THE STORY OF JESUS: Job 22-24 “If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored.” (Job 22:23) These words from Eliphaz sound so right: repent, and God will restore you. We use similar words, assuming that it is because we sinned that we suffer. Meanwhile, Job doesn’t think he has anything to repent of. “The upright…
Rebuking negative voices!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 4:38-41 “Jesus rebuked them and would not allow them to speak…” (Luke 4:41) In my experience, demons are bodyless voices that taunt, torment and tempt. Whatever their spiritual substance is, it’s their spiritual intent that matters. They want to discourage, defeat, distract, or deceive us from God. These dark voices were trying…
God will back us up too!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 4:31-37 “Amazed at his teaching because his words had authority.” (Luke 4:32) Words are very powerful for shaping or world, for good or for evil. God used words to create, Satan used words to deceive. As a Teacher, Jesus spoke with authority because God stood behind His words. “Be quiet! Come out…
Will I still believe?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 4:22-30 “Do here… what we have heard that you did (there)!” (Luke 4:23) Have you ever asked Jesus to do for you what He did for others? ‘Lord, heal or help me like you healed or helped them!’ Have you ever doubted Jesus because a miracle didn’t happen? If Jesus cannot heal…
The Spirit of the Lord is on me too!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 4:14-21 “The Spirit of the Lord… has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” (Luke 4:18) Jesus is God’s promised messiah (‘anointed one’), anointed to do God’s work. And this is God’s work… to help the poor, weak, suffering and oppressed. Human history is a litany of misery and injustice,…
Sharing Jesus as a senior!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 71 “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God…” (Psalm 71:18) As we reach retirement, we can lose our sense of value and purpose. The old may begin to feel displaced by the young. Some older people may feel lonely, unappreciated, forsaken. Do we ever lose or…
How my heart yearns within me!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Job 18-21 “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.” (Job 19:25) These are powerful words, especially coming from Job. They are also made famous through Handel’s Messiah. When you think of the desperation and misery Job was going through. This expresses the deep…
My security to the end!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Job 15-17 “Give me the pledge you demand. Who else will put up security for me?” (Job 17:3 NIV) Job does not know what is going on, why he is suffering. He feels that this is not punishment, but that God is behind it. God wants something from him, but he doesn’t know…
Satan still up to his tricks!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 4:1-13 “The devil… left him until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13) Like Adam and Eve, Jesus was sinless, but able to be tempted to sin. Jesus is tempted like they were, only now in a wilderness, not a garden. Adam and Eve should have responded as Jesus did, by quoting what God…
Adam restored!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 3:21-37 “Jesus… the son of Adam, the son of God.” (Luke 3:38) What does it mean to say that Jesus is the son of God? I always assumed it meant that Jesus was divine, not human. Son of man equals human; son of God means divine. But here Luke shows us that…