Not For A Million Dollars

1) Would you hug a cactus?
2) Would you punch a bear in the face?
3) Would you eat a dozen moldy Tacos?
4) Would you do a crazy dance in a mall for five hours?
5) Would you skydive without a parachute?

Sabotage

Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn. (Matthew 13:30) Read: Genesis 41:17-42:17, Matthew 13:24-46, Psalm 18:1-15, Proverbs 4:1-6 Relate: Right around the beginning of the nineteenth century, the industrial revolution started picking up steam…

The Test: Pass or Fail

[Ed’s note: I wrote this two years ago. At the time I had no idea that this picture would become part of a compilation called “brilliant answers by smart kids” that would wind up on viralnova, buzzfeed, etc. Now I see the picture everywhere and, occasionally, it links back to here. Thanks to those links, two…

For All Time

“But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand…” Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” (Hebrews 10:12, 17) Read: Ezekiel 21:1 – 22:31, Hebrews 10:1-17, Psalm 108:1-13, Proverbs 27:12 Relate: Tomorrow I will fail.…

Sodom

Sodom’s sins were arrogance, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. She was haughty and committed detestable sins, so I wiped her out, as you have seen. (Ezekiel 16:49-50) Read: Ezekiel 16:42 – 17:24, Hebrews 8:1-13, Psalm 106:13-31,  Proverbs 27:7-9 Relate: It would not be fair to say that I can be arrogant sometimes. Neither…

It Only Takes Once

Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once and for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who…

2 Samuel 20:9-10 (One Unguarded Moment)

“How are you, my cousin?” Joab said and took him by the beard with his right hand as though to kiss him. Amasa didn’t notice the dagger in his left hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it so that his insides gushed out onto the ground. (2 Samuel 20:9-10) Read: 2 Samuel 19:11…

Luke 22:42 (Not My Will)

Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. (Luke 22:42) Read: Judges 4:1 – 5:31, Luke 22:35-53, Psalm 94:1-23, Proverbs 14:3-4 Relate: Jesus did not want to die. Did you ever think about that? In each of the Synoptics, we…

When Leaders Fail

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them.” (Numbers 20:12 NLT) Read: Numbers 19, Numbers 20, Luke 1:1-25, Psalms 56:1-13, Proverbs 11:8 Relate: “I did not have sexual…

The Whisper

Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all. (Psalm 36:1) Read: Leviticus 4:1 – 5:19, Mark 2:13 – 3:6, Psalm 36:1-12, Proverbs 10:1-2 Relate: Another translation has this verse read: “I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked. There is no…