Category: Memory Verse

“He gave them bread from the heavens to eat.” –John 6:31 Today’s Gospel reading from the sixth chapter of John begins Jesus’ famous Bread of Life discourse, which we read for four consecutive Sundays. There is a distinct, intentional progression in the words of Jesus regarding our response to this heavenly bread. During the first part of the discourse, Jesus emphasizes that we must believe He is the Bread of Life. The word believe is used four times from verses 29 through 47. Jesus teaches that we must believe in Him, and accordingly, believe the truths He is revealing. “I...

“Recall that Herod had had John arrested, put in chains, and imprisoned on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. That was because John had told him, ‘It is not right for you to live with her.’ ” –Matthew 14:3-4 Jesus no longer walks the face of the earth. Now we have the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, sent by God the Father and the Son (Jn 16:7). The Spirit proves us wrong about sin (Jn 16:8). For example, the Spirit worked through John the Baptist to convict Herod and Herodias of their sin of adultery. Sadly, they did...

“…My servants the prophets, whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them…” –Jeremiah 26:5 The Lord commands us to set our hearts on the spiritual gift of prophecy “above all” (1 Cor 14:1). Here are some scriptural observations upon which to meditate as we seek prophecy: “Indeed, the Lord God does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants, the prophets” (Am 3:7). God relentlessly sends His prophets to warn His people, just in case they might repent (Jer 26:5; Jon 4:11). Prophecy without love gains nothing (1 Cor 13:2). “No prophet is without honor except in...

“Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand.” –Jeremiah 18:6 God the Father is the Potter and we are the clay. Many people consider this a beautiful, even consoling, image. This may be true, but this perception may indicate an incomplete understanding of this Biblical image. When Isaiah brings up the image of God the Potter, he adds: “Be not so very angry, Lord, keep not our guilt forever in mind” (see Is 64:8). When Jeremiah uses the same image, he adds the following words of God: “Sometimes I threaten to uproot and...

“He went back and put up for sale all that he had and bought it.” –Matthew 13:46 All of us are spending our lives on something. Like little children who spend all their money on candy, a number of us spend our lives on pleasures. We work to make money to buy pleasures. We live to be entertained and to feel good. After years of doing this, we have nothing but very faded memories of feeling good and a few unsatisfying possessions, accompanied by a few compulsions. We have little to show for our lives of selfishness. Then, after being...