SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 21-27 The leaders (shepherds) of Israel have failed to speak and act for justice and mercy (21:11f). The prophets keep saying ‘everything if fine, no worries, God will protect you!’ (23:17) The leaders do what they want, the prophets say what they want… and God is fed up. He is sending Babylon to defeat…
Author: Norm
God will speak (and work) through me!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 21:10-19 I’ve never been persecuted… but I’ve also kept a low profile as a christian. Keep it quiet, don’t rock the boat, avoid drawing attention to myself. Maybe I am not persecuted because my light is under a bowl – hidden. But this also means I miss out on the Lord giving me the…
The church that impresses God
SCRIPTURE: Luke 21:5-9 This reading makes me think of Shania Twain’s song, ‘That don’t impress me much!’ The disciples are impressed by the beautiful temple structures – like an impressive mega-church complex. I think of a huge church I attended in New Orleans, and someone in the group with me said, ‘wow, wouldn’t you like to…
Big heart, big gift!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 21:1-4 It is not the size of the gift, but of the giver’s heart, that counts. God can do more with this widow’s penny, than with the sizable donations of the rich. God doesn’t need our money, but He does need – and desires – our hearts, our commitment. Better big heart with little…
The best leader of all!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 20:41-47 Jesus, grilled by the religious leaders, turns the tables on them, and challenges their spiritual authority. Quoting from Psalm 110, He shows them that the Messiah is supposed to be even greater than David. Not just the son of David, but the ‘Lord’ of David. The problem is that we need a Leader (Messiah)…
With Jesus on judgement day!
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 98 Will there be a day of final reckoning? Will every person stand before God one day to give an account of their life? I believe YES, one day God will judge our hearts and lives, our attitudes and actions. That which is good will be honoured as good; that which is evil will…
The Lord challenges the church (and me)!
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 14-20 The Old Testament Church (Israel) had become really corrupt, cruel, immoral, wicked, greedy, selfish… God challenges them through Jeremiah, and warns them that the day of punishment is coming. Jeremiah is the bearer of these bad tidings, and he is attacked because of them. In these chapters, Jeremiah brings God’s message, but also…
How little we know!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 20:27-40 “They can no longer die… they are children of the resurrection.” (Luke 20:36) God designed humans for living, not dying. Death is such a ‘normal’ part of life for us, we cannot imagine no death. We know what we know (including how we understand marriage, and death, for example). But the life that follows…
Overcoming evil with good!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 20:20-26 “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Luke 20:25) Jesus did not advocate rebellion. His way of bringing in God’s kingdom was not violent revolution. Even though the Caesars were not morally good leaders, they were God-appointed. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is…
He looks directly at me too
SCRIPTURE: Luke 20:9-19 “Jesus looked directly at them and asked…” (Luke 20:17). Yesterday we saw how Jesus answered the religious leaders with a question, and silenced them. Here Jesus takes charge of the conversation, and the religious leaders feel the edge of His words. “They knew He had spoken this parable against them.” (Luke 20:19) The sense of…