Nicodemus came under a cover of darkness. He wanted to know more about Jesus. His Pharisaical peers were quickly making up their minds and rejecting the Rabbi but Nicodemus wanted to examine the Man and His teaching personally. Jesus used the opportunity to teach Nicodemus several truths that have been foundational to our faith ever…
Why do we so often wait until we’ve run out of self before we take our needs to the Lord? The idea of self-sufficiency is a powerful drive in our lives and I think the enemy of our souls is just fine with that. We turn to so-called “experts and authorities,” read self-help books, worry…
Do you have a friend, mentor, or family member whom although they have been gone for years, your heart still overflows with love every single time you think about them? I am so excited to be starting my favorite book of the Bible today. John wrote his Gospel message 50+ years after Jesus ascended into…
I love that women were the first to hear the Life-Changing Message of Good News… “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men…
It takes great courage to do the right thing when everyone else is going in a different direction. Take a look at our current culture . . . where people are losing friends, positions, and platforms simply for saying something with which the crowd disagrees and/or disapproves. In that context, Joseph of Arimathea gives us…
You’ve most likely heard the expression, “keep your eye on the ball.” Anyone who has ever played a sport, especially softball or baseball, has been told this advice is important for success. It’s also a saying used when studying or trying to succeed in a profession. Focus and keep the main thing – the main…
The world can be a a terrifying place . . . hurricanes, earthquakes, wars, violence, plagues, civil unrest, and persecution. We really shouldn’t be surprised. When asked about the “end of the age,” Jesus replied… Nation will go to war against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines…
Jesus would have welcomed the Pharisee’s questions if they had truly wanted to learn from Him. But they tossed questions His way trying to trap Him into saying something that would either 1. get Him in trouble with those who followed Him, or 2. get Him in trouble with the Roman government. The funny thing…
He was “vertically challenged.” So short in stature that he couldn’t see Jesus over the crowd. He was also hated. As a tax collector he could collect as muct as possible from people and keep the surplus for himself. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come…
When you feel rejected and unworthy . . . run to Jesus! In a first Century culture, men were valued, women less so, and children were to be seen and not heard. One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this,…
Have you ever prayed in desperation… Jesus, if you __________ then I will __________? Leprosy was a highly contagious disease of the skin that terrified people. For that reason, people who had it were completely isolated from their families and communities. They were even called “unclean.” After the past year, it’s easy for us to…
Have you ever had someone say something that annoyed you at the time but later you realized that God used that one comment to plant a seed and change your perspective? This one occurred when Rev was a Seminary student assigned to do hands on instruction at the church where I was teaching 3rd grade….
Jesus went out of His way to show people that He loved them. And because as He said… The Father and I are one. John 10:30 Jesus made the point that He was showing them God’s love for them. A love that is proclaimed in the stories Jesus shared in Luke 15. The Lost Sheep…
I recently circled these words of David from Psalm 142: Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Psalm 142:5 The rest of that section of his Psalm says things like . . . “I cry out, I plead, I pour out my…
After decades in ministry, I have to admit that it’s often hard to understand why God allows people to suffer. And I think most of us would admit that it’s especially hard when the sufferer is someone who is kind, loving, caring . . . good. Or when that person is an innocent child. Somehow…
In a world full of opinions all claiming to be the “truth,” we need for life, having someone who has told us the real, the best, the absolute truth for life . . . well, that is information we should apply. The crowds of people gathering to hear Jesus had grown into the thousands and…
I did a quick search on Amazon for books on prayer and the results included more than 70,000 titles. So, it appears that many people continue to ask… “Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1 Jesus replied with a model for prayer… “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.Give us each…
Oh, I can relate to Martha… Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” Luke 10:40 She had a house full…
I’ve stumbled over these words of Jesus more times than I’d like to admit… If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23 I didn’t struggle with the “follow me” part. The “give up your own way” part…
I like to think I’m in control. Even as I type the words I know how ridiculous that is because it doesn’t matter how organized I try to keep my home and planned and prepared I try to keep my days . . . more often than I’d like, my life is out of my…
Compassion has been defined as “your pain in my heart.” In Luke 6, we have a record of Jesus saying… You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Luke 6:36 And now, in Luke 7, we see several more accounts of Jesus demonstrating the Father’s compassion as He reached across cultural and racial…
