereignty. Ultimately, the Lord has authority over all adversity that comes our way. To deny His involvement contradicts His power and sovereignty over creation.”

“For us to accept that God allows affliction, we must see adversity from His perspective. Is your focus on your pain or on God and His faithfulness? For us as believers, God doesn’t allow adversity unless He can use it for our benefit and His good purposes.”- Dr. Charles Stanley- “In Touch”- July 15, 2024

THE FOUNDATION OF UNWAVERING FAITH
“In our ever-changing world, friendships drift, families move, and technology advances. If we seek security in people, position, or possessions, we’re going to be disappointed. Yet we all need somewhere to turn during the storms of life. The one true anchor for our soul is Jesus, who never changes. To find comfort in Him, we must learn who He is and how He works. Today we will explore a few details about His life and character.”

“John 1:1 reveals that Jesus was Deity from the beginning. Fully God and fully man, He was born of a virgin, lived 33 years on earth, was crucified despite His innocence, and rose after three days. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—the Christ, the Son of the living God (John 14:6; Matthew 16:16). Our Lord fulfilled innumerable Old Testament prophecies, such as Isaiah 53. Like us, Jesus has feelings—He wept for hurting people and felt angry when people misused the temple. Most importantly, His resurrection defeated death, and He still lives today.”

“The merciful, loving, compassionate, and holy Jesus we know from Scripture is the same Messiah we can cling to today. Difficult circumstances are inevitable. Prepare yourself for them by learning who Jesus is—He’s the only true Shelter and Rock that will not change. What a wonderful Savior!”- Dr Charles Stanley- “In Touch”- July 13, 2024

SEEK THE LIGHT
“Back before we had GPS-enabled maps on our phones and in our cars, people navigated on road trips using paper maps. This was challenging enough during the day, but at least there was light. But at night, road maps were doubly challenging since the interior lights in cars were rarely bright enough to make map reading easy.”

“Light is a critical ingredient when navigating on the road or through life. When we encounter dead-ends, roadblocks, detours, or other challenges when traveling through life, we need the brightest light possible: Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, and His Word. When seeking the guidance and direction we need, we should go first to God in prayer—and then to His Word. The psalmist declared God’s Word to be a lamp to his feet and a light to his path. In that day, tiny oil lamps would only illuminate a path for a short distance. We must trust God to illuminate our next steps, not the entire journey at once.”

“Trust the God who is Light and His Word if you are in need of direction (2 Timothy 3:16).”—Dr. David Jeremiah- “Turning Point”- July 4, 2024

COMFORT IN OLD AGE--Becky Ritchey (Kansas, USA)- “The Upper Room”- July 10, 2024

“One morning I woke up with a stiff neck and a throbbing headache. I have arthritis in my neck from a past injury that causes occasional headaches, but this one was worse than usual. With my husband away on business and no family living close by, I felt weak and vulnerable. I texted a prayer request to the women in my weekly Bible study. They soon texted back their prayers. One woman, Sarah, called to pray with me over the phone.”

“One of Sarah’s prayers particularly grabbed my attention: ‘God, we thank you for the body parts that are working well.’ Hearing her words, I realized how often my conversations with friends are dominated by complaints over our aches and ailments. At 68, I sometimes feel like everything in my body is wearing out. I’m ashamed to confess that it hadn’t occurred to me to thank God for the parts that are still working.”

“When our call ended, I took time to thank God for eyes that can still see sunsets and red roses; for ears that can still hear symphonies and my dog’s delighted squeals; for a mouth that can still taste strawberries and chocolate and fried chicken. Soon, joy replaced my distress as I remembered God’s promise to care for me even as I grow old.”

TODAY'S PRAYER
“Father God, thank you for our wonderful bodies. Thank you for promising to care for us all our days, even as our bodies are aging. Amen.”

SHINE HIS LIGHT
“In 1961, President John F. Kennedy quoted a phrase from the Puritan John Winthrop’s 1630 sermon in which he referenced ‘a city upon a hill,’ referring to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in colonial America. In 1980, President Ronald Reagan used the same phrase in his campaign speeches. While Kennedy and Reagan were quoting John Winthrop, Winthrop himself was quoting Jesus: ‘A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.’”

“Jesus made that statement in His Sermon on the Mount while telling His disciples, ‘You are the light of the world.... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:14, 16). Jesus was the Light of the World (John 8:12) who imparted His light to His disciples. He wanted them not to hide their light; He wanted their light to be as visible to the world as a city on a hill.”

“If you have Christ in your life, let the world see Him and His light shining through you today. The purpose of your light is that God may be glorified.”- Dr. David Jeremiah- “Turning Point”- July 9, 2024

LIGHT OF THE WORLD
“When the Hebrew slaves traveled through the Sinai wilderness, God provided a pillar of cloud to guide them during the day and a pillar of fire to guide them at night (Exodus 13:20-22). The fire in the midst of darkness at night was ‘to give them light on the road which they should travel’ (Nehemiah 9:12).”

“Jesus reminded the Jews of His day of the need for spiritual light in a spiritually dark world, calling Himself ‘the light of the world.’ The darker the night, the more our need for light. He was reminding them that ‘God is light and in Him is no darkness at all’ (1 John 1:5). Sadly, both in Jesus’ day and in ours, the darkness in this world doesn’t always understand the light of Christ (John 1:3-9). But all who embrace the light of Christ are given the right to become ‘children of God’ (John 1:12). Make sure you are a child of God by believing in Christ, by letting His light become the light of your life.”- Dr. David Jeremiah- “Turning Point”- July 8, 2024

REFRESHED- Robert E. Boertien (Oregon, USA)- “The Upper Room”- July 8, 2024
“I was attempting to process a document for the senior center where I volunteer, but the sender wanted an electronic signature. On a good day I can master email, but I soon concluded that the e-signature wasn’t going to happen.”

“I have had similar frustrations with computer passwords, weak cell phone signals, dropped calls, car clocks that don’t want to be reset, and smart televisions that are clearly smarter than me. What a blessing it is, I thought, that our Lord offers frustration-free, two-way communication 24 hours a day, seven days a week! The lines are always open, and no password is required. A simple prayer uttered during a busy day never results in an error message.”

“I realize the value and efficiency of the latest technology, but I’m far more comfortable with low-tech devices. I also prefer the simple practices of prayer, meditation, and communing with nature. While modern technology can at times leave me feeling exhausted, a walk and talk with the Holy One on a forest path has never failed to leave me feeling refreshed and recommitted to following Christ by loving others.”

TODAY'S PRAYER
“O Lord, thank you for allowing us unlimited access to your peace and mercy, even in this busy, sometimes confusing world. Amen.”

THE POWER OF PATIENCE
“Picture yourself in a checkout line that hasn’t moved for 10 minutes. Many of us would feel frustrated; we want quick results.”

“Everyone struggles with some degree of impatience. We’re born with this trait—think about a hungry baby. The natural reaction is to fuss at the first hint of discomfort and to keep at it until the need is met. Patterns from our sin nature make this a continual battle, but one that is very much worth fighting.”

“In the Bible, the word patience can refer to both longsuffering and perseverance. It reveals itself when we are willing to wait without frustration while suffering or experiencing some strong desire. What’s more, being patient means accepting whatever God chooses to give (or not to give) and willingly receiving it on His timetable. In the meantime, we should pray and obey as we seek His direction. The danger of impatience is that we might miss the Lord’s perfect plan and blessing. But when we trust our Father’s will and timing, we will know inner peace.”

“Remember to carefully examine whether you are taking matters into your own hands or releasing the circumstance to almighty God. Follow Psalm 37:7, which says, ‘Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.’ And always remember to seek God’s way and His timing.”- Dr. Charles Stanley- “In Touch Devotional”- July 3, 2024

PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER
“Scripture calls us to encourage, help, and get along with others— but most of us know at least one person with whom we have more conflict than comfort. Discord can take many forms: Personalities may not mesh; different belief systems can lead to arguments; and words or actions might be misunderstood. But through the Lord, almost any difference can be overcome.”

“Living in submission to Jesus creates a channel by which His goodness and grace can flow through us and create harmony. First, when we make a habit of lifting up the other person in prayer, divine grace becomes part of the situation. Next, to uncover the conflict’s source, we must be willing to share our concerns and listen to the other’s point of view. This means honestly discussing the issue, whether a past wound, incorrect assumption, or unhealthy thought pattern. (Sometimes working through this step requires enlisting the aid of a godly counselor.) Finally, once the root issue is known, both parties must cooperate in restoring harmony—and maintaining it by agreeing to confront new issues as needed.”

“God desires that believers live in peace, but He knows we can’t achieve this on our own. That’s why He gave us a Helper—the Holy Spirit—through whom we can attain unity and be bound together in peace (Ephesians 4:1-6).”- Dr. Charles Stanley- “In Touch Ministries”- June 23, 2024

FRIEND TO THE LONELY
“Holly Cooke didn’t have one single friend when she moved to London for a job. Her weekends felt miserable. The city itself tops the list for feeling blue—with 55 percent of Londoners saying they’re lonely, according to a global survey, compared to just 10 percent of residents in neighborly Lisbon, Portugal.”

“For connection, Holly defied her fears and formed a social media group called The London Lonely Girls Club—and some thirty-five thousand have joined. Small-group meetups every few weeks offer park picnics, art lessons, jewelry workshops, dinners, and even outdoor exercise sessions with puppies.”

“The challenge of loneliness isn’t new, nor is the Healer of our feelings of isolation. Our eternal God, wrote David, ‘sets the lonely in families; he leads out the prisoners with singing’ (Psalm 68:6). Asking God to point our way to Christlike friends is a holy privilege and, thus, a request we can freely take to Him. ‘A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling’ (v. 5), added David. ‘Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens’ (v. 19).”

“What a friend we have in Jesus! He grants us forever friends, starting with the glorious presence of Himself every moment. As Holly says, ‘Friend time is good for the soul.’”

PRAYER
“When my heart feels lonely, dear Jesus, please point me to a good friend—starting with You.”- Patricia Raybon-“Our Daily Bread”- June 18, 2024

HE’S ALWAYS THERE!
“Toddlers love to launch out on walks by themselves. They walk ahead of their parent without looking back—except when they do look back. Without fail a toddler will glance backward or even stop and turn around as if to say, ‘Are you still with me?’ Once assured of the parent’s presence, he forges ahead.”

“We are like toddlers in that we need to be assured of God’s presence, especially during difficult times. We can’t turn around and see Him, but we can read the promises of His presence in Scripture. When the Israelites were about to invade the Promised Land, Moses assured them that God would be with them (Deuteronomy 31:6). The psalmist David wrote that God was with him even in ‘the valley of the shadow of death’ where ‘goodness and mercy’ were always following him (Psalm 23:4, 6). And Jesus said, ‘I am with you always’ (Matthew 28:20).”

“You are never alone if you belong to Christ. He is there to share your burdens and guide your steps.”- Dr. David Jeremiah- “Turning Point”- June 18, 2024

DECLUTTERING OUR LIVES- Christine Hay (Scotland, United Kingdom)- “The Upper Room”- June 18, 2024
Dr“I enjoy watching TV programs where the hosts are invited into people’s homes to help them clean. The houses are overflowing with items, causing stress to the families living there. If the family commits to getting rid of half their belongings, the show’s team will clean their house, provide new storage solutions, and reorganize each room. It is satisfying to see the joy on the family members’ faces when they return to see their ‘new’ home. And when the team visits again a few weeks later, the families are still reaping the benefits of the experience.”

“I wonder if we are like this spiritually. Are our lives cluttered by many things that hinder our time spent with God? Perhaps we need to cut down on the time we spend on work, leisure activities, social media, and socializing and dedicate more time prioritizing our relationship with God through prayer, Bible reading, and meditation. Let’s commit to spending more time with God and see what a difference it makes. I think the benefits will be out of this world.”

TODAY'S PRAYER
“Loving Father, help us to take every opportunity to be near to you so that we may grow closer to you and your peace that passes all understanding. Amen.”

EVERY MOMENT COUNTS
“When the Titanic hit an iceberg in April 1912, Pastor John Harper secured a spot for his six-year-old daughter in one of the limited number of lifeboats. He gave his life-vest to a fellow passenger and shared the gospel with anyone who would listen. As the vessel sank and hundreds of people awaited an unlikely rescue, Harper swam from one person to another and said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved’ (Acts 16:31 kjv).”

“During a meeting for survivors of the Titanic in Ontario, Canada, one man referred to himself as ‘the last convert of John Harper.’ Having rejected Harper’s first invitation, the man received Christ when the preacher asked him again. He watched as Harper devoted the last moments of his life to sharing Jesus before succumbing to hypothermia and sinking below the surface of the icy water.”

“In his charge to Timothy, the apostle Paul encourages a similar urgency and dedication to selfless evangelism. Affirming God’s constant presence and the inevitable return of Jesus, Paul charges Timothy to preach with patience and precision (2 Timothy 4:1-2). The apostle reminds the young preacher to remain focused, though some people will reject Jesus (vv. 3-5).”

“Our days are limited, so every moment counts. We can be confident that our Father secured our spot in heaven as we proclaim, ‘Jesus saves!’”--Xochitl Dixon- “Our Daily Bread”- June 10, 2024

FEAR NOT! - Ashish Martin (Gujarat, India)- “The Upper Room”- June 8, 2024

“On the Goa beach on the western coast of India we sat in a boat preparing to set off for a dolphin observation tour. The sea was a little bit stormy, and our fellow passengers were anxious and frightened. At that moment, my daughter Sheril told me that she was thinking of Peter, who walked across the water toward Jesus but, becoming frightened, began to sink. When Jesus is with us, we need not be afraid of anything else.”

“In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve hid from God out of fear. Fear is the first negative emotion mentioned in the Bible. Sin and fear take us far away from God. No matter how much we may try to eliminate fear, it confronts us again and again. First Peter 5:7 says, ‘Cast all your anxiety on [God], because he cares for you.’ Our Lord never leaves us alone. He remains with us through the whole of our journey. Let us release our fears and worries and trust in God’s presence and His LOVE”

TODAY'S PRAYER
“Dear Jesus, thank you for your perfect love that casts out fear. Grant us strength that we may live fearlessly because we are with you.”

OUR EVER-PRESENT GOD-Daniel Jacobs (South Dakota, USA)- “The Upper Room”- June 2, 2024
“As a healthy 16-year-old, I never expected for my doctor to diagnose me with anything serious, especially not a mental illness like depression. But that’s exactly what happened. I had been struggling with “feeling down” for the last six months or so, always expecting to snap out of it at some point; but over time it slowly got worse. I started to struggle with suicidal attempts and self-harm. Life began to feel hopeless and empty. Because I felt as though God had finally given up on me, I began to give up on myself.”

“Then one night during my Bible reading, I began studying 1 Peter 4. As I read, I found new hope and a new reason to be alive. I remembered God’s promise in Deuteronomy 31:8 —' God will never leave us.’ Yes, we may go through times of suffering, but we can grow stronger in faith by relying on God’s power to equip us to get through the struggle.”

“God is our strength. God is for us, never against us, and says to us, ‘I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you’ (Isa. 41:13, NIV).”

TODAY'S PRAYER
“Dear God, help us never to lose hope and always to trust in you. Amen.”

A RACE TO THE BACK OF THE LINE
“Have you ever met people who were famous or highly esteemed? How did you treat them? You likely spoke with deep respect, deferred to them, and considered their needs as greater than your own. That’s the natural response when we feel we’re in the presence of someone ‘important.”

“When Paul says to ‘give preference to one another in honor’ (Rom.12:10), he is essentially telling us to treat others as if they are the most important people in the room—not because they are, but because they’ve been created in God’s image. We are called to consider others as greater than ourselves (Philippians 2:3), loving and honoring them the way the Lord does.”

“Loving as God loves includes a willingness to lay down the need to be first, the need to be right, and the need to have things our own way. Instead, we choose the way of the cross, humbly leveraging who we are and what’s been given to us for the benefit of those around us.”

“Let’s continually race each other to the back of the line. When we do this well, our friendships, families, churches, and communities will be filled with people intent on showing honor by deferring to one another. As a result, we’ll be honoring the One who created us all.”- In Touch Ministries- “In Touch” - May 31, 2024

THE WORST AND THE BEST- Mark A. Carter (Oregon, USA)-“The Upper Room”- May 31, 2024
“As we sat down for dinner, our grandson looked at the table and said, ‘Wow, we’ve got enough to feed the whole town.’ My wife and I looked at each other, remembering a time when the table was not so full and the whole town fed us. Setbacks and illness had pretty much destroyed our faith, and many times we lived on the charity of others, wondering when, or even if, things were going to get better.”

“But even the worst of times were also the best because we learned valuable lessons about ourselves, our neighbors, and most importantly our God. We found a strength in our faith that we didn’t have before, and we knew that God was working through others to show us that no matter how dark the times, God was always with us. We developed an attitude of thanksgiving, knowing that God would never give up on us.”

“Eventually we did get back on our feet, and what we went through became only a stark memory. But we will never forget what God did for us, and we will be forever grateful. God filled our table; but more importantly, God filled our lives.”

TODAY'S PRAYER
“Heavenly Father, remind us always to give thanks for who you are and for what you do every day. Amen.”

ENJOY YOUR FREEDOM
“The doors of the school burst open on the last day of school, and kids come pouring out, laughing with joy that school is out for three whole months. Freedom! Summer certainly represents a measure of freedom for everyone. Because school is out, families are free from carpools, homework, and other activities that regulate the school year calendar.”

“As glorious as the freedom of summer is, there is a greater freedom that lasts all year long and which is only found in the Son of God: the freedom from bo***ge to sin and the guilt of the law. Just as children are freed from the regulations and policies of school for three months, Christians are freed from the regulations of the law forever. But liberty is not license. Being free from the law doesn’t mean we are free to indulge our sinful nature. Rather, we are free—by the power of the indwelling Spirit—to please God because we want to, not because we have to. The Spirit writes God’s law on our heart, giving us a newfound freedom to please Him (Jeremiah 31:33).”

“Enjoy the freedom of the summer! Even more, enjoy the freedom granted by the Son of God by which you are “’free indeed.’”- Dr. David Jeremiah-“Turning Point”- May 31, 2024

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2

REALLY LOVE OTHERS
“Many of us make it a point to show interest when we’re with other people. We’ve learned how important it is to be cordial, make small talk, and express concern at the right moments, all of which are commendable. But take a moment to consider ways that God might want you to go further.”

“Pleasantries and polite chit chat are a good way to break the ice and begin a friendship. But watch for when God might be calling you to strive for something richer. Are you available and willing to go beneath the surface? Loving others well requires sacrifice—an investment of time and heartfelt energy in those relationships. It might involve shifting the calendar to spend time with a friend who needs to talk through a problem. Or it could mean going without an unnecessary purchase in order to bless someone who is hurting financially.”

“There are times when the Lord wants our relationships to go deeper, even when doing so gets messy. After all, isn’t that exactly what Jesus did with us? He loved us so profoundly that He gave His very life on the cross (Romans 5:8). Let’s follow His example by giving away a little more of our own life as we commit to truly loving the people around us.”- In Touch Ministries- “In Touch Devotional”- May 30, 2024

WHAT IS REQUIRED? - Jean Bonin (Alberta, Canada)-“The Upper Room”-May 30, 2024

“When I became a Christian, I was excited and wanted to please God. I thought the only way I could please God was by doing, so I became a super volunteer in my church and community. Unfortunately, as I overcommitted myself to acts of service, I became less enthusiastic. I wore myself out and started feeling like a failure as a Christian.”

“It has been a long time since those early days when I was learning how to grow and share my faith. I am still excited about my love for God, and I still eagerly look for opportunities to share that love with others. However, I have learned that it’s not simply an act of service that pleases the Lord but also how we do the act of service. To please God, I do not need to overcommit myself to work that I can’t do wholeheartedly — but I do have to commit myself to the Lord.”

“In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus reiterated Micah’s words when he spoke of the importance of loving the Lord and loving our neighbor. Every life experience is an opportunity to humbly exalt God as we do justice and love others with kindness and mercy.”

COMMUNION WITH OUR LORD
“Take a moment to reflect on Christ’s sacrifice. Jesus, the One without sin, took on mankind’s sins—past, present, and future—to save us from eternal separation from the Father. He willingly gave His life so we might be reconciled to God and live with Him forever. As we ponder this amazing demonstration of grace and love, our response should be a strong desire to spend time with Him.”

“Child of God, you were designed to have sweet communion with your heavenly Father. Jesus died so that you and I might become part of His family. How strong is your need for fellowship with Him? Does it override the clamor of the week’s events or get lost in the demands of daily living?”- In Touch Ministries- “In Touch Devotional”- May 29, 2024

ADVICE FROM ONE OLDER

““What do I regret?” That was the question New York Times bestselling writer George Saunders answered in his 2013 commencement speech at Syracuse University. His approach was that of an older person (Saunders) who shared one or two regrets he’d had in life with the younger people (graduates) who could learn something from his examples. He listed a few things people might assume he regretted, like being poor and working terrible jobs. But Saunders said he really didn’t regret those at all. What he did regret, however, were failures of kindness—those opportunities he had to be kind to someone, and he let them pass.

“The apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Ephesus answering this question: What does the Christian life look like? It’s tempting to rush in with our answers, like possessing a particular political view, avoiding certain books or films, worshiping in a particular manner. But Paul’s approach didn’t limit him to contemporary issues. He does mention abstaining from ‘unwholesome talk’ (Ephesians 4:29) and ridding ourselves of things like bitterness and anger (v. 31). Then to conclude his ‘speech,’ in essence, he says to the Ephesians as well as to us, ‘Don’t fail to be kind’ (v. 32). And the reason behind that is because in Christ, God has been kind to you.” Of all the things we believe the life in Jesus to be, one of them, surely, is to be kind.”- John Blasé- “Our Daily Bread”- May 29, 2024