SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 34-39 “But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. (Isaiah 35:9-10) Israel is a weak, helpless nation; their only sure hope and defence…
Author: Norm
Jesus hangs out with sinners!?!?
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:1-7 Do sinners feel welcome or judged when they meet with Christians? These sinners enjoyed Jesus’ company, they were drawn to His gracious welcome. We should not assume that they had all already repented. His gracious welcome was a part of His seeking, His going after the lost sheep. As with Zacchaeus, He ate…
Do I still want the position?
SCRIPTURE: Luke 14:25-35 Imagine you are looking for a job, and you go to a information meeting about a sales position. As they describe the position, you realize they want committed, focused sales people. The only issue is, you are not that good at sales, in fact you hate selling stuff to people. What do you…
God wants a full house!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 14:15-24 “I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.” (Luke 14:24) If anyone misses out on the kingdom feast, it won’t be because they weren’t invited. In the context, the Jews are the ones who are making excuses, who are missing out. Those who were outsiders…
The invitation
SCRIPTURE: Luke 14:7-14 When you are invited, take the lowest place. When you invite, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. And you will be honoured, you will be blessed. In our upward mobility world, Jesus advocates downward mobility. The specific examples may not be relevant to our situation, but the underlying principles are….
What is God saying to you?
This Sunday (June 22) I am speaking on Luke 14:7-14. Please write a sentence or two of what You hear God saying in this passage?
At home with God in the world
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 90 For Moses, life was anything but stable: born within a slave culture, hidden and then adopted by the Pharoah’s daughter, raised in Egyptian wealth, on the run because he defended a Hebrew brother, hiding in the desert for 40 years, called to confront Pharoah and lead Israel from bondage, the journey through the…
Missing out on God’s peace and rest?
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 28-33 God’s missionary people, meant to bless the nations, has become corrupt. They have stopped trusting God, they are hoping Egypt will help them. Through these verses God warns them, predicts a time of judgment, reminds them of His deep love, and describes a day when God will set up His king, and the…
True religion
SCRIPTURE: Luke 14:1-6 God’s ultimate goal for us is joy, blessing, wholeness, peace. This is why God gives the gift of sabbath (Hebrew word for rest). To rest is refreshing, healing, drawing us into God’s blessing. For Jesus, this man is missing out on God’s ultimate goal, and He does something about it. He gives this…
Turn your vote into a prayer
We have an election for Ontario provincial government tomorrow. Many people are expressing discouragement, frustration, and uncertainty about how to vote. I also have little confidence in any of the parties or their leaders. Each one makes bold promises, each one dreams big dreams. But we’ve been there before, year after year we end up…