I started reading John Ortberg’s God Is Closer Than You Think, and already the first chapter is resonating with my heart. He describes how God’s Great Desire is to be in relationship with us. He uses the painting of Michelangelo where God is reaching out to Adam (The Creation of Man, Sistine Chapel). He then…
Author: Norm
is Jesus amazed by my faith?
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 8 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! [Matthew 8:10] In this chapter we see faith in action. We also see grace where there is no faith is evident. And we…
“The Shack” sermon series
I am preparing for a series of messages based on the top-selling and controversial fictional novel, “The Shack” by William P. Young. These messages, beginning Sunday, Nov 30, will be a part of our anticipation of Christmas, or the celebration of the birth of Jesus. I will post links to the sermons here.
pearls and pigs?
What does Matthew 7:6 mean:“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you”?
an unlikely evangelist
Not sure if you’ve seen this, but its amazing. A simple, yet profound wisdom. As you watch this, its worth looking at Luke 10:21.
I want to want to be like Him!
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 7 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. [Matthew 7:21] The teachings of Jesus are hard, very hard. They go against the grain of human nature. They cut to the heart of…
putting God first
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be (Matthew 6:21). Whatever I love the most, that is my ‘god’. Whatever I put first in my life, that is what I worship. Whatever I set my heart on, that is my treasure. Jesus is cutting deep with these words,…
its opposite day
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: You have heard… But I say… (Matthew 5:21-22). Is Jesus having an “opposite day”? Is He being contrary, to make a point? If we look closely at what Jesus says, we ought to be shocked. If not, then it’s probably become too familiar, and we’re missing the point.
Spirit-led, Spirit-powered
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 4 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil (Matthew 4:1). The Spirit leads Jesus into a wilderness experience to be tempted by the devil? How can this be? Didn’t God say that Jesus was His dearly loved Son, how then could He lead Him…
how empty life is without God
Taken from In the Presence of Mine Enemies by Howard and Phyllis Rutledge [Fleming Revell, 1973, p.34]. Howard was a United States Air Force pilot who was shot down in the Vietnam war and spent several years in prison there. During those longer periods of enforced relfection it became so much easier to separate the important from…