Rom. 11 to 13 Do you want others to come to know Jesus? Then live and share the gospel practically, beginning with being humble. You have a gift that the unbeliever needs and your attitude reveals the truth of what you say you are. Paul says to present your bodies a living sacrifice because that […]
John 4 Jesus “had” go through Samaria, not because of expediency but because His Father had ordained a divine opportunity to meet the Samaritan woman. As she and Jesus interacted, He revealed, as she said later: “who told me everything I ever did.” Leaving her water pot at the well, she told the city residents, […]
Haggai 1-2 God had sent the Israelites into captivity for their sin, but graciously God raised up Cyrus the Persian to release them and not just release them but provided them with all they would need to rebuild the Temple. He also asked them to pray for him as he leads. [Ezra 6:10] Jesus said […]
1Kings 5-7 The Building of the Temple King David had gathered much material, but God told him that he would never build this massive structure because he was a man of war, and in war, blood is shed. Although David was obedient to accomplish this, the shed blood is a reminder of where life begins […]
1 Sam 21 The Lord’s Anointed As a shepherd, David was tough. He took down lions and bears, and we are impressed, and King Saul was as well, especially when he took down the 9 ft giant, Goliath. Now we see a side of David that we have not seen before and it is the […]
Deut 10 Moses was teaching the Israelites and reminded them what it will mean to follow God. One must count the cost of following God. Jesus told a parable about this subject: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and […]
John 7 and 8 If you plant a kernel of wheat in the ground, it cannot grow without tender care. Nicodemus was given that kernel with the words “you must be born again.” [Jn 3] Now, it is months later, and that kernel of faith has been growing in small incremental steps. Will it pass […]
Mark 7, Matt 15 “Rules of Men and Rules of God” We are caught up in men’s rules: do thus and so because if you don’t, you won’t reach heaven. Martin Luther was caught in that vicious cycle. When he was at the Vatican, he crawled on his knees in penance. Later, he would read […]
Matthew 9 and 10 Jesus spent a fair amount of time walking among the people, listening to their conversations. He saw those paralyzed both physically and spiritually. He saw a desperate father in need of direction when all around him was collapsing. He encountered religious leaders who could not or would not see the helpless, […]
Mark 4-5; Matthew 8:14-31 To Leave the Results to God Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would” bring good news to the afflicted; bind up the brokenhearted; proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners;” [Isa 61:1] Yet, some did not experience those blessings because Satan, the master deceiver, had one goal: to blind “the minds […]
