Author: Norm

THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 10:32-34 “Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:34) By describing Himself as the “Son of Man”, He is claiming to be the Messiah. But why then does He speak of suffering and death and resurrection? This was not the path the disciples expected for the Messiah. As Jesus followers, it is…

THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 10:24-31 “Homes, brothers, sisters… along with persecutions.” (Mark 10:30) Why do we have to receive persecution, can’t God protect us from that? Hardship is often one reason why many people stop following Jesus. Yet hardship is the necessary result of the good news in this screwed up world. God put His creation…

THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 10:17-23 “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23) The door to God’s kingdom is open wide, but not everyone wants the life it represents. God cannot change the kingdom to accommodate our unhealthy desires and values. This man did not want to let go…

THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 55 “But as for me, I trust in you.” (Psalm 55:23) This is more like a Journal entry than a song. David is enduring the bitterness of betrayal, and he is venting with God. His pen and prayer become his outlet for his inner turmoil. I have had Journal entries that have…

THE STORY OF JESUS: 1 Chronicles 28-29 “We have given you only what comes from your hand.” (1 Chronicles 29:14) What do I have that I have not received? My mind, my mouth, my hands, my home, my car, my income, my education, my time? Every about me is a gift from You, a trust to be used well….

THE STORY OF JESUS: 1 Chronicles 23-27 “Here is the list of the men who performed this service…” (1 Chronicles 25:1) If you are like me, you tend to skip the lists of names in the bible. Why would lists of names be inspired by God, how are they helpful or inspiring? And yet a list becomes important if…

THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 10:13-16 “The kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14) Children have often been disregarded or discarded, used or abused in history. God’s heart breaks for such as these, and Jesus reveals God’s love for them. Creation under God-like Adam (the kingdom of God) was a safe place for children….

THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 10:1-12 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law.” (Mark 10:5) There are times when keep a marriage vow can be difficult or impossible. If your partner does not keep their vow, or if they leave you for someone else. But there are also times when we…

THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 9:42-50 “And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out.” (Mark 9:47) Jesus’ words seem extreme – pluck it out, cut it off – but that is the point. Sin, like cancer, requires severe treatment – amputation, chemo or radiation. Jesus describes the hellish consequences of untreated sin… it burns….

THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 9:38-41 “Whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:40) As we follow Jesus, we have more allies than we realize. A person does not have to be “one of us” to be an ally. There are many ‘denominations’ of Christians, yet we are one in Christ. And even non-Christians can…