SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 7-11 What do you sense the Lord saying to you? PRAYER
Can you see it?
“Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees, takes off his shoes – The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.” Elizabeth Barrett Browning I love this imagery. Today’s reading from Mark 4:26-29 reminded me of it. This is how God’s world works, He is present in and…
Reminder for today…
Here is what God’s world is like!
SCRIPTURE: Mark 4:26-29 Here is what God’s world is like. This is what we can see and know and hope for when we see this world with a God perspective. Buried beneath the soil, hidden the dirt and muck and mess, lies a living, growing seed. A seed of love, joy, hope, kindness, miracle, blessing, rising…
Time to change how we communicate the message?
SCRIPTURE: Mark 4:21-25 It seems that many people (including Christians) have become desensitized to the message… they hear it without really grasping it. This is why Jesus uses stories, to make sure that the light somehow shines. If people refuse to listen, then show them, don’t allow it to remain hidden. Jesus says that when people…
How am I responding to God’s message right now?
SCRIPTURE: Mark 4:13-20 On the one hand this parable describes different types of people. But now I also see that all of the seeds apply to me at different times. I have times when Satan snatches God’s message from me, times when I accept it in a shallow way, times when things distract me away from…
The power of story to penetrate
SCRIPTURE: Mark 4:10-12 I used to think that Jesus told stories to keep close-minded people from understanding. It seems that way from v.12, and how it uses Isaiah 6:9-10. But now I am realizing that instead of keeping people from understanding, stories are actually more effective at penetrating closed minds. You can’t argue a person out of…
Maybe I should write a song!
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 45 When a king in ancient Israel celebrated a special event, the royal choral society would write and sing a song for the event (see also Song of Songs). This psalm was written for a royal wedding (and remember Solomon had 700 wives, not to mention 300 concubines, 1 Kings 11:3). This ‘poem for the king’ celebrates…
1 Kings 7-11
SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 7-11 What do you sense the Lord saying to you? PRAYER
Embracing a productive kingdom life!
SCRIPTURE: Mark 4:1-9 God has a dream for this world, and He is planting the seeds to make it grow. God’s kingdom dream involves transforming this world through love and kindness and mercy. Jesus starts this revolution Himself, and He gathers others who join Him in this mission. Some people reject the dream, but many people…