When your belief is more important that your Lord

 Jesus's teachings were so radical that even the best teachers were left baffled. In John 3 Jesus seems to confound Nicodemus. We might wonder if part of the confusion came from the way Nicodemus understood scripture and his apparent inability to shift that thinking. What ideas or interpretations have you latched onto that have become more important than Jesus?

Memorial Day 2024

 As Christians we should hate war and the death it brings. We should also rejoice in the coming day when no such sacrifices will be made and the arbitrary divisions of national borders will be erased. Until that day, we honor those willing to give themselves to keep us safe (John 15:13) from those who would expand their power and influence by hurting others. May we repent of the times we have done so.

The valley of the reassembled

 

One of the strangest images in the Bible is decaying bones reassembling into living soldiers in Ezekiel 37. The image might remind us of the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), when God united believers from various backgrounds by His Spirit. Like the bones reassembling, the Church assembled from what once was a single group (Gen 11). Also like the bones, we find that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

We want more

 While the book of Luke gives a lot of information about Jesus and His teachings, it also leaves us wondering what wasn't recorded. It might be tempting to over-examine the Bible looking for what's not there, instead of immersing ourselves in the stories that point to Jesus, His ministry and His mission. Can you see how Jesus is featured in every scripture? Luke 24:25-27

What is Jesus doing HERE?

 When Jesus entered an 'unclean' place, he encountered a man besieged by a legion of demons (Luke 8). These spirits controlled him and they could not be constrained, but Christ was able to name the man's afflictions and channel them out of his life. Can you think of a surprising place you have met Jesus? Can you name the underlying afflictions you carry and can you give yourself permission to let them go?

BigGuy Hank and the heart

 The single virtue of love, specifically, our love for others, defines our relationship with God (1 John 4). Our love of others not only demonstrates our true relationship with God but also alleviates our fears and insecurities. What if our love for others was so sacrificial it kept us from accusing and vilifying each other? How could you demonstrate your redemption by loving those around you?

Laying down your life...one cookie at a time

 1 John 3:16 defines love in the strongest terms possible. The verse tells us that God loved us enough to die for us, and we should do the same for each other. We might do well to consider how we do this in our everyday lives. As we give our time and treasure to others, are we slowly, bit by bit laying down our lives for others or are we hording our rights and privileges for our own?