Thursday, March 30, 2017

Luke 14: Human Vs. Heaven

In Luke 14, we see the human way contrasted with the heavenly way again and again.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Luke 13: Getting It Right

In Luke 13, Jesus is seen as caring very much for spiritual truth.  He wants His followers to get their theology right.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Luke 12: Be Prepared

A unifying theme in Luke 12 is getting ready for what the future holds.  Jesus has a lot of advice and even some parables regarding our spiritual preparation.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Luke 11: Fiery Jesus

There's an interesting progression in this chapter: Jesus among His disciples, teaching them about prayer; Jesus driving out demons, accused of using satanic power; Jesus preaching to the crowds, pestered to work a miracle; and Jesus eating with the Pharisees, unloading both barrels at their hypocrisy.

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Luke 10: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

"The only good Samaritan is a dead Samaritan."  While we don't have such a quote in the Bible, it's probably fair to say this was a sentiment widely shared by Jesus' audience.

Psalm 13: How Long?

David sure must have had his share of problems.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Luke 9: Turning Point

Although we are less than halfway through Luke's Gospel, we reach a critical turning point in 9:20.  With Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ (or Messiah), the book pivots to begin telling us of Jesus' path to the cross.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Luke 8: Actions And Reactions

Isaac Newton's third law states, "For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction."  Though Newton was describing the physics of motion, he could have just as easily been describing the behavior of human nature.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Luke 7: Regarding Jesus

In Luke 7, people are beginning to draw conclusions and make up their minds about Jesus.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Luke 6: Choices?

Christians have (at least) two ways of looking at the world.

Luke 5: Jesus Brings Change

One of the great debates of our age is the question: Does Jesus love me just as I am, or does He expect me to change?  

The answer is Yes.

Psalm 12: From Age To Age The Same?

Am I nuts for taking a measure of ironic hope from this Psalm's lament of a decaying world?

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Luke 4: On His Own Terms

When it comes to your relationship with God, just who is in charge?  Are you okay if God doesn't do what you want Him to?  Are you still willing to do what He wants you to?

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Luke 3: Preparing The Way

I consider John the Baptist to be one of the most under-rated characters in Jesus' story.  Perhaps this is because he makes only an early appearance before dropping out long before we get to the extended Passion narratives of each Gospel.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Luke 2: Mary, Did You Know?

Of all the Gospels, Luke gives us the most information about Jesus' early years.

Monday, March 13, 2017

Luke 1: Dear Theophilus...

The Gospel of Luke and its companion Acts are written to "Theophilus," literally "lover of God."  Whether or not Theophilus was an actual individual or a generic term for Luke's audience, it is hopefully an apt description of you!

Revelation 22: Coming Soon!

Amid the final descriptions of heaven, the Bible wraps up its final chapter with one over-riding message: This will all happen SOON!

Psalm 11: When The Foundations Are Destroyed

I have always been drawn to the piercing question posed in vs. 3: "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Revelation 21: Gates Of Pearl And Streets Of Gold

Now, this is what I'm talkin' about!  After wading through blood as high as a horse's bridle, enduring years of tribulation, and suffering plague upon plague, we have finally reached our goal: Heaven!

Revelation 20: Judgment Day

Three chapters into the Bible (Genesis 3) is when we read about the fall.  Three chapters remaining in the Bible (Revelation 20) is when we read about the judgment.  Everything we experience as part of the familiar, fallen universe rests in between.  To get back to a reality without suffering or pain or death requires that sin be dealt with in a final, decisive judgment before God.

Monday, March 6, 2017

Revelation 19: Hallelujah!

I will always think of Melvin "Bummie" Snode whenever I read this chapter of the Bible.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Revelation 18: Lament For Babylon

Whatever happens to "Babylon," it isn't going to be pretty.  How does the Bible describe her destruction?

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Psalm 10: God Of Justice?

If Psalm 9 is a tribute to the justice of God, Psalm 10 is an admission of some troubling questions about that justice.  What should we think when we observe God's justice to be missing?

Friday, March 3, 2017

Revelation 17: The Enemy Of My Enemy

C.S. Lewis once observed: "The Christians are right: it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. Other vices may sometimes bring people together: you may find good fellowship and jokes and friendliness among drunken people or unchaste people. But Pride always means enmity – it is enmity. And not only enmity between man and man, but enmity to God." ("The Great Sin" from Mere Christianity.)

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Revelation 16: Bowled Away

After the seven seal judgments and the seven trumpet judgments, we reach the seven bowl judgments of Revelation 16.