Matthew was a traitor to his nation. He worked for the government that empowered Herods to rule over them, providing the Herods with resources extracted from the victims of the imposed government. Jesus invited him to follow Him. He threw away the lucrative job and powerful position and followed Him. He shared his life with us through His writings, offering us life, too. A ruler who was very rich, whose […]
Monthly Archives: April 2020
Unfailing Love
Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning,for I trust in You.Reveal to me the way I should go,because I long for You.(Psalm 143:8 Holman Christian Standard Bible ©®) His unfailing love is where we find Life. Dive in the deep end, with your clothes on, your money, your phone, your to-do list, and don’t come up for a long time…
Your Ordination
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. This is what I command you: love one another. But now God has placed the parts, each one of them, in the body just as He wanted. For He must […]
Inheriting the Kingdom
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar, about which I tell you in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.(Galatians 5:19-21 Holman Christian Standard Bible ©®) I will let him who wins the victory sit with […]
Sun Day
The days of the week are named after gods and demons, just as the planets are. Yahweh just called them after their numerical order. Constantine worshiped the sun. Under his influence, Yahweh’s declared day of worship (the seventh) was usurped and replaced by the prominence of the Sun god (first day) over Saturn (seventh day). I am hoping it is possible that people will be delivered from the idea that […]
Leading and Following
The more our desire is to serve with love and humility, the more we will be called by the Spirit to lead with authority and power. When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. So if I, your […]
Finding Success
Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance. Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.” So Samuel took the horn […]
Worthy Judges
Jesus has been counted worthy to judge humans because He was willing to die for us. We have been ordained to judge, too: humans and angels. What qualifies us to begin the work? An ekklesia was sometimes called together in Greece or Rome to make a judgment in a matter. James 1 of England wanted to rule over Jesus’ people in the place of Jesus, rather than empowering Jesus’ people […]
Put Evil to Death
I have talked with quite a few people this year and many others who have “given up” things for the religious season they call “lent.” Usually, the thing given up was something the person enjoyed, like dessert, or alcohol, or television. Recently, a friend was digging in the chocolate dish by my front door as he left after a visit. While picking his favorite variety, he informed me that he […]
Responsible Influence
We have the power and the responsibility to influence other people’s behaviors for the better. We also have the power to influence them and make them worse. I had a coworker once in the position of supervisor, who started all her interactions with tone of voice and choice of words that implied that the hearer was late, contentious, lazy, and incompetent. When her victim responded with similar tone and choice, […]