Jesus says some really interesting things. Come to me, I will give you rest, take my yolk, learn of me, my yolk is easy and my burden is light. Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. These and other sayings and experiences in the ministry of Jesus makes it clear that He is […]
Read More Acceptance: A ChallengeBelonging. There’s a World Cup going on, apparently. England are doing well, so I’ve heard. People have spoken and written about how the success of a country in a sporting event brings the nation together. The team does well, especially when they weren’t expected to do as well, and the sense of pride and belonging […]
Read More Acceptance and DisagreementAs Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:35-38) It’s one of the highlights of my week […]
Read More The Only One To SeeTax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! (Luke 15:1-2) Aren’t we making our way home? The setting sees certain religious observers critiquing Jesus for the people that He hung […]
Read More Are All Sons Lost?One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” (Luke 9:18) You know what He does. You have heard the reputation of the works that He’s done. But don’t think for a moment that you have him sussed out. He […]
Read More Who Is This Guy? (Think About It)Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will […]
Read More Can We Get In?Those that teach or talk to you – what are they like? The entire teaching from Jesus on the teaching on the mount has been about substance. The character, the standard of righteousness, the practises in the secret life of saints, the choice of who you will serve and its working out in how we […]
Read More Fruit Check: Appearance and SubstanceEnter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13-14) Say what? The way is hard that leads […]
Read More Two Ways – Look for the Narrow GateIf you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:11) Jesus instructed His followers to place their treasures in heaven. He then said that the issue of treasure was also a matter […]
Read More When You Know Your Father …Have you ever had one of those … interesting conversations? I was wondering how our mutual friend was doing. For the next ten minutes a diatribe was outlined to me of the things that our mutual friend was doing wrong. I was really getting it in terms of just how poorly this person was doing. […]
Read More Mercy-Filled Relationships: An Insight
Life With CD 