We hold these truths to be self-evident …
Summary: The history of the United States is both fascinating and instructive.
Continue reading “Happy 4th of July!”Galatians 5:5 – Waiting in Faith and Hope
For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
Summary: Once again Paul points us to the truth that there are reasons we wait, have faith, and hope.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:5 – Waiting in Faith and Hope”Genesis 1:27 – Happy 4th of July!
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Summary: What we believe has a big impact on how we understand our country’s founding documents.
Continue reading “Genesis 1:27 – Happy 4th of July!”Matthew 5:13 – Game Changer
You are the salt of the earth.
Summary: This saying requires some thought. In our modern culture, we take salt for granted. Yet, intuitively we understand that salt is necessary for physical life just as Jesus is necessary for eternal life.
Continue reading “Matthew 5:13 – Game Changer”1 Peter 3:7 (d) — The Gift
… and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life …
Peter has packed a lot of instruction into this one passage we have been studying. He began by telling husbands to be considerate of their wives. Then he adds, “treat them with respect.” Before we, his readers, can even begin to form the question, “Why?” in our minds, Peter offers the answer. Because your wife is your partner, and because she is physically weaker, you must take extra care to show that you respect her. Oh yes, Peter adds, there is one other reason. Because she is an heir with you of the gift of life.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:7 (d) — The Gift”Baggage – John 12: 25
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
The hour has come. Jesus is now facing the end of his ministry, the reality of his mission on earth. In verse 24 he summarizes his situation. In today’s verse, he applies that same principle to the lives of those who would follow Him.
What is the life that we lose? What is the life that we keep? Clearly, there is a choice here. The question that leaps to the eye is, “How do we discern the difference?”
Continue reading “Baggage – John 12: 25”Bad Smell – John 11: 38-39
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ‘’Take away the stone,” he said.
‘’But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘’by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
One thing that sets the Bible apart as historically valid is its honesty in presenting unpleasant details. The Gospel writers do not gloss over the aspects of life or, in this case, of death, that might offend the sensitive reader. Death stinks. Literally. Decomposing bodies smell bad, and in the warm climate of Judea, decomposition would start to take place quickly.
Continue reading “Bad Smell – John 11: 38-39”Do You Believe This? – John 11: 25-26
Jesus said to her, ”I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
As a human being, it is hard for me to get my head around what Jesus is saying here. When he says, “I am the resurrection and the life,” I think he is being quite literal. Coming from a guy who speaks mostly in metaphors, this change of gears is hard enough to keep up with. Looking at the content of what he says makes it even harder.
My tendency, as an engineering type guy, is to think of salvation as a sort of mechanism. I think in terms of process and process means that there are moving parts and things I need to do, levers to pull and ’cause and effect’ stuff going on.
Only there isn’t.
It is just Jesus.
Continue reading “Do You Believe This? – John 11: 25-26”Who Does Jesus Think He IS?
Just prior to these two verses, Jesus says, “Whoever obeys my word will never see death.” After resorting to name calling again, the Jews Jesus is talking with finally ask a pertinent question: Who does Jesus think he is?
Continue reading “Who Does Jesus Think He IS?”Death
In my experience, excellence in anything is usually perceived as a threat by those who are mediocre. Perhaps you have experienced this yourself? Have you ever put out extra effort or done something exceptionally well only to have someone make a snarky comment intended to pop your bubble? If you have suffered mockery or insult for doing something well, you are in good company. Jesus did everything well and yet not everyone loved him or appreciated him.
Continue reading “Death”