Tag: Kingdom of Heaven
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Message Over Mammon
Luke 10:1–9; 2 Corinthians 12:1–14 There are many people who attract attention naturally. Some do it with mere charisma. Some do it with money. Others do it with the words (positive and negative). There are others that do it out of gain. Whether it is to gain the attention of people or to feel power,…
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Whose Crown?
1 Samuel 8:1–22; Mark 10:35–45; 1 Corinthians 1:20–25 One cannot say the beginning of the fall of Israel was at the point they demanded a king. God pointed this out to disappointed Samuel. Israel’s “desire” for a king showed that Israel’s heart continued to not focus on God. Samuel’s sons were a mess. In no…
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For and/or In and/or Of
Matthew 13:44–52 Translating the Scriptures is hard work. Whether it be the 1611 King James Bible, The Amplified, the New International Version, the Christian Standard Bible, the nuances of multiple languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic) along with cultural overlays, makes it incredibly difficult. Then you have the literal translations, the “thought” translations, the “concept” translations,…
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Planned Disruption
1 Samuel 16:1–5; Luke 14:28–33; James 4:13–17 (read online ⧉) But mouse-friend, you are not alone in proving foresight may be vain:the best-laid schemes of Mice and Men go oft awry,and leave us only grief and pain, for promised joy! Still, friend, you’re blessed compared with me! Only present dangers make you flee:But, ouch!, behind…
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Blowing Smoke Into Our Own Eyes
Isaiah 30:8–13 (read online ⧉) Hearing the truth about ourselves is often uncomfortable. We like to hear good stuff, but do our best to avoid that feels bad, or might cause us to look at ourselves badly. We are not alone. When Isaiah is sent to confront the Israelites with a bad report, you can…
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Blessed Title
Luke 1:39–45, Luke 11:27–28 Mary was indeed blessed to be Jesus’ mother. In fact, like many mothers, she was blessed. Motherhood is a blessing. It can be a huge blessing. It is also a heavy weight to carry. It is a worthy blessing to be a mom. Yet, often the title of mother takes over…