“So let your words be few.” (Ecclesiastes 5:2) In a busy, crowded restaurant, the server asked what I’d like to drink. She had other customers, so my response might have stretched her patience. “Well, it has been a long day and I’m thirsty, but I think I’d like, uh, maybe………I guess……….perhaps……..why not……I’ll try……um……..a diet coke.” She answered, “Are you sure?” It makes me laugh to think about that moment. A few decisively short, brief, succinct, concise, specific words would …

“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” (John 3:30) In the context, people were going more and more to Jesus and less to John the Baptist. John celebrates Jesus becoming more popular as he is fades into the background. What a profound life principle. Humility. It seems like we are lacking examples of it in our world today, particularly in our political world. I have come to a deeper conviction that finishing well is not possible without humility. Following th…

John 2:1-5 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother told him, "They have no more wine." 4"Dear woman, that's not our problem," Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 5But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Every day we face many decisions. We are confronted with proble…

Luke 10:21 At the same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and He said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.” “At the same time” = The 72 messengers returned with a joyful report (Luke 10:17). Jesus told them not to rejoice because evil spirits obeyed them but rejoice because their names are written in he…

"...but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened." (Luke 8:56b) Reading Luke 8 yesterday, I was intrigued about the end of the chapter where Jesus had just done a miraculous healing. He restored a girl to life, but insists that they not tell anyone about it. He encouraged them keep it quiet. Why? There was a similar situation in Luke 5 where Jesus healed a man with leprosy but told him not to tell anyone. Why? Was the time for telling a “not yet” thing? Perhaps Jesus didn…