John 2:1-2 (Love and Hate)

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. (John 2:1-2) Daily Bible Reading: Exodus 10:1 – 12:5 Relate: About six months after their wedding the bride met her husband for his lunch break. “I have some…

Law vs Love (John 1:17)

For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) Read: Genesis 32:1-35:27 Relate: I tend to have this irresistible urge to make a lot of laws for myself. I’ll read about praying Hyde and decide I need to get back to praying for three hours a day, every…

On A Thousand Hills

  From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. (John 1:16) Read: Genesis 30:25-31:55 Relate: I had a professor in college who would have made the perfect spy. He could blend in at a black tie dinner and he could blend in at an auction. He just had a way about him that…

Occupy (John 1:14)

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (John 1:14) Read: Genesis 25:27 – 28:5 Relate: On September 17, two and a half years ago about a thousand individuals got together in…

Open Invitation (John 1:12-13)

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. (John 1:12-13) Read: Genesis 25:1-27, 1 Chronicles 1:28-34 Relate: OK, I’ve been sitting here now for a good hour…

He Was Rejected (John 1:10-11)

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. (John 1:10-11) Read: Genesis 21:8 – 24:67 Relate: No question, hands down, the worst year of my school years was seventh grade. There were plenty of reasons and looking back now, I…

Guilty As Sin (12/24/13)

Read: Zechariah 6:1-7:14, Revelation 15:1-8, Psalm 143:1-12, Proverbs 30:24-28 Don’t put your servant on trial, for no one is innocent before you. (Psalm 143:2) Relate: David knew a truth. He was guilty. I am guilty. You are guilty. Each and every one of us are as guilty as sin. There’s no getting around that fact. There is no escaping it. If…

Come Back Home (12/5/13)

Read: Hosea 1:1-3:5, 1 John 5:1-21, Psalm 124:1-8, Proverbs 29:5-8 Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them. (Hosea 3:1) Relate: Let’s put this in a modern context… Hosea calls…

We Love Because… (12/4/13)

Read: Daniel 11:36-12:13, 1 John 4:1-21, Psalm 123:1-4, Proverbs 29:2-4 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect… We love each other because…

The Real Me (11/19/13)

Read: Ezekiel 39:1-40:27, James 2:18-3:18, Psalm 118:1-18, Proverbs 28:2 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.       (James 2:24) Relate: “That’s not who I am. You just don’t see the real me.” Ever hear that line? What about, “That’s not what I meant to do. I know…