I am looking for your OBSERVATIONS and APPLICATIONS on this passage, to help me prepare for this Sunday’s message (Dec 23, 2007). What stands out to you? What questions does it raise? How do you hear the Lord challenging you? Thanks for your hep!!! — Pastor Norm 43″You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor…
Dec 17 — Luke 1:5-25
Welcome to Jill Hamming, a friend of mine from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and a regular participant on this web page. She will share her reflections on the readings from Luke 1-2. SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:5-25 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Zechariah was behind the curtain, in the holiest place on earth, for the first and only time in his life! For…
Dec 16 — Luke 1:1-4
Welcome to Jill Hamming, a friend of mine from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and a regular participant on this web page. She will share her reflections on the readings from Luke 1-2. SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:1-4 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Wouldn’t it be interesting to be able to read all those ‘many’ accounts of Jesus’ life on earth? Luke was a…
Dec 15 — Jeremiah 10:17-25
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 10:17-25 OBSERVATION: 1. There are 3 voices speaking: God announcing judgment (17-18), the people of Israel experiencing judgment (19-22) and Jeremiah pleading for mercy (23-25). 2. These 3 voices represent important themes in our relationship with God, themes that are seen elsewhere in the Bible as well. 3. Theme #1, that God is in control,…
Dec 14 — Jeremiah 10:1-16
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 10:1-16 OBSERVATION: 1. Jeremiah contrasts the God of Israel with the gods of the nations, statues made by hand. There’s no comparison (6). 2. If people only knew how awesome and unfathomable God is, they would naturally revere Him. How can people think that a statue made by hands can compare with the invisible,…
Dec 13 — Jeremiah 9:17-26
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 9:17-26 OBSERVATION 1. Jeremiah, speaking for the Lord, calls for funeral mourners to mourn for the nation, and the city, and the loss of life and peace (17-22). 2. At first glance, is makes us wonder how God can describe Himself as one who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness (24) when He allows violence,…
Dec 12 — Jeremiah 9:7-16
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 9:7-16 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Here we see that God disciplines His people to refine them. The reason we criticize God for being so harsh is because we minimize our sin, we tend to dismiss its seriousness and to see God as extreme. In reality, our sin is VERY SERIOUS, and it has devastating consequences for all…
Dec 11 — Jeremiah 8:18-9:6
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 8:18-9:6 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: It is not clear to me who is speaking here, but as I read through it I concluded that it was God. This is remarkable, because He speaks of needing comfort in His sorrow, of His heart being weak as He hears the cry of His people suffering the consequences of their…
Dec 10 — Jeremiah 8:4-17
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 8:4-17 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: I find this passage very applicable to me. I hear God saying to me, why do you keep on returning to your selfish, sinful ways? There are specific sins that the Lord is bringing to my mind. I can say that its not that serious, that everything is OK (‘peace, peace when…
Dec 9 — Jeremiah 7:30-8:3
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 7:30-8:3 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Child sacrifice… Cannot imagine how anyone could do this, to sacrifice their children for their lifestyle (i.e. religious) choices. Hmm, put that way, it seems that many people actually do this. I have heard someone compare abortion (for most, not all) to child sacrifice, putting unborn children to death because they do…