jacqui bishop

The Love You Have to Give

It is true that once you have caught the truth of God’s love for you, you will naturally want to give it away. Jesus told us that our love for each other would be a sign to all that we belong to Him. This is a supernatural thing; it’s not a guilt trip. A lack of love is a sign that we need to get back to the source: God. We will come to the end of our own capacity to love, but the love we have to give comes from He who loves us no matter what we ever did or will ever do. Take some time to let that truth wash over you today.

The Love You Have to Give Read More »

Alighting Hope in Advent Season

In the first week of Advent, let us consider the purple candle: The Hope Candle. The purple color of the candle represents repentance, and also royalty. What better way to enter this time of year than turning from our sins and towards Jesus, our King of Kings and the one who has the authority to forgive us. Hope comes from seeing the light, even when that light shines on the things that we try to hide: our guilt and shame. Let’s not confuse hope with wishful thinking. When Jesus – who is the Light of the World – shines upon us, we can have hope because we know Him. We know that He has already come and is yet to come again. What a hope we have that we can see how these prophecies were fulfilled once in Jesus’ life on earth, they are fulfilled through our lives in Him and they will be fulfilled ultimately when we see Him again.

Alighting Hope in Advent Season Read More »

Jesus Will Give You Another Chance 

Have you ever been given a second chance? What a gift! A second chance could be as simple as an eraser at the end of your pencil, or it could be as complex as restoration within a broken relationship. I can think of many opportunities that the grace of a second chance has been offered to me, even some when I didn’t really deserve it. There’s a clear and present question that’s as human as the reality that we all make mistakes: how many chances do I get? How many chances do I have to give? Thankfully, Peter asked Jesus this exact question.

Jesus Will Give You Another Chance  Read More »

Advent: The Gift of Longing for Home

Advent opens our eyes to the faithfulness of God to keep His promises in the past and we’re reassured the best is yet to come. We have no idea exactly when He will come again, but the Holy Spirit highlights those precious promises in the Bible that strengthen our faith. The same wonderful promises that inspire us to go and seek those who need to hear them. We are blessed and given a guide for fellowship with others in these promises. We are equipped and empowered for every good work by the promises.

Advent: The Gift of Longing for Home Read More »

Why We Give Thanks

There is plenty to give thanks for – over a year every human has thought about a lot, experienced a vast array of emotions and achieved much. I’m so glad there are Thanksgivings, where we honor that reverie to look back and acknowledge all that has occurred. The most poignant Thanksgiving meals have been the ones where our challenges, heartbreaks and disappointments are right there in the middle of it all. When we pause to reflect on gratitude in that moment, things tend to become crystal clear. When the budget is tight, we’re thankful that God has provided. When we’re facing the first holiday with someone missing, we’re thankful for the loved ones who are present. When something didn’t turn out the way we thought, we can thank God for hope in the future.

Why We Give Thanks Read More »

4 Verses to Help You Share Your Faith

While it is true that you can’t earn salvation, some believe God’s gift costs them nothing. Others mistakenly believe that practicing religious rituals or doing good deeds is what God requires. Both extremes miss the way to receive God’s free gift. A heart that believes He is alive will know that is how we can go on living this life on earth and be with Him in heaven. And how good is this full circle moment? Romans 10:13-14 reminds us that when we call on the name of Jesus, we get to tell others!

4 Verses to Help You Share Your Faith Read More »