SCRIPTURE: Luke 17:3-6 This is the first time I have ever noticed this line: ‘rebuke them’. I can think of someone from my church past who would have loved this verse. He had the rebuke thing down pat, and would not forgive until they repented. We should not read this verse without grace in mind. We…
The Lord reigns, and so do we!
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 93 Think of the biggest or strongest thing you know of… other than God. How vast the universe is, how broad and deep the ocean is? The devastating power of a tornado, or the unstoppable force of a tsunami? How hot (massive understatement) the sun or a star is? The crashing of the waves…
Why I am drawn to Jesus!
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 48-53 “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) There are debates about whether Isaiah wrote this part of the book. Whether it was written 500 or 700 years before Jesus. Either…
So watch yourself – with My grace!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 17:1-3 We live in a broken, messed up world. Our own hearts and lives are broken and messed. Jesus affirms that troubles along the way are bound to come. But don’t be the one that trips up or traps others on their way. If by my actions someone else’s life is ruined, I will…
Opportunity at the gate!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 16:19-31 A reminder that when we interpret Jesus’ parables, the meaning is not in the details. Jesus tells stories about dishonest stewards and unjust judges, to make a point. This parable is not a description of heaven or hell, but about the main lesson. This life is where our future is determined. God has…
Hearts set free!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 16:16-18 Jesus contrasts the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament) and the good news of the Kingdom of God (New Testament). Paul says it this way: “Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the…
Do I love money more than God?
SCRIPTURE: Luke 16:10-15 Jesus continues explaining His parable from Luke 16:1-9. God gives us His blessings to show that we can be trusted (or not). If we are not good stewards with His temporal blessings, why would He give us more? Jesus then points out that worldly hearts love their gifts more than the Giver. He is…
The power of praise
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 92 When we worship, pray or meditate, God reminds us of how things really are. The Jewish rest day was a weekly reminder of God’s greatness and goodness. This psalm – written for the Sabbath – encourages God’s people to keep on praising and praying. “It is good to praise the Lord and make music…
We could be soaring!!!
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 40-47 The recurring themes in the passage are frustration, discipline, and compassion. God is frustrated by Israel’s reliance on idols and military powers, instead of on the only true God. God announces His discipline, not to make them suffer but to show them their folly. But God also reveals His compassion; He will not…
One shrewd dude
SCRIPTURE: Luke 16:1-9 Why does Jesus make a hero out of the dishonest manager? Would Jesus use Bernie Madoff as a commendable character in his stories? But the point of comparison here is not the dishonesty, but the shrewdness. Jesus is lamenting that bad people show more creativity than good people. Bad people seem devoted to bad…