Psalm: 37 Meditation Matthew: Jesus was around the Sea of Galilee healing people and casting out demons. He discouraged people from spreading about the news of the healings. The good news of God’s forgiveness was a far timelier tiding to spread abroad. That is how Matthew saw it in quoting from Isaiah 42. Healings tend …
Tag: Jesus
Monday, October 19
Psalm: 9 Meditation Matthew: Jesus has compared Himself to John the Baptist – funny thing: both are found wanting. John is just plain strange –he doesn’t eat much (locusts and wild honey) and doesn’t drink, whereas Jesus is accused of being a “winebibber” and a glutton. As I say, one can’t make everyone happy – …
Tuesday, October 13
Psalm: 10 Meditation Matthew: Jesus is describing what life will be like as a believer. He has told several prospective disciples that life will be hard perhaps to test their resolve, more likely to frighten the feint of heart. The same here. What Jesus says here hardly qualifies either as a pep talk nor a …
Friday, September 18
Psalms: 69 Meditation 1 Corinthians: I think that today most Christians whether they know it or not, are dualists. That philosophy condemns the flesh as being evil and he spirit (soul) as being good. Paul wants us to understand that because Jesus lived a perfect life – his flesh was also good as when God …
Monday, September 14
Psalm: 64 Meditation Matthew: The three temptations described here are but types of temptations: carnal hunger, bad faith, and power. Let’s be clear Jesus, like us, had been tempted each and every day and perhaps more than once a day while in the desert. Which was the worst temptation? – hard to say. When Jesus …
Friday, August 14
Psalms: 22 Meditation Mark: Mark’s gospel is the shortest and perhaps lighter on details. This is a “no frills” report on the healing of a blind man, Bartimaeus, by name. Here, Jesus simply says “Go, your faith has healed you.” Immediately… In another gospel an unnamed blind man had to wash out the mud made …
Gentleness
Listen. Listen to the pre-recorded Children’s Message together. You can find it at pacificunionchurch.org/churchsmall Review What do we have to remember to do when we hold a baby? Why? Gentleness is knowing that we are strong and that our words are powerful. Gentleness is making sure that our strength is used to help people, instead …
Tuesday, July 21
Psalm: 34 Meditation Mark: It sounds like Jesus is talking about honesty and accountability in verses 21-25. All shall be revealed and that being loving (“with the measure you use…” v. 24) to one’s neighbor is its own reward. Then the miracle of growth after seed is sown followed. It is a mystery how that …
Friday, May 29
Psalm: 102 Meditation Ezekiel: When we read this passage, we may (actually do not) see what Ezekiel saw. We look back through the cross. If Ezekiel looked back (as I am sure he did) he saw the shepherd/king (David). Ezekiel wants to awaken the errant “shepherds” warning them of a time of accountability. Sometime later, …
Thursday, May 28
Psalm: 105 Meditation Luke: This time it’s a lawyer who hopes to make his name by tripping up Jesus. He knows what’s written in the Law which is to love God and one’s neighbor. Typical of a lawyer, he was actually looking for a “loophole” in order to avoid his obligations. The parable of the …
