Luke 12:1 “…Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” [NIV] Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? How about you? How is your garden growing? Maybe it’s time to look at what kinds of seeds we’re sowing in our hearts. The funny Continue Reading…
Proverbs 18:12 “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.” It’s one of the hardest things we humans have to do. Our words get stuck trying to express it. We’re afraid our reputation will experience too big a hit if we yield to it. Continue Reading…
1 John 2:1 “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” Imagine a world without repentance. It would be run by hypocrites, since repentance is what keeps us honest. Words Continue Reading…
Daniel 5:23 “…But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.” If I saw a hand out of nowhere writing something on the wall, I guess my face would pale and my knees would knock, too. That was the reaction Babylonian King Continue Reading…
Romans 12:3 “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” [NIV] My senior year of Continue Reading…
Matthew 15:27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Wow! This mother was desperate. The disciples urged him to send her away. Her cries annoyed them. Her audacity probably did too. But she kept pursuing Jesus even when he seemed Continue Reading…
Judges 17:6 “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (ESV) Cultural compromise. Underlying uncertainty. Increased immorality. Fickle faithfulness. These characteristics of Jewish society during the time of the Judges could just as easily describe our 21st century conditions. No less Continue Reading…