Jesus and the Criminal on the Cross

One criminal at the cross said he deserved his fate; he had made a conscious choice to live apart from God. All people are criminals in this sense. You can live separated from God or accept reconciliation and peace in him. Anyone can have this peace. 

Luke 23:39-43 (NIV) 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

6/28/2020

Resisting Oneness with God

Paul struggled to keep his connection with the Lord at times.  Despite sacrifice and obedience to Christ (torture, prison, teaching, and writing), he said he still came up short. All humans innately resist their oneness in God. It is only possible in relationship with God. 

Romans 7:15 (NIV) 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

6/21/2020

Go Tell that Fox

In Luke 13:32 Jesus says he will be driving out demons and healing people until he is finished with his work. Go tell that fox is a reference to Jesus being a sacrificial lamb and the wily schemes of people, politics and Satan to stop his work in you before he is finished. 

Luke 13:32 (NIV) 32 “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’

6/17/2020

Heavenly and Earthly Authority

Humans everywhere expect honor and respect of one’s parents and other authorities. All homes and societies depend upon it. In Malachi 1:6-7, the Lord warns the priests that this applies to their honoring him as much as it does to any earthly authority.

Malachi 1:6-7 (NIV) 6 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ 7 “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible."

6/14/2020

Judgmental Sin

“...the leaders slipped away one by one, beginning with the eldest.”  You can become blind to your accumulation of self-righteousness and sin and project it on to others, as these leaders did.  Or, you can become awake to the grace of Christ to make you loving and whole. 

John 8:3-11 (TLB) 3 As he was speaking, the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and placed her “...the leaders slipped away one by one, be out in front of the staring crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 Moses’ law says to kill her. What about it?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, hurl the stones at her until she dies. But only he who never sinned may throw the first!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote some more in the dust. 9 And the Jewish leaders slipped away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until only Jesus was left in front of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, sir,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

6/10/2020

Your Appointed Work

Ask God to lead you to your perfect work because it is his appointment to make. Whatever your work, your holy purpose is there for a reason. Ask God to show you how to honor him, the job itself and those you work with in your assignment.

John 3:27 (TLB) 27 ... “God in heaven appoints each man’s work.

6/7/2020