“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5-7) continues with Jesus teaching us how to pray. I must learn how to forgive. How …
Author Archives: Michael Wilson
“Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” ~Jesus
Sometimes this saying echoes in my mind. “Houston, we have a problem”. I think I have an impossible situation in …
“At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman.” ~Apostle John
I can count on Jesus to be just and treat me fairly. That is way He is. Jesus is loving …
“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” ~Apostle Paul
There is good news! I have peace with God through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. I was …
“I’m ready, God, so ready, ready from head to toe, ready to sing, ready to raise a tune.” ~King David
King David is being chased by Saul. He is hiding in a cave. He is in a very tough spot. …
“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul.” ~Jesus
There is a great conundrum around the issue of fear. God says that I should fear Him and that I …
“We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand.” ~Author of Hebrews
Uh oh! Am I too lazy to learn? This is something to take seriously. Learning is a lot of work. …
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” ~Jesus
I want life. It is important. I know it is. How will I get life? Our Master’s experience of temptation …
“And many others who were supporting them (Jesus and the disciples) from their possessions.” ~Luke
I have an obligation to support ministries that are spreading the good news of Jesus and making disciples. I don’t …
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.” ~Jesus
I will admit it. I have evil desires. There is evil in my heart. Evil is a lack of goodness. …
I didn’t have anything to do with coming up with this mission. It is all God’s doing.
Am I embarrassed to speak up for our Master Jesus or for his devoted followers? I know sometimes in the …
“Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” ~Citizens of Nazareth
What was one of the primary ways Jesus obtained wisdom? Jesus spent a ton of time in prayer. He talked …
“Intelligent children listen to their parents; foolish children do their own thing.” ~King Solomon
I learned this the hard way with my dad. There was a period of time I thought he was an …
“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus calls on me to love. That requires that I do good deeds. We not only share God’s grace, but …
“Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders?” ~Religious elites
I think I underestimate how much of a legalist I am. Let’s add to that a pious religious elitist. It …
“When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him.” ~Luke
Jesus was nailed to the cross to die for me and for you. Jesus is the Son of God but …
“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved.” ~Religious Elites
God is doing amazing things. The people are coming to Jesus. The legalists emerge. They sense fresh meat and pounce. …
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” ~Author of Hebrews
God is loyal. God is faithful. That is just who God is. It is His very nature. When God says …
“Give us this day our daily bread.” ~Jesus
Jesus continues the Jesus Manifesto and the model prayer. I have needs on a daily basis. We all do. Jesus …
“For the Master Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God.” ~Apostle Paul
The word rapture does not occur in the Bible. The term comes from a Latin word meaning “a carrying off, …
“This is the Sabbath. The law prohibits you from picking up your mat.” ~Religious elites
Jesus is on a mission. His mission is bringing healing to everyone He can. He is full of compassion and …
“How you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven.” ~Apostle Paul
We live in world of covetousness and idolatry. Money, self-indulgence, hedonism, materialism, agnosticism and atheism reign. I am regularly asked …
“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have.” ~Author of Hebrews
We live in a extremely materialist culture. Money has become an idol and much is measured by how much of …
“God, you did everything you promised, and I’m thanking you with all my heart.” ~King David
God is very faithful and loyal. God does everything He promises. I can count on that. My job is to …
“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting.” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear in that He says, “whenever you fast …” It seems like Jesus expected we would. Scripture does …
“Since the promise to enter God’s rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short.” ~Author of Hebrews
I don’t want to fall short. I have received the good news. I have received a promise from Jesus that …
“Go and make disciples of all nations.” ~Jesus
Every apostle was a disciple, but not every disciple was an apostle. Every person who believes in Jesus is called …
It is a stunning day in paradise. I got up this morning and that is some good news. I need to focus on what Jesus is doing, not what He isn’t.
I will admit I got up tired this morning. I have a medical condition that causes that to happen. It …
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Master Almighty” ~Four living creatures
The word holy means sacred, set apart, revered, or divine. And yet none of those words is adequate to describe …
“Say the word, and my servant will be healed.” ~Roman Centurion
What does faith look like? How can I know how to grab ahold of it and have more of it …
“Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways.” ~Author of Hebrews
The Bible attests to the authorship of the Almighty in numerous places. God is speaking. Jesus has something to say. We …
There is a whole lot of wrongdoing going on out there. I miss God’s goal. You miss God’s goal. Everyone does. Multiply that by 7 billion people and it adds up. I can see the problem.
Let’s look at God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They are completely holy and set apart from the nonsense of …
“Hard times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.” ~Apostle Paul
I have to be careful. Materialistic seduction can happen. I live in America and that is clear. If materialism was …
“Better to be poor and honest than a rich person no one can trust.” ~King Solomon
The pursuit of possessions and wealth and a preoccupation with physical things is futile and dissatisfying. Materialism is defined as “the …
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” ~Apostle Paul
The secret to unity begins with how I view myself within the body of Jesus and how I view others. …
“And Jesus was amazed at their unbelief.” ~Mark
I am astonished. I read and listen to Jesus. Where did He come up with all that He has to …
“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” ~Jesus
Jesus makes a stunning assessment about slavery. We are slaves of sin. Jesus warns me that continuance in the Word …
“The two apostles were there a long time, speaking freely, openly, and confidently as they presented the clear evidence of God’s gifts, God corroborating their work with miracles and wonders.” ~Luke
I can always benefit from the habit of going to the place where believers meet. It was the habit of …
“Solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” ~Author of Hebrews
Jesus challenges me to grow up. That isn’t harsh. It is loving. The job of the teacher is to show …
“For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” ~Isaiah
This is a stunning prophecy (prediction) of the Kingdom of Jesus found in Isaiah 9:1-7. It was made by Isaiah. …
“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” ~Apostle John
Jesus the Messiah accepted the authority of the OT law and saw himself as coming to fulfil its purpose. God’s …
Am I showing the right kind of love? Do they know I care and appreciate what they do?
There are many brothers and sisters, disciples of Jesus, that are laboring to bring the good news message of Jesus …
“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal agreement, even Jesus our Master.” ~Author of Hebrews
A covenant is an agreement between two parties. In the scriptures, it is between God and His people or certain …
“Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” ~Luke
Insight is the spiritual quality that enables a person to appreciate God’s mind and will in matters of behavior, truth …
“You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?” ~Jesus
“Woe unto you”. Seven times in Matthew 23 Jesus the Messiah say these words to the religious elites of that …
“The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.” ~Jesus
In the Gospels, Jesus speaks of those who have “ears to hear” at the end of a difficult saying or …
“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” ~Apostle Paul
My speech has an enormous influence for good or ill and is a sure guide to character. The power of …
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” ~Jesus
There is much to be said about self-denial and the scripture repeats this theme over and over. Jesus is clear. The …
“Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” ~Jesus
Jesus has defeated Satan. Jesus openly spoke about the Cross and His death. It was an hour of judgment for …
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.” ~Apostle Paul
Hatred is a strong negative reaction; a feeling toward someone considered an enemy, possibly indicating volatile hostility. I am not …
“I am not ashamed of the good news, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” ~Apostle Paul
The good news of Jesus and His Heavenly Father are absolutely complete. I am aware that many want to add …
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” ~God
The Bible is clear that lying is missing God’s goal (aka sin) and is displeasing to God. The first sin …
“Dignify those who are down on their luck; you’ll feel good — that’s what God does.” ~King David
God has given me a job. It is straightforward. There are lots of people down on their luck. My job …
“How can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?” Apostle Paul
Will I turn my back on grace and return to religious rules, regulations and a legalistic culture? What will happen …
“Happy are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” ~Jesus
In the United States, our declaration of independence has three core principles. One is life. The second is liberty and …
“Consider Jesus, the commissioned messenger and high priest of our confession.” ~Author of Hebrews
Now here is some very good news. I have brothers and sisters in Jesus. And … we share a heavenly …
“If you are reviled for the name of the Messiah, you are happy, because the Spirit of God and of glory rests on you” ~Peter
I should expect to be persecuted. Jesus said it. it is normal for a disciple. Why? Because following Jesus and …
“Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ~Religious elites to Jesus
Am I like the religious elites, constantly challenging Jesus? Am I a know it all trying to catch him breaking …
“Son though he was, Jesus learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” ~Author of Hebrews
Obedience to the will of God demonstrates the reality of a person’s faith in Jesus the Messiah. I must learn …
“A woman of gentle grace gets respect, but men of rough violence grab for loot.” ~King Solomon
I am called to gentle and humble. Jesus is clear with me that I should meek. I should look to …
“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear. I am to ask. He says, ask and you will receive. I am to ask in His …
“As soon as he got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met him” ~Mark
Jesus is on the move. He takes a boat to the other side of the sea. Am I on the …
“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me, declares the MASTER?” ~Jeremiah
Jesus is clear. I am to give directly to the poor. If they ask, I am to give. If they …
“And we’re here today bringing you good news: the Message that what God promised the fathers has come true for the children—for us! He raised Jesus.” ~Apostle Paul
The Apostle Paul lays out the core message of good news for me. Jesus died for me and was raised …
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” ~Apostle Paul
So what is grace? It is the gift of God that brings joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, and loveliness into our life. I …
“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” ~Jesus
The Jesus manifesto continues. Jesus takes on oaths and swearing. Jesus is clear on this. I am to say yes …
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” ~Apostle Paul
Creation matters. Atheists reject God and reject God as the creator. If they don’t, their whole worldview collapses. In reality, …
I need to hang out with the “wrong people” more.
People come in and out of my life. I participate in ministries that focus on the outcasts. I need to …
“We call Jesus Master by the Spirit of God.” ~Apostle Paul
Master (Lord) is a title that signifies Jesus the Messiah’s absolute authority and the basis on which people may know …
“Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” ~Jesus
I can get confused. Nicodemus did for sure. His whole world was the bible and theology. He is a member …
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” ~Apostle John
Jesus is the Son of God. I have a witness that Jesus gives me eternal life. That life is found …
“About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way.” ~Luke
Am I a follower of the Way of Jesus? Do I see myself as a follower of the Way, a …
“God, for your sake, help me! Use your influence to clear me. Listen, God—I’m desperate. Don’t be too busy to hear me.” ~King David
I am desperate some days. I don’t see a way out. God doesn’t seem to care. What should I do? …
“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need, but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” ~Apostle John
The simple answer is because God says so. That is it. It is that simple. Jesus commands that I must …
“For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away.” ~Author of Hebrews
I must pay attention. It is easy to lose focus. I drift away some days. Yikes. It is sad. I …
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” ~King David
Those whose commitment from the heart is shown in practical, often sacrificial, care, love and service. They are a source …
“Jesus often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.” ~Luke
Jesus was constantly ministering to the people. He had a stunning level of compassion and stamina. It was a lot. …
“Who do people say that I am?” ~Jesus
Jesus’ reluctance to be known as the Messiah is probably due to Jewish misunderstandings of the Messiah’s true role. One …
“Liars secretly hoard hatred; fools openly spread slander.” ~King Solomon
This puts an interesting twist on the motivation of liars and slanderers. I must pay attention here. When I lie, …
“The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.” ~Jesus
There is apostasy and there is atheism (and its nephew agnosticism). Apostasy, from the Greek word apostasia, means “a defiance …
“Because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus gave the apostles great power. It was stunning. The sick were being healed. What was their message, based on …
“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.” ~Jesus
Am I listening to Jesus? Do I hear what He is saying? Do I have ears to hear? Of course, …
“That’s when King Herod got it into his head to go after some of the church members. He murdered James, John’s brother.” ~Luke
I live in a world where popularity ratings mean so much. Consider politics. All about polling. Social media? How many …
“Little children, guard yourselves from idols.” ~Apostle John
Here is the wise warning from the Apostle John. I must pay attention. God doesn’t tolerate worship of anything but …
“He anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear that we are to help the poor. We are to give to them directly. I am not …
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” ~Jesus
I need to get on board with what God wants. It is never about me. It is always about God. …
I get lots of invitations to do things. There is only one that is worth a hoot. It is the one from Jesus. It is the best ever. It is an invitation oozing with good news and love.
There is so much that goes into our life. But what I need to focus on is what kind of …
Who is Jesus? Is Jesus God?
I want to know who Jesus is. It is a burning question for many of us. This isn’t anything new. …
“And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Master Jesus the Messiah, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.”
In Christian thought, the act by which God and man are brought together in personal relationship. The term is derived …
“The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” ~Jesus
I get how difficult it is to predict where the wind is going to blow. I live in Texas and …
“Pray for those who persecute you.” ~Jesus
I can trust God. While others may betray me, God will not. God is to be trusted. Now that is …
The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.” ~King David
There is a lot to be said about atheism and skepticism in general. I am very active on social media …
“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” ~Apostle Paul
I want more hope in my life. It supercharges my faith. It is the energizer bunny to me. It takes …
“When God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, and let all God’s angels worship him.” ~Author of Hebrews
Jesus is the Son of God. That has been established. I must always start there. God brought Him into the …
“Man must not live on bread alone.” ~Jesus
As Jesus begins His ministry, He is full of the Holy Spirit. That is a huge thing because He is …
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Master, make me to dwell in safety.” ~King David
I can count on peace. I can count on sleep. I can count on rest. I don’t need a “My …
“Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on?” ~Lady Wisdom
The call here is for the confused, the simple and ignorant to have dinner with Lady Wisdom. It is easy …
“In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.” ~Apostle Paul
You have a passion for Jesus. You want to do the right thing for His disciples. You believe in a …
“Immediately the religious elites went out and started plotting with the political elites against him, how they might kill him.” ~Mark
Conspiracy theories are interesting. People get intrigued by them. This one really existed. The religious and political elites of the …
“They brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.” ~Apostle Matthew
Here is good news. Jesus heals the sick. Jesus does it all the time. Jesus is in the healing business. …
