I covet what other people have like their house or their car, their job or anything that a neighbor has. …
One of the benefits of being a disciple is that obedience brings peace. If I’m not at peace, I need …
The issue here, relative to “good people”, is one of righteousness. Do we have righteous people in charge? The contrast …
I must come to a basic understanding about wealth. Jesus is challenging me. So is the Apostle Paul. Riches are …
What does Jesus want from me? Jesus wants me to listen. Jesus wants me to be a good and faithful servant. …
There is much to be said about self denial and the scripture repeats this theme over and over. Jesus is clear. The Apostles …
Now this is stunning news. If I practice missing God’s goal (aka sin) then I am of the devil. Jesus …
It is a stunning question. How will I answer? It could be asked of me. I am in the crowd. …
Jesus is clear. Jesus has a mission for me and for all of us who are disciples. We are to …
There is no doubt that persecution is a stark reality of living for a disciple of Jesus. For a disciple …
Jesus commands me to love. Jesus owns me. I am His slave. My job is to do what I am …
Jesus is clear. I am to be a servant. Jesus shows me the way. Jesus made himself a slave of …
Jesus continues His manifesto. I have a lot to learn here. Jesus is being clear, as He always is. …
Jesus knows what is coming. Jesus knows the the agony, not only of the crucifixion, but also the burden of …
David knows. God has given him wisdom. Being quiet and not saying what I am thinking is a good course …
God wants me to be wise. God wants me to understand that He is God. I am not. God is …
I want to believe. I need to believe. I do believe. Master Jesus, help my unbelief. Jesus is the King …
God has a goal for all of us who are disciples of Jesus. Jesus wants us to live in unity. …
As a disciple of Jesus, I have accepted Truth, not just as a concept, but as a Person. Jesus said, “I …
Jesus went to the temple after His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on palm Sunday. The ecstacy of that moment to …
Jesus has a goal for me. It is to be a peacemaker. Peacemaking is a big goal given to us …
It is a good thing to want to be a leader in the assembly (church) that is called out of …
God has a goal for me. Jesus calls on me to be gentle and meek. I am to be humble. …
We need friends but we need wise friends that we can count on to say the right thing at the …
The religious elites of the Jewish faith were constantly trying to trap Jesus. One asked “Which is most important of all …
Jesus does not exhort me to get angry, as if this is anger were a good motivator or energy for positive action. …
It is a wise thing to “do good”. I know that “good works” won’t save me. Only the redemptive act …
Jesus is challenging me. This is tough. Am I willing to give up everything, including my life for King Jesus? …
There is a better way. What? Yes, God shows us. It is a God thing. It is called wisdom. It …
Jesus makes a declaration about His followers in the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7). We are the light of …
God calls on me to respect others, placing them as more important than I am. Jesus is very clear about …
Jesus is the true source of everything I am or have. Jesus is the real vine. My role is to …
Jesus, as always, asks a very penetrating question. The “rich young ruler” had just turned and left. He was very …
One word. Jesus rebukes the storm. Jesus is in the power of the Holy Spirit, as the Son of God. …
Faith is not something I conjure up on my own, nor is it something I am born with. Faith is …
God’s glory is to be my highest motive. God wants me to know that He sees what no one else …
Jesus challenges me. “Happy are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Clearly, I am to be pure. …
I am concerned and worry about lots of things. One of them is how am I doing compared to others. …
Jesus warns us constantly and consistently about the dangers not focusing on God and focusing on wealth. It is a …
Peter challenges me to follow the example of Jesus. Peter knows. Peter learned directly from our Master Jesus. Jesus has …
How am I doing with my faith and belief in God and Jesus? Am I taking God seriously? Confidence in …
Jesus continues His manifesto. I have a lot to learn here. Jesus is being clear, as He always is. This …
The Jesus Manifesto continues with Jesus laying out for me what I need to be like in this world. I …
Jesus wants me to accompany him. Jesus wants me to go where He has gone and is going. Jesus wants …
What does God want from me? Listen to His Son Jesus. It is a simple and straightforward challenge. God didn’t …
I don’t like to get in trouble. I do even though I don’t like it. Usually it is something I’ve …
There is a time to get prepared. That time is when trouble is on the way. I must listen and …
Jesus challenges me to radically change my way of thinking. Repentance (the original Greek means radically changing my thinking) is of central …
I shouldn’t let my faith go on cruise control. The Apostle Paul urges disciples of Jesus to examine themselves. I …
Jesus has just finished talking about not judging and hypocrisy in the Jesus Manifesto. At first sight and hearing, this is …
James warns me about the danger. What I say can ignite a fire. I have seen it. It isn’t pretty. …
Self-control is an issue of my heart. I must not be wishy-washy in my resolve. I must excerpt control of my …
Jesus wants to know. Jesus has a question. What do I make of this? Do I understand? Am I listening? …
God has a goal in mind for me. It could bring me into conflict with those I love most. Betrayal …
Should I renounce anger? Yes! Jesus does not exhort me to get angry, as if anger were a good motivator or energy for …
There is a natural set of consequences for angry people. There is a backlash. Something very real is going to …
Where is my treasure? What is important to me? Is Jesus my Master? Jesus told us to “store up for …
There are a lot of details to life. What to eat. What to wear. Which way to drive to work. …
I need wisdom. I need understanding. Wisdom and understanding is a God-given perception. God’s goal for me is to be wise …
Scripture portrays fools as those who have rejected God and/or his ways and are unable or unwilling to appreciate the …
How is God’s justice declared? Justice is a term used for what is right or “as it should be.” Justice is …
Jesus the Messiah’s life was lived under the shadow of the cross. He was concerned that people should understand his …
Jesus is upset. Jesus is upset with the elite religious leaders of the day. Jesus hasn’t gotten over it. I …
The religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus. They would. The religious elites just didn’t want people to be upset about …
Friendship is an amazing experience. It also can be a fragile relationship. Am I looking at the good in my …
Jesus is beginning to wrap up His manifesto. Jesus changed his brief metaphor from sheep and wolves to trees and …
Why in the world would Jesus curse the fig tree? What was He up to? This happened during the week …
It is none of my business. That is the stunning message from Jesus that He wants me to know. I …
God has given me a goal. I need to keep in step with Jesus. Jesus kept on track. Jesus does …
Here is something for me to assess. Am I being pretentious? Am I pretending and showing off what I have …
I am thinking this part of the Jesus Manifesto has been ripped out of most Evangelical and Protestant bibles. I …
Greed is very insidious. It creeps into my life and I don’t recognize it at all some days. I have …
Jesus has some goals in mind for me. Jesus is clear what they are. Jesus warns me that there will …
The backdrop to this is the feeding of the five thousand. It is a truly stunning miracle. Jesus was moved …
Jesus is very clear and straightforward. I don’t know why it stumps so many “Christians”, the government and homeless nonprofits, …
Jesus warns us in Matthew 7 where we hear Him say “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s …
We all know people who have something to say about everything. Is this me? Is this you? Think about it. …
What am I to do? It all starts with listening. From there, as a follower of Jesus, I am to …
Can Jesus depend on me? There have been many times where He couldn’t. I didn’t step up to the plate, …
“Happy (aka Blessed) are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” ~Jesus Source: Matthew 5:9 (NASB) Jesus continues on with his …
Jesus told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up …
Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, …
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Enter …
Still later, as the Eleven were eating supper, he appeared and took them to task most severely for their stubborn …
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and …
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a …
Then Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: “Happy are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom …
Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me …
“When the ten others heard about this, they lost their tempers, thoroughly disgusted with the two brothers. So Jesus got …
Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me …
Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career. For Wisdom is better than all the …
It is helpful to know that some people really don’t care for me. In fact, they care nothing at all. …
Jesus is put out with the Pharisees. Jesus points them and us to the Bible. I’m afraid our church leaders …
Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. | Matthew 5:4 (ESV) Jesus is ushering in the Kingdom of …
What is my role in all this? God doesn’t invade my body and make me change my mind. That isn’t …
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter …
Am I clever? I like to think I am some days. So did the Sadducess (Religious Leaders). They thought they …
Jesus did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, …
John nails it, as always. John knows it is all about love. How many times does he remind me? Constantly. …
Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me …
