THE STORY OF JESUS: John 14:1-4 “My Father’s house has many rooms…” (John 14:2) ‘My Father’s house’ is another way of saying God’s family. God created a family to live in His ‘very good’ creation. He prepared this place (creation) for us, but we ruined it. God sends Jesus to repair and prepare this place for us….
Waiting for the Lord’s reward!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 119:73-96 “How long must your servant wait?” (Psalm 119:84) Trusting in and obeying the Lord does not make like easier. We find ourselves fighting against the current, against the wind. We commit to doing the right thing, and then the situation worsens. Telling the truth at work can make things better… or…
For people who need hope!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Nahum 1-3 “Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!” (Nahum 3:1) Do you remember the stories about life under ISIS control? Citizens describe it as hellish: beheadings, stonings, forced conversions. Rape, men forced to fight jihad, young girls forced to marry ISIS soldiers. Nineveh in…
Our gracious and compassionate God!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Jonah 1-4 “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” (Jonah 4:2) Nineveh is the capitol of Assyria, a occupying nation over Israel. Jonah hates Assyria (like a Palestinian might hate Israel today). But God uses fishy…
Jesus asks hard questions
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 13:31-38 “Will you really lay down your life for me?” (John 13:38) When we talk with Jesus, He asks really hard questions. Peter is talking big about his commitment to Jesus. Jesus probes deep, ‘do you really love me that much?’ (see John 21:15-19) Do you experience the Spirit probing your heart like…
On the prowl!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 13:18-30 “As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.” (John 13:27) Judas has been struggling; should he stick wtih this lame messiah? The Pharisees have approached him: betray Jesus for gold. Judas is conflicted, until Jesus acts like a lowly servant, washing their feet. He is supposed to be…
Doing the servant’s job!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 13:1-17 “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17) Jesus shows us what God is like, and what we were made to be like. To love those in the world to the end (or to the fullest). Jesus came to live the Adam life…
Listening to the doctor!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 12:44-50 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” (John 12:47) We all hear the reminders about healthy weight, healthy diet and exercise. When my doctor reminds me of this,…
To love and to live wisdom!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 119:49-72 “I have considered my ways and turned my steps to your (wisdom).” (Psalm 119:59) As I read this Psalm I replace ‘law’ words (decree, statute) with ‘wisdom’. Behind God’s laws there is a wisdom for life, a better way of living. This kind of wisdom comes to those who think carefully…
The kind of life God wants to plant!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Amos 8-9 “I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted!” (Amos 9:15) In the beginning, God put humans in a good place, never to be uprooted. It was not God that caused us to be uprooted, homeless wanderers in the land. Since then God’s dream has been to…