And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. – Matthew 9:35-36 (KJV) In my meditation on Matthew 9, I’ve noticed how Jesus sees people differently than the way I see people. He sees what’s going on on the inside while I look on the outside. If I were one of Jesus’ disciples following him around as he ministered to people’s needs… In verse 2, I would have seen a paralyzed man, while Jesus …Continue reading →
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. Romans 1:22-23 (WEB) It’s something that has been on my mind recently: being thankful for all of God’s attributes… even the ones that can seem unpleasant. I had been asking myself (hypothetically of course) that if I had the opportunity to change God’s character in some way, would I? Would I make Him less just and more forgiving (towards me of course)? Would I want to “customize” Him to my specifications? Make Him into my ideal? My image? (I had been thinking of this before I …Continue reading →
Here’s something that occurred to me not too long ago… I’d like to bounce this off of you to see what you think… see if you can knock any holes in it… The attributes of God can be divided into roughly two areas: His nature and His character. God’s nature describes what makes Him God (all-powerful, present everywhere, all-knowing, etc.). God’s character describes how He relates to what He has created (good, righteous, just, keeps His promises, loving, etc.). God’s holiness describes the degree of these character attributes: He will not compromise them in any way. Where does the wrath of God fit into this? We worship a God who gets angry, who violently punishes sin. This was true in …Continue reading →
Lately I’ve been thinking about how sinful we are (read “I am”), and in my time in God’s word, a couple thoughts came to mind… I lead a bible study at our church on Sundays. We finished the book of Job not too long ago (a great book!) and it occurred to me that there are no examples in the Bible of Satan or other demons actually disobeying a command of God. For example, God tells Satan in Job 1 not to hurt Job physically, and Satan doesn’t. God tells Satan to spare Job’s life in chapter 2, and Satan does. In the New Testament, the Legion demons don’t suddenly “jump ship” and possess the herd of pigs when they …Continue reading →
The LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.” But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, “…Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. …” And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people. Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, … And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the …Continue reading →
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” … – Matthew 18:1 (ESV) Jesus’ disciples seemed to have an obsession with whoever was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. They wanted to know which man would have the most honor. Hopefully it would be one of them. But Jesus first spoke not of who would be the greatest in the kingdom, but of the requirements of just entering the kingdom… … And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles …Continue reading →
… [Jacob] loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked at my affliction. For now my husband will love me.” She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon. She conceived again, and bore a son. Said, “Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore was his name called Levi. She …Continue reading →
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. – Luke 1:26-27 (AKJV) Why was it necessary for Mary to conceive while she was betrothed to Joseph and cause a scandal that hasn’t ended among the Jews even today? (Jesus was called Joseph’s son in Matthew 13:55, Luke 3:23, 4:22, and John 1:45, 6:24.) On the one hand, God did not chose an already married couple, for Jesus had to be conceived of a virgin to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. On the other hand, God didn’t think …Continue reading →
The economy, terrorism, crime, immorality… it seems all the news lately is bad. The general trend seems that things are careening from bad to worse. It’s uncertain times like these that are a great help in revealing what I think is most important in my life and where my trust really is. I want to see good: a steady source of income, a home, a full refrigerator, plenty of warm clothes, with no fear of crime or violence. Do I worry when it appears I could lose these things? My head says “no” and quotes scripture… … You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie …Continue reading →
If you’ve had a relationship with Jesus for any length of time, you can probably recall Him speaking to you personally. He may have told you to talk to a friend about their need for Him. He may have encouraged you from a Bible verse you had read many times before, but this time, it came with special force as if spoken directly to your heart. I don’t know how many times you’ve read John 17, but I’ve read it many times. It was the night Jesus was arrested before He was tried, tortured and crucified. He was in the upper room sharing His last Passover meal with His disciples. In this most intimate setting, He washed His disciples’ feet, …Continue reading →
