Discussions about particular words of Jesus
…Get off the couch and back to work. This is the second part of a four part series concentrating on Jesus’ words and what he tells us being his followers (disciples) really means while we live on this earth. This post includes the rest of the quotes from the Gospel of Mark. As mentioned in the previous post gathering these posts in one … Continue reading To the Couch Potato Christian — Part 2
…Get off the couch and back to work. This being the Christmas season where more emphasis is placed on Jesus and His birth I thought I would spend the next several posts returning to the roots of this blog by concentrating solely on the words of Christ with particular emphasis on how he tells us to live. For the most part I will let the … Continue reading To the Couch Potato Christian… (Part 1 of 4)
I found an interesting book a while back by Phyllis Tickle entitled “The Words of Jesus”. Phyllis Tickle is the founding editor at Publishers Weekly and is author of more than two dozen book about Christianity. In this book she attempts to take the red letters found in the Gospel accounts and separate them from the surrounding text. She does this, among other things, in … Continue reading The Words of Jesus
Charity has always been an important Christian characteristic. Jesus was constantly giving of himself to others. Often times when he did it he said not to tell others about his act. His giving is the reason that we have salvation. Jesus clearly expects us to also have charity, especially to the poor and needy. Here is the verse we will use today to study this … Continue reading Charity….
This post will be the last and the most difficult post for me in this series on personal reflections in my walk with Christ. Justification is an issue that I personally have troubles with. What is the theological definition of justification: a forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins … Continue reading Justification?…
This is a continuation of my personal reflections on how I am doing at “being” a disciple of Jesus Christ. During his three year ministry on the earth Jesus judged no one except the religious establishment. Judging is a major idol in that Its purpose is usually to make us superior to others and that takes away our focus on God who is the ultimate … Continue reading Judging—
God put this unrelenting urge to find the meaning of life into us for a reason. He wants us to constantly seek him of our own free will of course. He loves us so much that he had his son become a human to die for us. His love is an all encompassing love (agape) for us. When Jesus said “I have come that they … Continue reading What is the meaning of life? – Part 3 The Real source.
Of course all Christians know the Great Commission. As most remember it we are to go out into the world baptize them and tell them about Jesus and how he died for our sins. But what many seem to conveniently forget is the words just beyond that where Jesus says to tell them to do what he commands! Many seem to think that being a … Continue reading The forgotten words of the Great Commission
Jesus intends for us to serve others rather than for us to expect others to serve us. I think that many people in the United States have that message reversed. They dream of having enough money to have people constantly waiting on them and to fill their every need. After all, that is the American dream isn’t it? Well, it may be the American dream … Continue reading To Serve or to Be Served?? … That is the Question
Last time I pointed out a couple of reasons why I believe that the phrase Taking America back for God to be erroneous statement. This time I will expand my thoughts on this topic and talk about allegiances. Does God recognize governments and give some more blessings than others? — Except for Israel of course there is little evidence of that in Jesus’ words. And … Continue reading Taking America back for God — Part 2
On Sunday I listened to a sermon from my pastor that truly moved me. It is about a subject that is very near to my heart. For that reason I am posting a copy here without comments. Please take the time to read it. You will be enriched by its message. It is kind of long (most clergymen are long winded aren’t they?) but it … Continue reading The Jesus Factor
Ok, let’s go over some of the other places where Jesus mentions love. Most of them are, like much else in the Bible, shows us how to live in this world and get ready for the next. Matt 19:18-19 “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself. … Continue reading Jesus and Love….
If you love me you will obey what I command. John 14:15-16 This is one of the hard sayings of Jesus that is difficult to ignore. It couldn’t be more blunt. Even looking at the surrounding context you can’t mask this message. If you love me… The following verses adds that if you do this then I will give you the Holy Spirit to be … Continue reading Love, Obey, Command….
Let’s spend some time studying the meaning of Love in the Gospel text. Here is the first one: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. Matt 5:43-45 You might call this tough love in … Continue reading Love in the Red Letters
I had an interesting Sunday Bible study recently where we covered Romans 13. Of course since this is probably the most debated text in the New Testament it was a lively discussion. I have to hand it to my pastor, he allow a free flow of diverse discussions. I will only cover one topic from our discussions and that is about the “sword”. Here is … Continue reading Jesus and the sword
What is the Kingdom of God? Let’s look at a few places where Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God and what it might be: Luke 4:43-44 “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Mark 4:30-32 “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what … Continue reading The Kingdom of God Study 2
Matt 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Wow, it sounds like we have to choose between God and money! How can we do without money but then again how can we do without God! This … Continue reading God & Money
Today I am going to close out the study of the Lord’s prayer with an almost overwhelming task. That is to try and put the prayer into my own words. This endeavor is for my own sake. For those of you who think this is approaching sacrilegious please forgive me. If any of you want to suggest alternate wording please let me know. Thanks to … Continue reading The Lord’s Prayer in my own words
With tomorrow being the beginning of yet another year I thought it would be appropriate to talk a little about the concept of Jubilee. Here is some info about Jubilee from Wikipedia. a Jubilee year is mentioned to occur every fifty years, in which slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest. Jubilee was … Continue reading Jubilee
Here are the red letters for today. Matt 13:53-58 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, … Continue reading Hometown Boys never get respect.
Matt 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and … Continue reading Do What I Say
Here are the red letters for today’s study: Matt 12:36-37 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” These word from Jesus were spoken during a heated discussion with the Pharisees but I believe … Continue reading Are we Christians accountable on Judgment day??
subtitle: [33,000 Christian Demoninations] Here are our red letters for today. John 17:20-21 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have … Continue reading Whose Got it Right ??
Let me start out by telling you that this post is not about Jesus being a radical but there is definitely some truth to that statement and I will address that in a future post. I know this title is kind of confusing. Is there really such a thing as an “ordinary” radical. I don’t know but that is what Shane Clairborne calls himself. Shane … Continue reading An Ordinary Radical??
In general red letter living is just plain old Christians living but concentrating on the actual words of Jesus for the primary lessons in life. To me some of the most significant red letters comes from the Sermon on the Mount. But, there are many other lessons that I am sure are almost as valuable. Red letter living serves three purposes: one is to thank … Continue reading Just What is Red Letter Living?
RedLetterLiving 