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…
Author: Norm
He will not give up!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 13:31-35 Have you ever been deeply concerned for someone you love? You are concerned for their life, their well-being, or their choices. You want desperately to help them, but you can’t. Imagine that you want to help them, but they don’t want help. Their addicted to something, but deny there is a problem. They…
Bad table manners?
SCRIPTURE: Luke 13:28-30 There is room for everyone at God’s table. But God won’t let people with bad table manners disrupt His grace feast. The Jews wanted to sit at the table, but wouldn’t allow anyone else to join them. Jesus warns that hate for others would hinder their place at God’s table. God’s table is…
Saved to be a good-doer
SCRIPTURE: Luke 13:22-27 If God wants all people saved (1 Timothy 2:4), why are many not saved? The answer is here: “Away from me, all you evil-doers!” (Luke 13:27) It is not because God didn’t want them, or that they were not chosen. It is because they lived their whole life fighting God and hurting others. In the context it…
What is God saying to you?
This Sunday (June 15) I am speaking on Luke 13:31-35. Please write a sentence or two of what You hear God saying in this passage?
But God, You said…
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 89 The basic idea of this Psalm is reminding God about His promises. “You said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’” (Psalm 89:3-4) “If his sons forsake my law… I will punish…
Listen for the voice of hope
Fix your eyes on Jesus!
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 21-27 It seems that whenever humans are in charge, things become pretty bad. “The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes…
The Name above all Names
According to Muslim tradition, there are 99 Names of God (Allah). Reading this list, all of them are true for Jews and Christians too. But how these names are understood depends on which Name takes priority. For Jesus, the Name that takes priority over all others is “Father”. This is the starting point, and this Name/Idea gives…
Little deed, big difference!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 13:18-21 The kingdom of God is this world as God meant it to be. And that means us being (and living) as God meant us to be. Jesus says that living like God, though appearing weak, is really powerful. How can the act of forgiveness change a life? How can patient, gentle love transform…