Category: Prayers

“Get up and stand here in front.” —Luke 6:8 Jesus healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath. Jesus was “in your face” about doing this healing. The text shows that Jesus intentionally challenged the Pharisees on this issue (Lk 6:8-10). Jesus sometimes healed people privately (see Mk 5:40ff; 8:23ff). However, on this occasion, Jesus not only healed the man, but had him come stand up in front of everyone before He healed him (Lk 6:8). Jesus began the overturning of an unjust mindset by a public act of love and healing. This healing was also a direct...

“Men should regard us as servants of Christ and administrators of the mysteries of God.” –1 Corinthians 4:1 Are you a trustworthy administrator of the mysteries of God? Do you believe: 1) Jesus died on the cross for us and gives us a new nature through Baptism into His death? (Rm 6:3) 2) We can live a new life by faith in Jesus? (2 Cor 5:17) 3) We can be filled with the Holy Spirit, God Himself? (Eph 5:18) 4) The Church is the Body of Christ? (Rm 12:5) 5) The Bible is the Word of God? (2 Tm 3:16)...

“You are God’s field.” –1 Corinthians 3:9, RSV-CE Jesus told a parable about a man who found a buried treasure in a field. The man rejoiced at finding the treasure. He “sold all he had and bought that field” (Mt 13:44). Jesus said that “the reign of God is like” buying such a field with buried treasure (Mt 13:44). Jesus lived this parable. From heaven, the Lord looked “down; He [saw] all mankind” (Ps 33:13). When we look at people, we might see a “field” of twisted deceit and dysfunction (see Jer 17:9). We might find it difficult to see...

“The Spirit we have received is not the world’s spirit but God’s Spirit, helping us to recognize the gifts He has given us.” –1 Corinthians 2:12 “The Spirit scrutinizes all matters, even the deep things of God. Who, for example, knows a man’s innermost self but the man’s own spirit within him?” (1 Cor 2:10-11) “In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit” (Lk 4:33). From these Scriptures, we see that there are three kinds of spirits: God, human spirits, and angelic spirits (either good angels or demons). These three sources of spirits are the origin of...