Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

TWO TOO

“At daybreak He called His disciples and selected twelve of them to be His apostles: Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot.” –Luke 6:13-16 Jesus sent out His disciples two by two (Lk 10:1). When Jesus named the apostles, He listed them in twosomes (Lk 6:14ff; Mt 10:2ff). In Luke’s Gospel, Jude (short for Judas) is listed as the partner of “Judas Iscariot, who turned traitor” (Lk 6:16). In Matthew’s...

ATTACK OR BE ATTACKED!

“Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, Who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.” –Psalm 144:1 Satan wants to keep Christians on the sidelines, to have Christians sit out the spiritual war. Thus, he can readily plunder much property from the Kingdom of God, end millions of lives in surgical and chemical abortions, ruin families and institutions, and gridlock nations without being opposed. If Satan can’t keep Christians on the sidelines, then he’ll try to ensure that Christians keep playing defense. He does this by attacking and accusing (see Rv 12:10). To lure Christians into taking their eyes...

DOCTOR’S ORDERS

“There are six days for working. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath.” –Luke 13:14 There is often an excuse for not being healed. The chief of the synagogue said it was the wrong day for Jesus to release the stooped woman from her shackles (Lk 13:14, 16). The real reason was that the religious leaders were jealous of Jesus (Mt 27:18). We may say the place, person, or method is not right for healing, but perhaps we are just making excuses to mask fear, unforgiveness, pride, or sin. Many people refuse to go to a...

CLOUD-PIERCING PRAYER-POWER

“The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds.” –Sirach 35:17 Are you in a fog? Is your mind cloudy and confused? Do you feel as if there’s heavy cloud-cover when you pray? Even if you are praying in the clouds, you can pierce the clouds, come out of the fog, and come into the light when you: serve God (Sir 35:16). Rejoice to be a slave of Jesus (Col 3:24) — to do His will, not yours. serve God willingly (Sir 35:16). Go beyond Sunday obligation and a minimalist, mediocre Christianity. “Everyone must give according to what he has inwardly...

EVANGELIZE OR ELSE!

“Perhaps it will bear fruit. If not, it shall be cut down.” –Luke 13:9 Jesus said that we either bear fruit or get cut down. We either lead people to Christ or come to a tragic end (see Lk 13:3, 5). Why is Jesus so strict with us? It is because He loves people so much, because people desperately need to hear the message of salvation, and because the Lord has decided to work through us in leading people to Him. Since we have the words which can lead people to eternal life, we have an awesome responsibility to speak...