Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

“They set out and went from village to village, spreading the good news everywhere and curing diseases.” –Luke 9:6 The Lord has given the Church and her members “power and authority to overcome all demons and to cure diseases” (Lk 9:1). Many Christians have doubts about this, for they have not seen demons overcome and diseases cured. Are their doubts the cause of their powerlessness, its result, or both its cause and effect? The Lord did not simply command us to drive out demons and heal the sick. He called us to do this as a sign and proclamation of...

“My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act upon it.” –Luke 8:21 The eighth chapter of Luke’s Gospel, which we have been reading during the last week, teaches about the authority and power of the Word of God. The parable of the good ground (Lk 8:4-15) teaches that the Word of God will bear an abundant harvest in an open heart which submits to its authority and receives its power. Those who devote themselves to studying the Scriptures receiving the life-changing power of the Word of God, and obeying the Word will receive...

“When He is dealing with the arrogant, He is stern, but to the humble He shows kindness.” –Proverbs 3:34 God is perfect, crucified, unconditional, and infinite Love. He wants to lavish His love on us in ways we would appreciate. However, His love is always given to lead us to salvation and sanctification. Thus, many times the Lord expresses His love in ways difficult for us to understand. For example, if we are proud, the Lord will be stern to us to challenge the pride which endangers our salvation (Prv 3:34; 1 Pt 5:5). Also, the Lord often wishes to...

“You ask and you do not receive because you ask wrongly, with a view to squandering what you receive on your pleasures.” –James 4:3 Human history provides ample testimony about the effects of pleasure seeking. One pleasure is never enough. People always want the next pleasure, followed by another. Companies thrive by stoking the pleasure-seeking desires of masses of consumers. Left to our own desires, we become slaves of pleasure-seeking, servants of the cravings of our own flesh (see Rm 6:12). I challenge you to spend the next ten seconds looking at a crucifix. As you gaze on Jesus’ crucified...

“But some fell on good soil, grew up, and yielded grain a hundredfold.” –Luke 8:8 The Lord promises we can receive His Word to bear fruit a hundredfold. This is like saying $1,000 will turn into $100,000 which is an astronomical increase. Most Christians believe God’s Word will help, bless, teach, and even heal them, but few expect the hundredfold harvest. If we took seriously the Lord’s promise of a hundredfold, we would do our very best to: tremble in prayer as we open the Bible, kiss the Bible before opening it, never miss our daily Bible reading, go to...