Author: Norm

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 130 “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3) I know that there is stuff in my life that is not good. Things I’ve said or done, unhealthy attitudes, selfish thinking, deceptive words. Sins of omission (stuff I should’ve done), sins of commission (stuff I shouldn’t have done). “But…

SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 8-9 “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” (2 Corinthians 8:2) Do trials or times of poverty produce overflowing joy or rich generosity in me? In these two chapters Paul manages to avoid using guilt as a motive for giving. He shows how…

SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 5-7 “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” (2 Corinthians 5:9) This is our goal, no matter what, in life or death… Good times and bad, moments or glory or gory – may the Lord be honoured. A desire to please the…

SCRIPTURE: Acts 7:17-29 “Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.” (Acts 7:25) Stephen sets the stage to show how Jesus was also rejected by “his own people”. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. (John 1:1) The…

SCRIPTURE: Acts 7:1-16 “But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles.” (Acts 7:9-10) Stephen is accused of slandering the temple and the law (Acts 6:13-14). The temple is where God lives among His people; it represents ‘God with us’. Stephen reminds them how God was with them everywhere – Mesopotamia, Haran, and Egypt. The…

SCRIPTURE: Acts 6:8-15 “They could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.” (Acts 6:10) Jesus promised that the Spirit would help the disciples speak. (Matthew 10:19-20) I’ve had times when I could sense the Spirit of Jesus speaking through me. But I have also had times when I felt my words were…

SCRIPTURE: Acts 6:1-7 “Known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.” (Acts 6:3) Every believer is full of the Spirit, and has the wisdom of Jesus. But some reveal that more than others, some are ‘known’ to have them.; In other words, while every Jesus follower has these traits, not all use them. Stephen is especially…

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 129 “They have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me.” (Psalm 129:2) I am reminded of Paul’s words: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) As difficult as life…

SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 3-4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Satan is only the ‘god of this age’ through deception. Ever since Genesis 3, he has been deceiving God’s image-bearer rulers….

SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 1-2 “Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.” (2 Corinthians 2:7) In his previous letter, Paul was quite stern about dealing with a sinner in their midst (1 Corinthians 5). But now Paul’s gracious side shows through, and he urges them to be loving and supportive….