THE STORY OF JESUS: Proverbs 9 “Let all who are simple come to my house!” (Proverbs 9:4,16) In this chapter both wisdom and folly are described as beckoning us. At any given moment, in all our circumstances, both are calling out to us. How aware am I of the tests and temptations I face each day. Sadly…
All by itself!?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:26-29 “All by itself the soil produces grain…” (Mark 4:28) Jesus is still explaining how things work with God’s kingdom. It begins from the heart (the soil), where the seed begins to grow. When the seed (the grace of Jesus) and the soil (the heart) mix, things happen. “All by itself” points…
Flourish with grace!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:21-25 “Whoever has will be given more…” (Mark 4:25) In this context, Jesus is still talking about the result of God’s message in our lives. God wants to bring His goodness out into the open through us. To shine like a light in a dark world, to flourish like a bumper crop…
What do you think of this quote?
My initial response to this quote is positive. I like how it acknowledges the problem of sin, that we DO have a sin problem. But I also like how it challenges us to focus on our own sin, not on someone else’s. Are there any concerns with what this quote says? What do you think?
Closed to God?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:9-12 “Otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!” (Mark 4:12; quoting Isaiah 6:9-10) Why does Jesus want to hide His message in simple stories? He is quoting from Isaiah 6, when God calls Isaiah to be His messenger. But Isaiah’s message was a warning to a stubborn and rebellious people. They pretended to be…
A ‘come as you are’ church?
What if we adopted these words as our welcome statement for our church? “Come as you are. . . . You don’t have to dress up. You don’t have to be any particular age. We couldn’t care less who you voted for in the last election. And please, don’t feel the need to pretend about…
What kind of soil am I?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:1-20 “Others like seed sown on good soil hear the word and produce a crop.” (Mark 4:20) In this story Jesus shows how God’s message can fail to produce a good crop. Some people reject it right away, but many people receive it. But of those who receive it, not all of…
Holding on!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 124 “If the Lord had not been on our side, they would have swallowed us alive.” (Psalm 124:1,3) As a Jesus follower, I look for ways that He is at work in my life. The fingerprints of God, signs that God and Jesus are nearby. The psalmist thinks about all the times…
Wisdom is calling!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Proverbs 8 “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.” (Proverbs 8:4) Wisdom is accessible and available to all people. It is written into the very fabric of nature… God built it that way. If we take time to reflect on things, wisdom will reveal itself. But…
Cling to what is good!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Proverbs 7 “Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” (Proverbs 7:3) This passage is a warning about the seductive power of temptation. Although the temptation here is sexual, any form of temptation fits in. What is your weakness, what is the ‘bait’ that Satan uses in my…