How do we achieve right standing with God?
How much of what we do “for Jesus” is done to be seen by others? Probably too much. Jesus is …
Category Archives: God’s Goal
Can we overcome temptation through prayer?
We have good news. We can overcome temptation by prayer. God will listen and give us strength. Earlier in the …
Are we the ones who are going ‘to get’ what Jesus is saying?
It is sad that Jesus knows that not matter how He communicates the message, some of us aren’t going to …
What are we working for?
What am I working for? Jesus wants to know. Jesus has some commands for me on this. I must act …
Will our mouths hang open when Jesus answers?
The main thing: Jesus has a serious question for us. Jesus wants an answer. Jesus will patiently wait. Jesus …
Did God create the family?
God’s goal: Family is foundational in the new agreement in God’s country where Jesus is King. God wants us to …
Does an empty-head think mischief is fun?
What do we enjoy beyond anything else? God’s goal is for us to delight in wisdom. We should love wisdom …
What is the nature of gentleness like? How can we have more in our lives?
I have seen it too often. So, have you. Something that starts simple escalates. It turns into all-out war. My …
Are we ready for the harvest and the work?
We are good at looking around at nature and figuring out what time of year it is. We can see …
What should I do when someone is begging for money?
It is a challenge. I see the homeless. Do I give them some money? Won’t they just use it to …
Does true exaltation come from God? What about self-exaltation?
Why it matters: Exaltation is the lifting up or raising on high of a person, in words or actions. The …
Are we going to be to be a “living sacrifice” for Jesus? Will let Him have all our strengths that have been saved and sanctified?
What it is about: It is not about dying. It is all about living. Living the life God gives us through …
Does God want us to be His children? How can that happen?
The big deal: This is stunning. As disciples of Jesus, we are the chief objects of God’s fatherly love. We …
Are foolish arguments a waste of time and effort?
Scripture portrays fools as those who have rejected God and his ways and are unable or unwilling to appreciate the …
What should our focus be on?
It is none of my business. That is the stunning message from Jesus that He wants me to know. I …
Are we slaves to fear?
The Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of adoption” The word adoption in the New Testament means “being placed as an …
Think bold and aim big. Be blessed. God is with us.
Anytime of year is a good time to assess where I am and where I am going. I don’t …
Is our faith in Jesus only another fad, and the moment there’s trouble it’s gone?
Jesus challenges us to go beyond fads and initial enthusiasm in our commitment to Him and God’s way. Our initial …
Can we examine ourselves? Are we fit in our spiritual relationship with God?
God’s goal: God has given me a goal. I need to keep in step with Jesus. Jesus kept on track. …
Where was our Messiah Jesus supposed to be born?
Why it matters: Follow this. This is not what we envision. The wise and the rich saw His star and were …
How powerful is the power of God?
What Jesus said blew His disciples away. It was stunning. Am I hearing Jesus properly? Am I stunned? Am …
“Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and his will for us.” ~William Franklin (Billy) Graham
We are fearful and anxious. It is a by product of our missing God’s goal for our lives. It is way …
Are we trying to impress others?
Here is something for me to assess. Am I being pretentious? Am I pretending and showing off what I have …
Have we been warned about falsely attributing blame?
A fellow disciple of Jesus expresses an opinion. We blame them for being weak in their faith. It happens a …
Will we happy if we are obedient to Jesus?
Jesus asks very penetrating questions of us. Jesus is patient. Jesus is waiting for our answer. What will we say? …
Is sin a cancellation of a debt?
What matters the most: Sin is pictured as a debt, and the sinner as a debtor. Accordingly, the word represents sin …
How important is baptism?
I came to Jesus and decided to follow Him at the age of 12. I was immediately baptized in water. …
What should we hunger and thirst after?
Jesus continues with His radical Manifesto (Matthew 5-7). We all know what it is like to be hungry or thirsty. …
Are Christians described as brothers?
I am a person who believes in God and the work of His Son Jesus. We are a people of …
What are the requirements to be a disciple [apprentice] of Jesus?
God brings salvation to us as an unconditional act. A disciple is a student who is learning. That is a …
Does Jesus the Messiah show us the way when it comes to self control?
Yeshua [Jesus] is our model for self-control. In His suffering He clearly showed it. He could have called down the …
Are fools undone by their big mouths? Are their souls crushed by their words?
What matters the most: Scripture portrays fools as those who have rejected God and/or his ways and are unable or …
Are we ready to change our minds and act differently about gentleness?
Worth noting: What is my attitude? How should I act? What do I think God has in store for me? …
How is the evaluation of ministries commended by Jesus?
What we know: Jesus warns about false prophets. He does this many times. Jesus is clear that not every minister or …
When we worship God will we do it out of our very being, our spirits, our true selves, and in adoration?
Jesus knows how to worship God, our Father. Jesus challenges us to worship God the right way. It has to come …
Should we defer to the wisdom of the aged?
The elderly can be seen as burdens rather than blessings. Sometimes we are quick to forget the sacrifices our parents …
Will we listen to Jesus? Will we act on what He says?
What does Jesus want from me? Jesus wants me to listen. Jesus wants me to be a good and faithful servant. …
How important is rest?
How important is rest? God needed it and got it. Jesus needed it and got it. Even in the middle of a …
Should we be foolish or understand what the Master’s will is?
What we know: I need to wake up from my sleep. I need to get up out of my coffin. …
Do we desperately need more kindness in our lives?
I desperately need more kindness and compassion in my life. I need to judge less and love more. That is …
Does God give us more to do than He has power to enable us to accomplish?
Faith is speaking to me. Faith tells me that no matter what lies ahead, God is already there. God doesn’t …
Is justice important to Jesus?
How is God’s justice declared? Justice is a term used for what is right or “as it should be.” Justice is …
Will this surprise us?
The end game: When I scan the biblical story, I can’t help concluding that following Jesus brings a life of surprises. …
Why should we build only on a Person, the Master Jesus Messiah, and on the Spirit He gives?
Jesus is the only foundation we need. Jesus challenges us to build our life on Him, our Father who sent …
Are we ready to be compassionate?
Compassion is an attitude of care and concern, grounded in pity and sympathy towards others, given to us by Jesus. …
Are believers united with Jesus the Messiah in his crucifixion?
Why it matters: If a man is justified by the works of the Law, then why did Jesus the Messiah die? …
Mourning
Here is a guest article from Mandy Sweigart-Quinn. Mandy is known as the Blue Collar Theologian (www.bluecollartheologian.blog)! She loves Jesus, His …
Does the patience of Jesus lead to salvation?
What matters most: Jesus the Messiah’s life was lived under the shadow of the cross. He was concerned that people should …
Is the loyalty of God’s people important?
What matters most: In our relationships with one another, we are called to steadfast loyalty. Paul speaks of his “loyal companion” in Philippians 4:3. …
Will we learn how to be obedient?
We have a lot to learn about obedience. We have a great teacher in Jesus the Messiah. What matters the …
What does it mean to be a slave of Jesus?
What matters the most: Jesus is my Master. Jesus owns me. I am His slave. I should be happy with that …
Will a constantly squabbling family disintegrate?
What we know: Yeshua [Jesus] is clear. Evil doesn’t fight against evil. Evil is united in its approach to achieving …
Why should we change our minds and act differently?
Repentance (radically changing our thinking) is of central importance because missing God’s goal (sin) brings God’s judgment. Fellowship with God …
Are we like spoiled children whining to our parents?
Am I to be a child in my understanding of Jesus? We all know what whining children are like. I …
What Does Selah Mean in the Bible and Why Is it Important?
You are cruising through a Psalm and boom, there is the word Selah. What does it mean? Check out this …
Is an evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead?
What matters the most: You know there is trouble ahead when someone won’t sit down with you face-to-face and meet …
Can we handle what Jesus has to say about religious people?
Why this is important: Jesus is upset. Jesus is upset with the elite religious leaders of the day. Jesus is …
Is sexual sin driven by covetousness?
What matters the most: Whereas several of the commandments of God prohibit certain actions, such as murder and theft, covetousness …
Can we leave the irreversible past in His hands and step out into the invincible future with Jesus?
What we know: The past has been destroyed by the sacrifice of the Messiah Yeshua [Jesus]. Jesus has defeated death. …
Are we a hinderance?
Why it matters: Life is tough. Jesus knows that. He really knows that. Jesus has a warning. Am I ready …
Can we have a pure heart?
Jesus calls on us to be pure of heart: We need His regenerating Spirit and the blood of His sacrifice …
Do we need to hear stories or the truth?
What we know: It is hard for us to deal with the truth. Yeshua [Jesus] told the truth through stories …
Why does God chose the foolish?
Why this is important: This turns something I think I know on it’s head. Jesus, my Master, teaches me that …
Does God have a plan when reconciliation doesn’t work?
God’s Plan: The Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5-7) continues. It may seem strange that Jesus should pass from peacemaking to persecution, from …
Is fasting a part of repentance?
God’s goal: God wants us to fast. The discipline of focusing on God meeting our needs it a very big …
Do we take heed and examine ourselves?
What we know: We need to take heed and exam ourselves. It isn’t acceptable to just keep moving on and …
Is hell a real place? What does Jesus say?
What matters the most: According to Yeshua [Jesus] hell is just as real as heaven. The Bible clearly and explicitly …
What are my limits in my commitment to Jesus?
Jesus sometimes called on someone to sell everything they owned and follow Him. Sometimes Jesus suggested someone to not bury …
Does God answer prayer?
What we know: God answers prayer. Mighty King David knows this in his heart. He has seen lots of trouble. …
Is materialism transitory and elusive?
It matters: We could translate this verse: “We brought nothing into this world because we can carry nothing out” (Job …
Would you go to your church if Jesus was the pastor?
Think about it. What if Jesus was pastor of our church. Would we go? The sad thing it is we …
What will we do when persecution comes?
What matters the most: The religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus. They would. The religious elites just didn’t want people to …
Is the unity of the church the work of the Trinity?
Why it matters: The church [aka the called-out assembly of disciples] is one in essence, because it is founded on …
Are we ready to take the message of Jesus to heart?
The way I see it: Jesus challenges us to understand that it is not what we eat that is the …
Is human power under human control a half-broken weapon in the hands of a child?
Human power under human control is a half-broken weapon in the hands of a child. But gentleness places our strength …
As slaves of Jesus, have we done what He wants us to do?
Worth noting: Jesus is clear. Our role is to keep working all the time. Our day is not done when …
Have we been released from the law’s condemnation?
What this is all about: What does the new agreement (covenant) do for us. One very important blessing is a …
Does God reward those who seek Him? What if you are a religious fraud?
Why is this important: Jesus is clear. God’s goal for us is to seek God. If we seek God, we …
Jesus fasted … should you?
Why it matters: Fasting can be an empty ritual and is condemned. Did not people come to Jesus and ask: …
Is instability a sign of immaturity?
Spiritual maturity is achieved through becoming more like Jesus the Messiah. After salvation, every disciple begins the process of spiritual …
Must God’s people not only listen to God’s word but also put it into practice?
Listening also requires obedience to God. Jesus makes that clear. Taking sides with Jesus means much more than saying the …
Do the wise accumulate knowledge — a true treasure?
We are all concerned about getting more stuff. There seems to be no end to it. What should we worry …
Why is friendship such a fragile relationship?
Friendship is an amazing experience. It also can be a fragile relationship. Are we looking at the good in our …
Why is lying condemned so much in the bible?
Lying is condemned Why this is important: The bible is clear on the issue of lying. It is condemned. A …
Is it a bad thing or a good thing for our families to take God seriously?
It is a new day. Yesterday is gone. And we have a choice to make. Will I make it …
Is faithfulness the proper response to God?
Faithfulness is the proper response to God by his covenant people; seen in a steadfast commitment which reflects God’s own …
Do we want the joy of our Master Jesus?
I want the joy of the Master [Lord]. I want to be more than happy. I want to celebrate God’s …
Can we focus on Jesus today?
Above all else, Focus!! This is more a realization than a resolution. This is not a resolution made at the …
How can a good tree produce bad fruit?
Jesus is beginning to wrap up His manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7). Jesus changed his brief metaphor from sheep and …
What is God’s ultimate provision of peace?
The Apostle Paul alerts us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, …
Are we patient in waiting for God?
We should be patient, even as Jesus is patient. Naturally, in and of myself, I am not. God’s kindness is …
Is the love of God working in us today?
God’s love does amazing things in our lives. We are transformed by it into new creations. When we are consumed …
Do we get swayed by the next great thing spoken by the new charismatic religious leader we hear?
Are we being fickle? Do we get swayed by the next great thing spoken by the new charismatic religious leader …
But what happens when we live God’s way?
Now this is amazing. One of God’s gifts is a sense of compassion in the heart to love. Even if …
Do we understand what Jesus is saying?
Yeshua [Jesus] wants to know. Jesus has a question. What do we make of this? Do we understand? Are we listening? …
Should we submit to governmental authority?
According to the Bible, human and governmental authority ought to be submitted to and respected. This is a hard teaching …
Should we renounce anger?
Should we renounce anger? Yes! Jesus does not exhort us to get angry, as if anger were a good motivator or energy for …
Are we being like a gold ring in a pig’s snout?
God wants us to be wise. He has given us His Holy Spirit. We have all the tools. The challenge …
Are we happy that we can be pure in our heart?
Is my heart pure? That is an essential issue to address. Jesus lays it out in His manifesto (Matthew 5 …
Are we listening to Jesus? Are we really listening?
Jesus challenges us to understand GOD’s word. GOD is the farmer. It is GOD who plants the seed. The seed …
