“Christ came to bring peace and we celebrate his coming by making peace impossible for six weeks of each year …. He came to help the poor and we heap gifts upon those who do not need them.” A.W. Tozer, The Warfare of the Spirit (Wingspread Publishers, 1993)
I thought my christmas lights were good…
Exodus 12-18
December 14, 2012 SCRIPTURE: Exodus 12-18 OBSERVATIONS What do you notice in this passage? APPLICATION What do you sense the Lord saying to you? PRAYER
let’s rethink christmas
He really cares!
December 13, 2012 SCRIPTURE: Matthew 9:35-38 OBSERVATIONS 1. I am trying to imagine what it must have been like for Jesus travelling through the towns and villages, facing both the excitement of the crowds and the rejection of the religious leaders. If I think about how tired I am after one visit with someone, what must…
the christmas spirit
open or closed?
December 12, 2012 SCRIPTURE: Matthew 9:27-34 OBSERVATIONS 1. This passage highlights the importance of faith. Same as yesterday (re. desperate faith), I think we misunderstand faith. It was not that these blind or demon-possessed people had a solid understanding of ‘the faith’, but their hearts were open to Jesus, even though they probably had many questions…
weak, desperate faith
December 11, 2012 SCRIPTURE: Matthew 9:18-26 OBSERVATIONS 1. It’s interesting that people have no time for Jesus, unless they need something. The synagogue was the Jewish high court for religious purposes, made up of Pharisees and Sadducees. Here this religious leader is desperate for his own daughter, and he will even risk ridicule or rejection from…
worship that reflects reality
December 10, 2012 SCRIPTURE: Matthew 9:14-17 OBSERVATIONS 1. John’s disciples can’t figure out why Jesus’ followers do not do the ‘normal’ religious things that every other religious person practices, ie fasting. Jesus shows that fasting in and of itself is not the issue, but the reason for the fast. If it is a time of crisis,…
what can we do?
December 9, 2012 SCRIPTURE: Psalm 11 OBSERVATIONS 1. “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v.3) David is describing a tense, volatile and dangerous time, when society is collapsing into violence and evil. Would this be an apt description of our times to, when the foundations are bing destroyed? We still have…