“What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right?” ~Jesus
God cares about me. This is practical talk from Jesus. If God cares for canaries, how much does He care …
Category Archives: God is Good
“Don’t be harsh or impatient with an older man.” ~Apostle Paul
Okay, I’m older now. Much older. It is easy to get impatient with me. There are many things I do …
I gave her a $20 bill. I owed her $2.32. She gave me my change and I walked away.
I gave her a $20 bill. I owed her $2.32. She gave me my change and I walked away. Later …
“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” ~Apostle Paul
It is possible to study the mere letter of Scripture while ignoring coming to its focus, Jesus the Messiah. Can …
“To the end that we who were the first to hope in the Messiah would be to the praise of His stunning brilliance and beauty.” ~Apostle Paul
One of the primary purposes of the assembly of disciples is to praise God and glorify Jesus, our Master. I …
Is God good in his gifts to us?
God gives us wonderful gifts, just like any father would do. If I ask for bread, will God give me …
“And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” ~Jesus
When Jesus saw the large crowds as sheep without a shepherd, His compassion led Him to teach them the things …
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, the Messiah died for us.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus is my example of the pure model of a true friend, for He laid down His life for His …
“I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” ~Jesus
I love bread. I love all kinds of breads. I love bread with butter. I love bread with oil. OK, …
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from missing God’s goal for their life.” ~Angel to Joseph
Now here is some very good news. God is with us and His name is Jesus! She will give birth …
“Friend, do what you have come for.” ~Jesus to Judas
Jesus personally selected Judas to be a disciple. Jesus taught Him just like all the others. Jesus made him “treasurer” …
“The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars.” ~Apostle Paul
I don’t like to think about it. I prefer to ignore liars. They didn’t mean it, I think. Jesus is …
“And in His name the Gentiles, all the nations of the world will hope with confidence.” ~Apostle Matthew
Most people understand hope as wishful thinking, as in “I hope something will happen.” I have been guilty of thinking that. It …
“The eye is the lamp of the body.” ~Jesus
In the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7), Jesus draws a sharp contrast now between a blind person and a sighted …
“The Master does not delay as though He were unable to act and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is extraordinarily patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to radically change their thinking.” ~Apostle Peter
God demonstrates his goodness in His love for me. God loves me so much, He gave His only Son to …
“I give out good and get back evil from God-haters who can’t stand a God-lover.” ~King David
I sure feel like this some days. I do good (or at least I think I do). What do I …
“You hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers.” ~Jesus
Jesus sent the 70 out on a mission and they have returned report that God has done amazing things. That …
“If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” ~Jesus
God is good. God alone is good. God only has good things in mind for me. Jesus wants me to …
“Because you’ve gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly.” ~Jesus
Jesus lays it all out here. He wants us to understand how it is between Him and His Father. This …
“Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” ~John the Baptizer
Jesus had a lot to say about the homeless, wealth, prosperity, poverty, riches, the poor, the needy and giving. Here …
“To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.” ~Jesus
Whenever I hear the word “mystery“, my curiosity kicks in. I want to know. A “mystery” in the New Testament …
“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” ~Apostle Matthew
God is the author of healing. Now that is some stunning news. That is the good news of the Kingdom …
“How exquisite your love, O God!” ~King David
God is love! Jesus came to die for me to show the amazing scope of God’s love. God’s love is …
“Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.” ~Jesus
Jesus looks me hard in the eye. Jesus is clear. Jesus isn’t going to pull any punches with me. …
“For to me, to live is the Messiah as He is my source of joy, my reason to live and to die is gain for I will be with Him in eternity.” ~Apostle Paul
My hope is in Jesus. That is the main thing about the main thing. Is your hope in Jesus? If not, …
Surprise – Should disciples of Jesus be surprised with suffering?
The surprises along the way are God’s surprises. He is never caught off guard or unprepared. He calls me to …
“Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” ~Religious elites to Jesus disciples
Jesus gets in trouble a lot. The religious elites don’t like who He hangs out with. They let Jesus know. …
“God is great — everything works together for good for his servant.” ~King David
I have something to shout about. I have family and friends that want the best for me. They really do. …
“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” ~John the Baptizer
Jesus the anointed King and Messiah’s ministry of forgiveness was foretold. God has a plan. God executes it in His …
“Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus shows me how to love and be kind. Jesus commands me to love. God wants me to be kind, …
“Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Master forgave you, so also should you.” ~Apostle Paul
True love is forgiving: God loves me so He forgives me for missing His goal (aka sin) for my life. …
“So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said?” ~Jesus
Jesus is resurrected to an incorruptible body after having been crucified. It is three days after His death. He is …
“You don’t understand now what I’m doing, but it will be clear enough to you later.” ~Jesus
There are days I just don’t understand what Jesus is doing or saying. I like to think I do. I …
“I live and breathe God; if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy: join me in spreading the news; together let’s get the word out.” ~King David
King David knows what it is like to be in some tough places. He spent much of his life in …
“And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of the beauty of God (glory).” ~Apostle Peter
Peter knows about Jesus and goes over the top in love for him. Jesus stood by him after Peter abandoned …
“You’re not yet taking God seriously!” ~Jesus
How am I doing with my faith and belief in God and Jesus? Am I taking God seriously? Confidence in …
“Behold, the Lamb of God!” ~John the Baptizer
This is hard to understand since there is no sacrificial system in religious life today. The jewish, christian and islamic …
“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” ~Jesus
In some circles, the end game is to be saved. Now that is important but it is not the end …
“This cup which is poured out for you is the new agreement in My blood.” ~Jesus
In the scriptures, a covenant (agreement) is between God and His people or certain specific individuals, like myself. The fulfilment …
“Jesus died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus is my substitute for having to pay a penalty for having missed God’s goal. Jesus tasted death for me …
“When the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us.” ~Apostle Paul
God showed His infinite kindness to me. God sent His Son Jesus to die for me. Surely I can, by …
“Lots of people claim to be loyal and loving, but where on earth can you find one?” ~King Solomon
Where is the loyalty? Where is the love? Doesn’t anyone care? God is loyal and God is loving. I can …
“The Master is full of compassion and is merciful.” ~James
Nothing moves me to forgive like the stunning knowledge that I have myself been forgiven. Nothing proves more clearly that I …
“But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” ~Apostle John
Jesus is clear. His apostle John is clear. My heart testifies to me what I ought to do. There …
“Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” ~Jesus
In the Bible, courage is also called “good cheer” as in Mark 6:50 when Jesus gave the command to the disciples who …
“Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn’t there. You’re about to be given new grounds for believing.” ~Jesus
Here I see the care and compassion of my Master. It appeared somewhat callous to begin with. Lazarus is sick. …
“Jesus the Messiah might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example.” ~Apostle Paul
God is very, very patient with me. Jesus the Messiah is perfectly patient. I am so thankful for that. Where …
“Celebrate God. Sing together—everyone! All you honest hearts, raise the roof!” ~King David
I serve an amazing God. I celebrate His goodness, righteousness and holiness. God is good. God is good all the …
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great.” ~Jesus
Jesus wants me to love. Jesus wants me to do good. Jesus wants me to not expect anything in return …
“Encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” ~Apostle Paul
Can I be gentle in caring for the weak? Every person is powerful. I can speak words that influence others. …
“Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.” ~Jesus
What does Jesus say? I know what He says. I can read His words. I can study them. I can …
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” ~Jesus
Jesus is my Master. As my Master, Jesus has some commands for me. They are not optional if I follow …
“Don’t listen to them; just trust me.” ~Jesus
Jesus wants to perform a miracle in my life. There are many competing voices telling me it won’t happen. Who …
“For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the Master of hosts; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, who is called the God of all the earth.” ~Isaiah
Without faithfulness to God there can be no discipleship life. Following Jesus is based first on faith that God is, …
“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.” ~Jesus
King David knew that our Master (Lord) is our shepherd. We all love Psalm 23. Jesus is the good shepherd. …
“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” ~Jesus
Glory of Jesus Jesus the Messiah’s beauty, radiance and splendor reflects the glory of the Father. It is both revealed to and …
“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” ~Matthew about Jesus
This is striking. The first thing to note here is that Jesus saw the people. He didn’t look past them. …
“Courage, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.” ~Jesus
The five thousand had just been feed. It was a stunning day. God had been shown, through His son Jesus, …
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” ~Apostle Paul
The joy of deliverance is amazing. When God sets me free, rejoicing is in order. I was tied up missing God’s …
“Happy are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad!” ~Jesus
How did Jesus expect me to react under persecution? Rejoice and be glad! That is right. I’m jump up and down for …
“You’re looking for someone to blame.” ~Jesus
I’m not asking the right question. I’m looking to blame someone. I know this is directed at me. A judging …
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.” ~Jesus
It starts with faith. I need to get clear with my faith in Jesus. When peace leaves me, I need to …
“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to change your mind?” ~Apostle Paul
I should be patient, even as Jesus is patient. Naturally, in and of myself, I am not. God’s kindness is …
What is the prescription for happiness? Here are the 9 steps!
Originally posted on The culture alternative:
Think Happy I am happy. Jesus promises me that I will be. True happiness derives from…
“Happy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” ~Jesus
Is my heart pure? That is an essential issue to address. Jesus lays it out in His manifesto (Matthew 5 — …
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” ~Jesus
Grace is a gift. God gives me grace when I am humble. There is no peace if I am proud …
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” ~Jesus
Jesus clearly calls me to do good works! The purpose of my good works is to glorify the amazing and …
“The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” ~Jesus
Jesus challenges me. Am I “sinless“? If so, I get to throw the first stone. Jesus challenged the elite religious …
“Don’t be afraid. I know you’re looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the One they nailed on the cross. He’s been raised up; he’s here no longer.” ~An Angel
I am looking for Jesus in all the wrong places. I think “he was”. My language and my attitude is …
“Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.” ~Jesus
I am called to be faithful and trustworthy. I am challenged by this some days. When I think about it and …
“Where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ~Jesus
Jesus has a requirement for me as I stand before Him, confessing I have missed God’s goal, I am a …
“Before you know it, his justice will triumph; the mere sound of his name will signal hope, even among far-off unbelievers.” ~Isaiah about Jesus
I need to find more hope. God is good and in a good mood. Justice, while lacking here some days, will be done. …
“For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us.” ~Ezra
I want the quality of compassion and generosity in my life. I need to learn how God loves the weak and poor. It is …
“Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect God to get here soon.” ~King David
Now here is some good news. God is going to take care of me. My job is to love God. …
“Behold, your mother!” ~Jesus
Consider the tenderness of Jesus the Messiah. Everywhere we turn, Jesus is moved and full of compassion. Jesus shows the goodness of …
“Jesus came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near.” ~Apostle Paul
Prophecies of peace are fulfilled in the coming of Jesus the Messiah. Peace is real. Jesus wants me to experience peace. …
“Keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” ~Apostle Peter
The Holy Spirit brings joy to believers, giving us an inner contentment and happiness which is not dependent upon external …
“Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” ~Disciples to Jesus
How important is rest? God needed it and got it. Jesus needed it and got it. Even in the middle of a …
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.” ~Jesus
Jesus is my Master. Jesus owns me. I am His slave. I should be happy with that being enough. This …
“Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to change you mind?” ~Apostle Paul
What is my attitude? How should I act? What do I think God has in store for me? Jesus calls …
“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, …
“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. …
“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 …
“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 …
“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. …
“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 …
“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 …
“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 …
“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 …
“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 …
“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 …
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. …
“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 …
“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 …
