Category: Daily Reflections
“God’s temple in heaven opened and in the temple could be seen the ark of the covenant.” –Revelation 11:19 After the original sin, God started again with humanity by telling Noah to build an ark (Gn 6:14). Inside the first ark, Noah’s family escaped the destructive flood (1 Pt 3:20). God then established a covenant with His chosen people (Gn 9:9, 12, 13, 15, 16). Humanity again fell into sin. God started over again by forming a new people and making a covenant with them (Ex 24:8; 34:10). He also made a better ark, “the ark of the commandments” (Ex...
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“A man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two shall become as one.” –Matthew 19:5 This “is the case between man and wife” (Mt 19:10): A husband loves his wife sacrificially, as Jesus loves us (Eph 5:25). He must give up his life for his wife (Eph 5:25). In imitation of Jesus, he tells his wife: “This is my body to be given for you” (Lk 22:19). Thus, he gives up his schedule, interests, and availability for the good of his wife. He is “occupied with pleasing his wife” (1 Cor 7:33). A...
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“Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know I am with you.” –Joshua 3:7 The Lord exalts Christian parents so that their children will listen to them and be disciples for Jesus. The Lord also exalts godly workers so that they will have the influence to impact the secular world with the Gospel. The Lord exalts humble pastors and leaders so that people will follow them into the promised land (see Mt 23:12). The Lord exalts us by doing miracles through us. For example, Moses called down ten plagues on Egypt...
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“If your brother should sin against you, go correct him.” –Matthew 18:15, our transl. Baptized Christians are our brothers and sisters, whether or not we realize this. If they commit a sin against us, we must forgive and correct them, “but keep it between the two” of us (Mt 18:15). Lamentably, although this first step in reconciliation works most of the time, it is not done very often. Notice this command applies to brothers and sisters in Christ, not to unbaptized people. We must forgive, pray for (1 Jn 5:16), and evangelize the unbaptized, but we may not always be...
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“It is the Lord Who marches before you; He will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.” –Deuteronomy 31:8 Jesus insisted we “change and become like little children” (Mt 18:3). We are tempted to disobey this command because we know little children are vulnerable and often abused. However, Jesus gave His little children some protection by encouraging everyone to welcome them. He said: “Whoever welcomes one such child for My sake welcomes Me” (Mt 18:5). He also provides guardian angels for His little vulnerable ones (Mt 18:10). Furthermore, Jesus...
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