“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” ~Jesus the Messiah
Is there Good News? There is good news. The Word of God and Jesus offers an understanding of the source, character, …
Category Archives: God Thoughts
“Happy are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifesto continues. It may seem strange that Jesus should pass from peacemaking to persecution, from the work of reconciliation …
“It is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” ~Jesus
According to the Bible, though, hell is just as real as heaven. The Bible clearly and explicitly teaches that hell …
“God, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together.” ~King David
God answers prayer. Mighty King David knows this in his heart. He has seen lots of trouble. God comes through. …
“Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides.” ~Jesus
Jesus is going to declare something. It is going to be bold. It is being set up by this conversation. …
“We don’t want the crowds up in arms” ~Religious Leaders
The religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus. They would. The religious elites just didn’t want people to be upset about …
“When you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ ”
I am a slave of Jesus. Jesus is my Master (aka Lord). Jesus owns me. I have to be clear about …
What does Jesus think of being a “servant leader”? Hint: Can you say “Argle Bargle”?
There is a lot being said, by “leaders”, about being servant leaders. I have a friend that has written a …
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” ~Jesus
Jesus is about to wrap His Manifesto. There is one final parable to lay it all out. There is a contrast …
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” ~Jesus
God is God. No one else is. God alone is in control. God is Great and God is Good. I …
“Overlook an offense and bond a friendship; fasten on to a slight and — good-bye, friend!” ~King Solomon
Friendship is an amazing experience. It also can be a fragile relationship. Am I looking at the good in my …
“Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit!” ~Luke
Jesus rejoiced. Jesus is exuberant in the Holy Spirit. Jesus came to usher in the Kingdom of God in the …
“Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start.” ~Jesus
The continuation of Jesus the Messiah’s mission is through his followers. Believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit and sent …
Speech — It has the Power of Death and Life
My speech has an enormous influence for good or ill and is a sure guide to my character. The power …
The Disastrous Message from the Lupton Center on Poverty and Homelessness
Originally posted on Thoughts on culture, politics and more:
There is a disastrous message being promoted to churches and people of faith. It is destructive…
“What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” ~Disciples of Jesus
God is God and God is great. God empowered his son Jesus. There are so many amazing and supernatural acts …
“And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” ~Author of Hebrews
I want to please God, my heavenly Father. That is my heart’s desire. It takes sacrifice on my part. It …
“A slave of the Messiah Jesus …” ~Apostle Paul
How did Paul see himself? Paul saw himself as a slave of Jesus. This is not a fluke. Paul also …
“You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what’s behind the appearance.” ~Jesus
Am I a master at making myself look good? What Jesus has to say to the religious elites (aka Pharisees) …
“A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” ~Jesus
Jesus is beginning to wrap up His manifesto. Jesus changed his brief metaphor from sheep and wolves to trees and …
“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude.” ~Apostle Paul
God is good — We see it in his work of creation I have good news. God is God and perfect. …
“In Jesus you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.” ~Apostle Paul
What gives Jesus the right to speak and act on his Father’s behalf in forgiving sin, pronouncing judgment and promising …
“Bravo, God, bravo!” ~King David
Where is my enthusiasm for God and His marvelous works? Why don’t I shout it out? Do I long for …
“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
Am I wrong to hope? Now this is amazing. I am not disappointed when I hope. In my hope, I …
“Do you want to get well?” ~Jesus
Do I want to get well? Jesus is in the healing business. Jesus can heal me physically and Jesus can heal …
“You’re impressed by this grandiose architecture? There’s not a stone in the whole works that is not going to end up in a heap of rubble.” ~Jesus
Jesus wants to know. Am I impressed with what man can build? Really? That impresses me? As he walked away …
“Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good.” ~King Solomon
God acts from the highest, purest motives. God expects me to do the same. Humans are satisfied with whatever looks …
Goodness – Good Works are a Characteristic of God
Goodness and good works are acts designed specifically to benefit others, which are characteristic of God. I can be good …
“Why this gossipy whispering?” ~Jesus
Jesus decides to return to His hometown. When He got there, some men carried a paraplegic on a stretcher and …
“This is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive!” ~Jesus
There is good news, for all of us. Jesus has a heart for the lost and those who have missed …
“If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” ~Jesus
Jesus continues the Manifesto. Jesus is teaching me how to pray. After the model prayer, Jesus emphasizes the importance of …
“Blessed be God — He heard me praying.” ~King David
I need to see how much God cares. It is just who He is. I don’t need to look around. …
“Jesus sets out the evidence of what he saw and heard in heaven.” ~John the Baptizer
I am not immune to competing for my spiritual faction (aka denomination). I think it is best. I think Jesus …
“Why are you playing these games with me?” ~Jesus
Jesus has a serious question for me. Jesus wants an answer. Jesus will patiently wait. Jesus is smiling. Jesus isn’t …
“A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.” ~King Solomon
I have seen it way too often. Something that starts simple escalates. It turns into all out war. My drive …
“What you believed could happen has happened.” ~Jesus
Jesus challenges me. Jesus wants me to believe. When I do, Jesus is loving, kind and faithful. Jesus wants to …
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear and Jesus has a question for me. Am I listening to Him? “Simply put, if you’re not …
“Happy are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” ~Jesus
I want mercy in my life. Compassion is a wonderful gift from God. I am challenged by Jesus to replicate …
“The Master is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?” ~King David
I have a number of things I am afraid of. God is God and Jesus is working with me to …
“Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it’s not possible to see what I’m pointing to—to God’s kingdom.” ~Jesus
This is stunning. As disciples of Jesus, we are the chief objects of God’s fatherly love. We become God’s children …
“No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!” ~Jesus
Why in the world would Jesus curse the fig tree? What was He up to? This happened during the week …
“Escape quickly from the company of fools; they’re a waste of your time, a waste of your words.” ~King Solomon
Scripture portrays fools as those who have rejected God and his ways and are unable or unwilling to appreciate the …
“Some [of the disciples], though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.” ~Apostle Matthew
Am I a doubter? If I am honest, yes, there are times I doubt. So did some of the 11 …
“Whether few or many is none of your business. Put your mind on your life with God.” ~Jesus
It is none of my business. That is the stunning message from Jesus that He wants me to know. I …
Jesus didn’t call me to be Christian. He called me to be a disciple.
Jesus didn’t call me to be a Christian. He called me to be a disciple. Jesus is my Master teacher. …
“Make sure I’m fit inside and out so I never lose sight of your love, but keep in step with you, never missing a beat.” ~King David
God has given me a goal. I need to keep in step with Jesus. Jesus kept on track. Jesus does …
“Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.” ~Jesus
Mothers, you have to love them. They want us to do something. We might as well do it. Jesus understood …
“No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.” ~Jesus
What Jesus said blew His disciples away. It was stunning. Am I hearing Jesus properly? Am I stunned? Am I …
“A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life.” ~King Solomon
Here is something for me to assess. Am I being pretentious? Am I pretending and showing off what I have …
“But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.” ~Jesus
I am thinking this part of the Jesus Manifesto has been ripped out of most Evangelical and Protestant bibles. I …
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” ~Jesus
Did God abandon Jesus? It is a stunning question. From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around midafternoon …
“Why do you call me, ‘Master, Master,’ and do not do what I say?” ~Jesus
Jesus asks very penetrating questions of me. Jesus is patient. Jesus is waiting for my answer. What will I say? …
“Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.” ~Jesus
Greed is very insidious. It creeps into my life and I don’t recognize it at all some days. I have …
“Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” ~Jesus
Jesus continues with His radical Manifesto. We all know what it is like to be hungry or thirsty. We can’t …
“May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.” ~King David
I have enemies. You have enemies. When we follow Jesus, that is reality. When we speak out for Him, we …
“We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.” ~Apostle John
John saw it with his own eyes. Imagine that. John was there for the transfiguration. John saw the glory of …
“This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” ~God
God has a goal for me. It is a job I must take seriously. Will I? And he said to …
“The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble; the conversation of good people keeps them out of it.” ~King Solomon
Oh no! Here we go. If I could just keep quiet. If I could just control my tongue. I love …
“You know that Passover comes in two days. That’s when the Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over for crucifixion.” ~Jesus
The religious leaders were afraid of a riot. Now that is rich. They arrested Jesus during Passover anyway and there …
“This is war, and there is no neutral ground.” ~Jesus
Jesus knows what I am thinking. There is no hiding. Jesus will shine the light on my indifference. I must …
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” ~Jesus
Jesus continues His Manifesto (aka The Sermon on the Mount). Jesus is getting close to wrapping it up. Jesus doesn’t …
“Breakfast is ready.” ~Jesus
This is the third time Jesus appears to the disciples. They’ve been out fishing all night. They’ve been working. They …
“And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?” ~Jesus
Jesus asks me lots of questions. This one gets to the core of the issue. Who is Jesus? Jesus and …
“Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why?” ~Jesus
Jesus has some goals in mind for me. Jesus is clear what they are. Jesus warns me that there will …
“You cannot serve God and wealth.” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifest continues (Matthew 5-7). This is a critical teaching of Jesus. What should I think about money and …
“What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this?” ~Jesus
Jesus sounds upset. The day before he went through an amazing experience. We call it the transfiguration. “While He was praying, the …
“Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.” ~Apostle Paul
This is very common. I don’t think of it that way naturally but it is when you start looking below …
“It’s done . . . complete.” ~Jesus
Jesus came to complete every task God, His Father, had laid out for Him. Jesus, earlier (John 5:38) had said …
“If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I’m leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you’ll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God” ~Jesus
So now we are down to the real issue. Jesus has laid out the case for what it takes to …
“Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.” ~King David
This translation is from The Message. We all recognize Psalm 23. The traditional translation of verse 6 is “Surely goodness and …
“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” ~Jesus
The backdrop to this is the feeding of the five thousand. It is a truly stunning miracle. Jesus was moved …
“Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.” ~Jesus
Jesus is very clear and straightforward. I don’t know why it stumps so many “Christians”, the government and homeless nonprofits, …
“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” ~Jesus
Jesus warns us in Matthew 7 where we hear Him say “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s …
Sometimes my worst fears …
Sometimes my worst fears come true. It really was cancer. I did go broke. I was homeless and living in …
“The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.” ~King Solomon
We all know people who have something to say about everything. Is this me? Is this you? Think about it. …
“Who touched my robe?” ~Jesus
Am I thinking, if I can just touch Jesus, He will heal me? It is a good question. Sometimes I …
“And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” ~Luke (Acts 13:52)
Am I happy? Do you see my joy? Or am I just a grumpy old man most days? In Acts …
Goodness — God’s people are called on to do good works
How am I doing with being selfless on behalf of others? It is a pretty telling question if I answer …
“Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.” ~King David
Who is the King of Glory? King David is a warrior King. He spent much of his life fighting to …
“This is the end–for me, the beginning of life.” ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer — Right before they hung him (April 8, 1945)
On April 8, 1945, Lutheran pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer is hanged at Flossenburg, only days before the American liberation …
“The one who listens to you, listens to me. The one who rejects you, rejects me. And rejecting me is the same as rejecting God, who sent me.” ~Jesus
What am I to do? It all starts with listening. From there, as a follower of Jesus, I am to …
“Peace to you.” ~Jesus
Did you lock the doors? That was the compelling question the morning Jesus rose from the dead in an incorruptible …
“Come off by yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” ~Jesus
There have been way too many times I have ignored getting some rest. I worked too many days in a …
“Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air; common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.” ~~King Solomon
There is right and there is wrong. We all know the difference. I must remember to stand up for the …
Peace — It is established in a believer’s relationship with the Father and Jesus
There are times I am clearly not at peace. I am not at peace with myself and I am not …
Dr. King is assassinated – April 04, 1968
Originally posted on Thoughts on culture, politics and more:
I really appreciate everything Dr. King did for our country. Most of it was very controversial.…
“Who here qualifies for the job of overseeing the kitchen? A person the Master can depend on to feed the workers on time each day.” ~Jesus
Can Jesus depend on me? There have been many times where He couldn’t. I didn’t step up to the plate, …
“Well Done!” Pastor Marvin Winans sings it
We all want to hear it when we complete our journey. Hear Pastor Marvin Winans sing it at New St. …
“Happy are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” ~Jesus
Jesus is a kind, loving King. Jesus is not angry with me. Jesus wants me to be kind and gentle. …
“How is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt?” ~Jesus
Am I treating Jesus with contempt? Now that is a tough question. I don’t really want to think about it. …
“He has risen from the dead!” ~Angel | Breaking News! Jesus rises from the dead in an incorruptible body!
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was …
“Peace be with you!” ~Jesus
Here we are. It is “Resurrection Sunday”. I’m celebrating the resurrection of Jesus not bunnies and chocolate candy. That’s just …
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” ~Jesus
There is a break from the horror of Good Friday! Jesus is carrying out the plan of His Father. His …
What can I do about my bitterness?
Great message (and short) from John Piper on bitterness. When I harbor feelings of vengeance I show that I don’t have …
Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, Υἱέ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐλέησόν με τὸν ἁμαρτωλόν
Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, Υἱέ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐλέησόν με τὸν ἁμαρτωλόν Translated: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on …
“At just the right time, when we were still powerless, the Messiah died for the ungodly. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, the Messiah died for us” ~Apostle Paul
Good Friday, also known as “Holy Friday,” is the Friday immediately preceding Resurrection Sunday. It is celebrated traditionally as the day …
“Truly I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” ~Jesus to Peter
Judas betrays Jesus. Peter and the others deny they know Jesus. Nobody is with Jesus at the end. I am …
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” ~Jesus
Maundy Thursday, also known as “Holy Thursday,” is the Thursday of Passion Week, one day before Good Friday (the Friday before …
“Precious Lord, Take My Hand” ~Rev. James Cleveland
This seemed like a good day for some music from the Reverend James Cleveland. Let’s all sing now, precious Lord, …
“What are you willing to give me if I deliver Jesus over to you?” ~Judas
According to the traditional interpretation of the Bible, Holy Wednesday is the day on which Jesus was anointed with spikenard during a …
