SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 5-9 “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?” (Proverbs 6:27-28) This is so obvious, why does it need to be said? Because for some reason so many people are blind to the obvious, and do stupid things…
Accept or reject?
SCRIPTURE: Luke 7:24-30 “Among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (Luke 7:28) John’s greatness comes from his important role preparing the way for God’s messianic king. How can anyone beat that? Yet the least in God’s restored…
The help we really need!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 7:18-23 The Israelites longed for the day when God would come to help them, as the Prophets had promised: “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will…
Doing what we can!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 7:11-17 “When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her…” (Luke 7:13) When you see someone in need, someone suffering or grieving or struggling, does your heart go out to them? Mine does, but many a time I have wished I could do what Jesus did, really help them. Raising a dead person,…
True faith?
SCRIPTURE: Luke 7:1-10 “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Heidelberg Catechism, QA 21 — “What is true faith? True faith is not only a sure knowledge by which I hold as true all that God has revealed to us in Scripture; it is also a wholehearted trust, which the…
A God worth respecting
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 76 “People should have respect for you alone. Who can stand in front of you when you are angry?” (Psalm 76:7) People who have experienced God’s saving power do not need to be told to respect God. This Psalm tells how the Israelites worshiped God because of how He helped them from their enemies. Has…
A love that fears, a fear that loves!
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 1-4 “If you really want to gain knowledge, you must begin by having respect for the Lord. But foolish people hate wisdom and training.” (Proverbs 1:7) According to this verse, the key to knowledge or wisdom is a healthy respect or appreciation (fear, awe) of God. On the one hand, God is so awesome –…
Words are not enough!
SCRIPTURE: Luke 6:46-49 When we first bought our home, we got a shed kit that recommended building a wooden base beneath it. That was too much work, and we laid the shed directly on the ground. Six years later, and you can see how the ground has twisted it; the doors no longer open properly. I…
Can’t hide the fruit on my branches
SCRIPTURE: Luke 6:43-45 The main point here is that our words and actions reveal our hearts. Obviously, all of us can be a mixed bag of fruit – good and bad. But generally speaking, there is a pattern that reveals the heart. Am I generally good fruit, with an occasional bad one? Or generally bad fruit,…
Who am I to judge?
SCRIPTURE: Luke 6:37-42 What gives me the right to stand in judgment over someone else? If I myself am limited (blind) or have issues (pieces of wood), how can I lead others? Human judges and teachers are not better than others; we’re all equally human. God created us to bless (build up) others, but humans seem…