January 22, 2022
THE COMPASSIONATE CHRIST After Jesus heard about the beheading of His relative, John the Baptist, He withdrew by boat to a remote place to be alone. However, as soon as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd waiting for Him. Can you imagine His grief? Can you understand His desire for solitude and
January 21, 2022
FAMILIARITY CAN BREED CONTEMPT The people of Nazareth were offended at the authority of Jesus’ teachings because of their familiarity with him. They knew his family. They had seen him grow up. “Who does he think he is coming back home preaching to us?” They thought. Two ways we might relate to this passage:
January 20, 2022
GIVING ALL, GAINING EVERYTHING! One of Christ’s many kingdom parables, this one emphasizes the willingness of one to give up everything in this world in order to have the kingdom of heaven. The value of the kingdom is “hidden” to most, yet revealed to those who discover its treasure. Others probably thought the man foolish
January 19, 2022
EXPECT GREAT THINGS; ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS The Pharoah of Egypt had a troubling dream and his cupbearer remembered that a Hebrew slave named Joseph had rightly interpreted his dream two years earlier. So Pharoah summoned Joseph and asked whether he could interpret dreams. Joseph answered that it was beyond his power, but that God was
January 18, 2022
BETRAYED BY HIS BROTHERS Jacob’s sons were jealous of their brother, Joseph. He was the favored son of Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel, who had died giving birth to Benjamin, the youngest of Jacob’s twelve sons. Joseph had made things worse with his brothers by sharing his dreams of them someday bowing down to him.
January 17, 2022
THE GENTLE KING WHO WON A BETTER VICTORY The Spirit inspired Matthew to quote the Messianic prophecy from Isaiah 42:3 as being fulfilled in Jesus. For the type of justice and victory that Christ would bring was not as worldly kings would. For Christ’s kingdom did not come with violence and destruction. King Jesus was
January 16, 2022
IS YOUR FAITH, YOUR FAITH? As he entered the Promised Land, Jacob built an altar to God near Shechem, just as his grandfather Abraham had once done (Gen. 12:7). However, Jacob no longer referred to the Lord as the God of Abraham and Isaac. Here for the first time, Jacob referred to the Lord as
January 15, 2022
WHO GETS YOUR PRIORITY LOVE? This statement from Jesus to His disciples is very disconcerting, until you understand its meaning. Jesus is claiming the priority love that belongs to God alone. He is not saying you cannot love your family and be His follower too. No, far from it. He is saying that we must
January 14, 2022
REMEMBER THE PILLAR MOMENTS YOU’VE HAD WITH GOD Jacob had arrived in Haran empty-handed, but now he had wives, many children and flocks of sheep, goats and camels. The Lord had made him wealthy. Yet, he was fearful for his life, for his father-in-law and his sons were jealous of Jacob and were beginning to
January 13, 2022
SEEING OTHERS THROUGH CHRIST’S EYES When Jesus looks at us, what does He see? He sees a world of people who are “confused and helpless.” What is His response? He has “compassion” for us because we are “like sheep without a shepherd.” Do you see what Jesus sees? Have you ever asked the Lord