Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

EYE-OPENING REPENTANCE

“If the miracles worked in your midst had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have reformed in sackcloth and ashes.” —Luke 10:13 “If the miracles worked in [Capernaum] had taken place in Sodom, it would be standing today” (Mt 11:23). Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon were among the most wicked places of the Old Testament (see Gn 18-19; Ez 26-28). Yet Jesus declares that the people of these condemned cities would have reformed. The problem was that they had no one to bring to them a ministry of power evangelization, that is, preaching accompanied by miracles. The people...

STRIPPED AWAY

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.” –Psalm 119:71 The devil brought terrible misfortunes and afflictions upon Job, though he was a just and holy man (Jb 1:22; 2:10). Despite all Job’s sufferings, he continued to praise God, saying: “Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Jb 1:21) Job struggled with the problem of why God allowed bad things to happen to an innocent person, and questioned God as to why this should be (Jb 31:4-6, 37). Although God didn’t answer the question to Job’s satisfaction, the Lord did show Himself...

EYE-OPENING REPENTANCE

“If the miracles worked in your midst had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have reformed in sackcloth and ashes.” –Luke 10:13 “If the miracles worked in [Capernaum] had taken place in Sodom, it would be standing today” (Mt 11:23). Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon were among the most wicked places of the Old Testament (see Gn 18-19; Ez 26-28). Yet Jesus declares that the people of these condemned cities would have reformed. The problem was that they had no one to bring to them a ministry of power evangelization, that is, preaching accompanied by miracles. The people...

I’M GLAD THEY’RE INVISIBLE

“You shall see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” –John 1:51 St. Nathanael may have been able to see angels, but the Lord doesn’t choose to give this ability to most of us. One of the great things about archangels and angels is that they are invisible. Although we can see the effects of their actions, it is usually unclear what the angels are doing. For the most part, angels are a matter of faith, not sight (2 Cor 5:7). St. Michael has warred and continues to war against Satan...

LIGHT MY FIRE

“Lord, would You not have us call down fire from heaven to destroy them?” –Luke 9:54 Sts. James and John asked Jesus if they should pray for fire to come down from heaven to destroy an inhospitable Samaritan town. In this way, the two apostles were showing their faith in Jesus as the new Elijah (see Mal 3:23), for Elijah had repeatedly called down fire from heaven (see 2 Kgs 1:10, 12). Jesus rejected their proposal because His kingdom was a kingdom of mercy before justice (see Mt 18:23ff). He intended to convert His enemies, even the Samaritans (see Jn...