“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me.” ~Jesus
Who should we worry about? We live in a time where there are many impressive religious leaders. The power of …
Tag Archives: Jesus
“Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?” ~Listeners of Jesus
It is helpful to know that some people really do not care for me. In fact, they care nothing at …
Will our love of God lead to obedience?
Is it about obedience or is it about love? We like to think it is about obedience. That is the …
What does Jesus think about homosexuality, transgenderism and same sex unions?
Jesus is put out with the Pharisees. Jesus points them and us to the Bible. I am afraid our church …
Will we die for Jesus? Are we ready for persecution?
Jesus tells us of a principle of how his Kingdom works. Persecution will be real because of our following Jesus. …
What is our commitment to a digital ministry?
Jesus has a mission for us. He commissioned us. He commanded us to do it. He demands we pay attention. …
Will we get in trouble for following Jesus?
Jesus challenges us to be radically different from most Christians and religious types of people. It will get us in …
Did Jesus visit Sheol before He was resurrected?
There is a break from the horror of day Jesus is crucified! Jesus is carrying out the plan of His …
Are we ready to follow Jesus?
Jesus ushers in the Kingdom of God, explaining to the crowds, not just the disciples, how it works. I do …
“God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” ~Apostle Paul
Why this is important: Jesus is the Son of God. He came to earth in human form, died for us, …
Should we take revenge?
Great message (and short video) from John Piper on bitterness. When I harbor feelings of vengeance, I show that I …
“Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.” ~Wayne Grudem
What is my role in all this? God does not invade my body and make me change my mind. That …
How important is “theology” to Jesus?
Am I clever? I like to think I am some days. So did the Sadducees (Religious Leaders and Elites). They …
Are we behaving in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity?
There is a certain kind of honor that is worth having. False pride, in doing it “my way” is useless. …
Can we love life and be free? Can we be happy and not let our lives be burdened by negativity?
Love Life. God has given us an abundant life. Jesus wants us to love it. Jesus wants us to have …
Will we be taken at our word?
Why this is important: Jesus lives in a clear world. He is light. There is no darkness in Him at …
“A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.” ~Jesus
Jesus warns us in the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7) where we hear Him say Beware of the false …
“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” ~Apostle Paul
When we consider who God is, a basic question we must grapple with is how God is revealed to us. …
“Surely the Master God does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets.” ~Amos
Our Father had a new plan for us. It wasn’t based on the old plan where sacrificing could cover up …
“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!” ~King David
God says a lot. He has given us lots to think about. God’s wisdom is the key to our life, every …
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ~Apostle John
Judas betrays Jesus. Peter and the others deny they know Jesus. Nobody is with Jesus at the end. I am …
Will our faith get choked out?
Why this is important: So, we have heard God. But something happens. It is not immediate but in fact subtly …
Are we praying the “Jesus Way”?
I have a Father in heaven. That is some incredibly good news. I am ecstatic over that. I need to …
Will we listen to Jesus or not?
Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, “…are You going there again? John 11:7-8 Great insight …
Is Jesus clear in what He says about about marriage and divorce?
Jesus has some noticeably clear instructions on marriage and divorce. This is the short version in the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew …
Would you select a thief to be your treasurer?
What a horrible thing to do. Judas betrayed Jesus. The very Jesus who chooses him to be an Apostle. Betrayal …
Are we thirsty for God?
I am open to God and what He wants to do. God has a goal for me today. God has …
“Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy.” ~Wendell Berry
Jesus challenges us to live a life of faithfulness and to work for justice and mercy. Jesus uses harsh language …
“Be reconciled to your brother.” ~Jesus
I get angry. I say things I should not and clearly regret later on. I say them though. It isn’t …
“Who is like Yahweh [the Lord] our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?” ~King David
Starting is important. We all need to start. The important thing though is to finish. Our prayer to God is …
“Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?” ~Religious elites to Jesus
Jesus does lots of things. And so, there come questions about all of this. The religious elites want to know. …
Do we hear what Jesus is saying to us?
If we don’t believe what we read in the Bible, how will we believe when Jesus actually talks to us? …
“From the beginning it has not been this way.” ~Jesus
Jesus ushered in a new covenant (aka testament, agreement, or contract). Jesus did it through the blood he shed for …
“My word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please.” ~God to Isaiah
Why it matters: God promises that because he loves me, He will always rescue me. God promises he will protect me. …
Will we see Jesus?
The Greeks want to see Jesus. They go to some effort to make it happen. The disciples help. It …
“And when you pray …” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifesto continues as Jesus teaches me how to pray. It is not about how much I say. …
Will we stand with Jesus or the religious elites?
Jesus is in church. He found a man with a crippled hand. The Deacons (Pharisees and religious elites) had their …
Do I have an obligation to “fix” myself?
I am clear on the first part of this in the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5-7). I’ve written on it. We’ve …
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” ~Apostle Paul
There is no “coasting along” in God’s reign (Kingdom). God has given us talents. God’s goal: God expects us to live …
“If we take the Bible seriously then justice should be a big deal for us.” ~Thaddeus Williams
What should followers of Jesus think about justice and the social justice movement? If we take the Bible seriously then …
Who gives us the words we need to say?
Here is my take: Oh man, this hits home with me. I think a lot. I am a thinker. So, …
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” ~Saints of God
Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt, royally yet humbly, to the rejoicing of …
“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” ~King Solomon
The main thing: When we follow God, doing what He wants us to do, our words are His words. God’s words …
What did Jesus know was going to happen?
Jesus came to Bethany the day before Palm Sunday. This actually starts our most holy week! In the Orthodox church, …
“Whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.” ~Apostle John
Jesus knows us. Jesus knows us to our core. We can try to evade the truth, but Jesus knows the …
“The Master is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” ~Apostle Peter
God is not slow. At least, not like some people think of slowness. God, however, is patient. And that is …
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” ~Jesus
How much of my life is driven by contempt? Jesus is not amused with my attitude. My contention that I …
“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed.” ~Author of Hebrews
When Jesus, the Messiah, says “Jump”, we jump. That is the essence of faith. Our enemy. fear, whispers in our …
What impresses Jesus?
Jesus challenges us to understand certain realities. The wise person doesn’t argue with him. The wise person has insight. Here …
“The religious elites don’t take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It’s all spit-and-polish veneer.” ~Jesus
Why this is important: Jesus has a real thing about hypocrisy. His frequent target are the religious leaders. In Matthew …
Where do we get with all our worry and bother?
How often do I go about fussing? I get worked up over nothing. Worrying about how everything is going to get …
Are you ready to slop the hogs?
News flash! The wise will love us. God is in a good mood. Jesus challenges us all. Do not give …
“Do you understand what you are reading?” ~Philip
Do not put your life in the hands of experts who know nothing of life. Witty is not as useful …
“God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Master [Lord] and Messiah” ~Apostle Peter
Jesus is in charge. God has put Him in charge. He is Master [Lord]. He reigns as the head of …
“Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” ~Jesus
Why this is important: Jesus continues His manifesto. I have a lot to learn here. Jesus is being clear, as …
“Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” ~Jesus
God the Father and Jesus the Son are the same. Dishonor one and you dishonor the other. Jesus said this …
Why do we think we need so many things?
We think there are so many things we need. And need, is how we frame it. We can’t imagine not …
Do we have secrets that we are hiding from Jesus?
Jesus sets up a principle of the Kingdom of God. We live in a Kingdom (aka country) that has complete …
“Why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition?” ~Jesus
Not only has God healed my heart, but He has also set it free. That freedom leads me to run …
“Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” ~The disciples to Jesus
This is stunning. Jesus was asleep during a terrific storm. The disciples are scared; really, really scared. They thought Jesus …
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” ~Zophar the Naamathite
If you think about it, the list of things we cannot do is rather long. Whipping out our credit card …
“What have you done?” ~Pilate
Breaking news! Jesus oversees God’s Kingdom. It is not what we think! Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation …
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” ~King Solomon
Fighting too much? Arguing too often? What can I do? God calls us to love. God’s main goal for …
Do Angels convey and fulfil God’s instructions?
Angels are created beings; their knowledge is limited. This means they do not know all things as God does. They …
What will we choose to do? Disciple others, be a cheerleader or a spectator?
Sometimes I must be challenged. Jesus does it all the time. This quote from Oswald Chambers hit me right between …
“Don’t fear, little flock; for your Father was pleased to give you the kingdom.” ~Jesus
The literal translation Luke 12:32 is “Don’t fear, little flock; for your Father was pleased to give you the kingdom.” …
“Pay to all what is owed to them.” ~Apostle Paul
God lets us know we have obligations. And so, we pay taxes. No big deal. Not a lot of commotion. …
How aligned is Jesus with God and His desires?
Jesus is perfectly aligned with God. He knows He cannot do anything without God. Jesus is determined to follow God’s …
“My kingdom is not of this world.” ~Jesus
God’s plan was moving along on schedule. Jesus had been arrested and was now on trial. It was a little …
“God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.” ~Apostle Paul
Paul was a fool according to the standards of men. Had he remained a Jewish rabbi, he could have …
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” ~Apostle Peter
I need to be content with who I am in God’s family. I should not put on any airs and …
Jesus challenges us to shift from thanksgiving to Thanks-Living.
I love Thanksgiving. I think it may be my favorite holiday. It is nice that everybody stops to at least …
Has God abandoned us?
David has just spent 20 verses talking about how he feels abandoned by God. Seriously, he goes on and on about …
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” ~Jesus
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” And …
What does God hate?
What does God hate? We must watch out for our eyes, tongue, hands, heart, feet and mouth. These are issues …
Does being a sloth make you poor?
There is nothing like diligently pursuing the work of the day at hand. It is, in fact, honorable to faithfully work. …
“One sows and another reaps.” ~Jesus
There are many roles for us to play in God’s world (Kingdom). Some of us sow the seed. Some of …
Are we astonished or afraid?
Am I astonished or afraid? Those who simply follow get afraid. Perhaps they were more curious than committed. Jesus wants …
“Master, we want our eyes to be opened.” ~2 blind men to Jesus
Why this is important: Jesus wants us to be whole and well. During His ministry, Jesus exerted the authority given …
Are we seeing with 20/20 vision?
In the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7), Jesus draws a sharp contrast now between a blind person and a sighted …
Do down-to-earth people stand firm?
Ah, now there we go. Down to earth people. We all seem to admire them. But is that said of …
“God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus.” ~Apostle Paul
God has a plan. It is perfect, and He will not change His mind about executing it. His plan involves …
Is God Himself kind to ungrateful and evil men?
Sometimes I am so very tempted to get upset with the “ungrateful”. OK, truth be told, I do get upset. …
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” ~Jesus
Jesus learned obedience “from what He suffered.” As the divine Son of God, Jesus did not have to suffer, but …
“Your steadfast love, Yahweh [O Lord], extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” ~King David
God has nothing but love in mind for us. It is exquisite. God’s love for us is amazing. God is …
“Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.” ~Jesus
The religious leaders, in their contempt, arrogance and hypocrisy, thought they could get the best of Jesus. Of course, …
“Do not be anxious!” ~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to not worry. God is God, in complete control and in a good mood. God will take care …
“Yahweh [The Lord] does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.” ~King Solomon
Why this is important: God wants us to be honest in our core. He will give us wisdom. He will …
“Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ~Religious elites to Jesus
By New Testament times, the religious leaders and elites had hijacked the Law and added to it their own rules …
Where should we look for Jesus?
Jesus is Alive They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, …
“If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” ~Apostle John
Am I going to lay a stake in the ground, claiming that I have never missed God’s goal for my life …
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” ~Jesus
Why this is important: Legalism is deadly. Jesus is very clear that God wants our hearts. Jesus put an end …
Should we be surprised by any of this?
Why this is important: Jesus tells us everything we need to know. We know God’s plan. We know what God wants. …
“Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.” ~King Solomon
I saw a news show recently where they spent a significant amount of time essentially making the case that everyone …
“Rather train yourself for godliness; … it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” ~Apostle Paul
Our God is. He is now. His promise is now. His presence is now. He is!! The future is going …
“I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” ~Jesus
Jesus was on a mission. Jesus had as his focus only doing what God, His Father, wanted him to do. …
Are we looking for Jesus in all the wrong places?
Here is a lesson in worry from our Master Jesus. Jesus wasn’t worried. He wasn’t anxious. He was just doing what …
“For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed.” ~Jesus
Jesus ties everything together for us. We are not left guessing what is needed from us in the Kingdom of …
The best of all of these is His extravagant love — A poem
I am not where I want to be. I am leaning in to hear the Master more clearly. I want …
“Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.” ~King David
Is Jesus happy or sad with my prayers? I think Jesus may be sad sometimes. I pray and cry out …
Jesus Quotes and God Thoughts 