CHRIST’S FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES On the night of Christ’s betrayal and arrest, He ordered His disciples not to resist. For He said that what was happening was according to the Scriptures. Hearing this, the disciples “deserted Him and ran away.” What about what “happened” that night was a fulfillment of the Scriptures?
INCENSE AND INTERCESSORY PRAYER The Lord gave Moses specific instructions for the furnishings inside the Tent of Meeting. Among these instructions were detailed plans for the making and use of an altar for burning incense. Meditation on these furnishings are a worthy pursuit for the Christ-follower. For they each symbolize a different aspect of Christ’s
LOVE FOR THE LEAST Jesus’ teaching on the end times included this image of the righteous being commended for caring for the “least” of Christ’s brethren. Jesus equated their care for the hungry, sick and imprisoned in His flock, as caring for Him. For the Church is His body of which He is the Head.
OUR CONTENTMENT IN CHRIST David, the shepherd-king, knew how sheep trusted their shepherd with every need. As he considered his relationship with God, he wrote of his total dependence and contentment to the Lord as his shepherd. He said that having the Lord as his shepherd meant that he lacked nothing, that he was in
DESCENDING TO GREATNESS The disciples were constantly debating among themselves the question of who would be the greatest when Jesus came into His kingdom. They finally asked Jesus. He answered by calling a little child over to Him and saying that unless they repented of their sins and became as this child they wouldn’t even
OUR SAVIOR PIERCED FOR US This Davidic psalm began with the question that Jesus cried out from the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Psa. 22:1). David wrote this psalm with his own feeling, yet I wonder how much awareness he had that he was describing the coming Messiah’s death. Did
CONFESSOR OR TRANSGRESSOR? Jesus had many hard sayings, but the teaching concerning His suffering, death and resurrection was the hardest for the disciples to receive. Bold Peter even attempted to rebuke Jesus for saying such things. But Jesus put him in his place with, “Get behind Me, Satan!” Poor Peter went from Peter the confessor,
THE SIGN OF JONAH The Pharisees and the Sadducees came to Jesus asking for a sign. He told them that they could read the signs in the sky to predict weather, but were not able to read the signs of the times. In other words, they could tell when it was going to rain, but
UNCLEAN HEART = UNCLEAN LIPS The Pharisees asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t follow the tradition of the elders by washing their hands before eating. He replied that it isn’t what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out. The word “defile,” means to make unclean or impure. Jesus pointed
THE COMPASSION OF OUR SAVIOR 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