Always Near

We have a God of presence and a God of power. If we learn to keep our focus on this knowledge, we can live a life of joy instead of fear and doubt.

Proof of Sight

 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. (Mark 10:52) Read: Leviticus 25:47-27:13, Mark 10:32-52, Psalm 45:1-17, Proverbs 10:22 Relate: The miracle isn’t complete until the change takes place. Before talking about Bartimaeus I want to talk about another miracle Jesus performed. He came upon…

Matthew 10:38-39 (The Esqualine Gate)

If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. (Matthew 10:38-39) Read: Genesis 31:17-32:12, Matthew 10:24-11:6, Psalm 13:1-6, Proverbs 3:16-18   Relate: The Esqualine Gate was…

Essentials

Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20) Read: Genesis 24:52-26:16, Matthew 8:18-34, Psalm 10:1-15, Proverbs 3:7-8 Relate: I have both read and heard a story of a bunch of radical college students who took on a crazy mission, but it has…

Who Are Your Mentors?

Follow the steps of good men instead, and stay on the paths of the righteous. (Proverbs 2:20) Read: Genesis 20:1-22:24, Matthew 7:15-29, Psalm 9:1-12, Proverbs 2:16-22 Relate: One of the first “real” books I read after I got out of college was Christ and Culture by Richard Niebuhr. It forced me to evaluate how I view the interaction between God…

Wise Men Still Seek Him

People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. (Micah…

Just Like Always

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. (Daniel 6:10) Read: Daniel 6:1-28, 2 Peter 3:1-18, Psalm 119:129-152, Proverbs 28:21-22 Relate: Way back…

Judgy, Judgy Church…

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to…

Irrational Obedience

“As they watch, lift your pack to your shoulders and walk away into the night. Cover your face so you cannot see the land you are leaving. For I have made you a sign for the people of Israel.” So I did as I was told. (Ezekiel 12:6-7) Read: Ezekiel 12:1 – 14:11, Hebrews 7:1-17, Psalm 105:37-45, Proverbs 27:3 Relate: There…