Posts with the category “misc”

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.Leviticus 19:10It’s really hard to convey how radical Leviticus 19:10 is. In the Ancient world poverty was an astronomical reality. Some historians suggest that up to 90% of people lived just above or below what we would call a subsistence level. That...  Read More

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.Ephesians 2:1-2One of the most counter-cultural truth claims of the Bible is that we are not fundamentally good or capable of it. Paul says we were dead in our trespasses ...  Read More

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them...  Read More

47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where“‘the worms that eat them do not die,    and the fire is not quenched.’Mark 9:47-48One of the realities of loving people is that you fear for them. You worry about them. Some of us more than others. But to truly love people is ...  Read More

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.1 Peter 4:7-10On Tuesday we saw the first...  Read More

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.1 Chronicles 29:14King David is not far from death as he looks forward to the work his son, Solomon, will do to build the temple. In preparation, David has taken up an offering of sorts, calling on God’s people to give gifts tha...  Read More

He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 I...  Read More

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. 11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean.12 He wi...  Read More

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by...  Read More

Blessed is the one    who does not walk in step with the wickedor stand in the way that sinners take    or sit in the company of mockers,2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,    and who meditates on his law day and night.3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,    which yields its fruit in seasonand whose leaf does not wither—    whatever they do prospers.4 Not so the wic...  Read More

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.1 Corinthians 10:31So, we read yesterday - that it’s right for God’s glory to be the purpose of our lives. But what does that actually look like? To use Paul’s words, what does it look like to eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God?Well, let’s think about a couple of common places. Let’s think a...  Read More

24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me,    or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices.But you have burdened me with your sins    and wearied me with your offenses.25“I, even I, am he who blots out    your transgressions, for my own sake,    and remembers your sins no more.Isaiah 43:24-25God’s purpose for all things. It wasn’t firstly love, or mercy or even justice and most startling ...  Read More

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:“‘Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,10 your kingdom come,your will be done,    on earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us today our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts,    as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation,    but deliver us from the evil one.’Matthew 6:9-13So finally we get to what is perhaps the big ticket item....  Read More

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Let’s do a quick recap of the last two days. Prayer is calling on the name of the Lord for Him to keep His promises. It’s to ask Him to save us and others from our sins. It's to call on Him to restore all things according to His purposes.Let’s contrast ...  Read More

Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.Genesis 4:25-26Ok, so we left off on yesterday with a question. Why did these early inhabitants of the earth begin to call on the...  Read More

Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.Genesis 4:25-26We all know (I hope) that prayer is an integral part of the Christian life. But for many of us, prayer is like the...  Read More