Tagged: memory verse

“Fire will come out of the mouths of these witnesses to devour their enemies.” –Revelation 11:5 As members of the Church, we are olive trees (Rv 11:4), that is, we are anointed by the Holy Spirit. Because we are olive trees, we are lampstands (Rv 11:4). We are the light of the world (Mt 5:14). Because we are the light of the world and because those who practice evil hate the light (Jn 3:20), we are witnesses, that is, martyrs. Because we are witnesses, “the breath of life which comes from God” will return to us and we will rise...

“How sweet to my palate are Your promises, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” –Psalm 119:103 From His cross, Jesus utters in agony, “I thirst” (see Jn 19:28). Elsewhere in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well, “Give Me a drink” (Jn 4:7). Interestingly, the text of John 4 never mentions Jesus getting a drink of actual water from the woman. Yet John 4 ends with Jesus apparently no longer thirsty, because the woman receives Him enthusiastically; her love provided the drink for which Jesus thirsted. Today’s psalm response is from Psalm 119:103, the verse highlighted above:...

“A man of noble birth went to a faraway country to become its king, and then return. He summoned ten of his servants and gave them sums of ten units each.” –Luke 19:12-13 Jesus has revealed to us the following principles of stewardship: Stewardship is about meeting God’s standards and not about comparing ourselves to others. “More will be asked of a man to whom more has been entrusted” (Lk 12:48). Faithful stewards will be given greater responsibilities (Lk 19:17, 19). Faithful stewards will receive the resources originally given to unfaithful stewards (Lk 19:24). Thus, unfaithful stewards lose what they...

“Today salvation has come to this house.” –Luke 19:9 Salvation came to Zacchaeus’ house when Jesus, the Savior, came to his house and when Zacchaeus said: “I give half my belongings, Lord, to the poor. If I have defrauded anyone in the least, I pay him back fourfold” (Lk 19:8). Zacchaeus accepted Jesus and salvation by loving the poor, making radical changes in his lifestyle, and admitting that he may have defrauded others. When we sin, we become spiritually blind and even blind to being blind. Nevertheless, Zacchaeus inferred that he may have been blind to injustices that he had...

“This is the revelation God gave.” –Revelation 1:1 The Bible is the greatest revelation the Lord has given through His Church. Thus, it is appropriate for the Bible to end with the book of Revelation. This book is given: “to Jesus Christ” (Rv 1:1), through Jesus to us who are His slaves (Rv 1:1), to us by an angel sent to John (Rv 1:1), to show us “what must happen very soon” (Rv 1:1), as a “prophetic message” (Rv 1:3), to bless us (Rv 1:3), to the Church (see Rv 1:4), and to call us to repent and return to...