Sunday, 01 April 2012
In response to the healing of the lame man by Peter and John, the Jewish leaders challenged the dynamic duo as to what authority they had to do such things. Peter responded to them boldly and part of this included an incredibly powerful point: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there ...Read More...
Posted on 04/01/2012 4:10 PM by Grant Ray
Saturday, 31 March 2012
You may or may not be familiar with the actual text, but you might possibly have learned the song that tells this account:
"Peter and John went to pray; they met a lame man on the way. He stuck out his palm and asked for an alm, and this is what Peter did say,'Silver and gold have I ...Read More...
Posted on 03/31/2012 3:43 PM by Grant Ray
Friday, 30 March 2012
A bit later, after Jesus' ascension and the choosing of Matthias, the day of Pentecost came around. Pentecost is the 50th day after the Sabbath of Passover week. It too is on the first day of the week, Sunday. If you had been there that day, you would have been in good company with other ...Read More...
Posted on 03/30/2012 9:37 AM by Grant Ray
Thursday, 29 March 2012
If you had been there that day, what would you have seen? After Jesus had spoken to them about being global witnesses, this first chapter of Acts say that he was "taken up" before their eyes and a cloud hid them from their sight. They were watching. You were watching. He didn't just ...Read More...
Posted on 03/29/2012 9:04 AM by Grant Ray
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
After Jesus' death, the disciples decided to go fishing, specifically Peter with the others following behind. They encountered the Lord on the shore who had prepared a breakfast of fish and bread.
It was when Peter reached the shore that I find most fascinating. Remember when Jesus was being ...Read More...
Posted on 03/28/2012 8:20 AM by Grant Ray
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
I think Thomas (Didymus) gets a bad rap. I used to think that he was just a totally negative person who, if you told him the sky was blue, he would say it was purple or chartreuse. But over the years I have learned that he was more likely just like everyone else -- some things we think we see ...Read More...
Posted on 03/27/2012 9:53 AM by Grant Ray
Monday, 26 March 2012
Oh, the love that Jesus had for his mother. He also must have had great love and trust for one of his best friends, John. Jesus entrusted the care of his own mother to his best friend. Why? Jesus had brothers and sisters. Couldn't they take care of Mom? Could they not ...Read More...
Posted on 03/26/2012 9:03 PM by Grant Ray
Sunday, 25 March 2012
On the night Jesus was betrayed, Jesus found himself commanding Peter to put his sword away (unfortunately, it was after Peter cut off Malchus' ear). But Jesus makes a very disturbing statement when he said, "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
There was no way that Jesus ...Read More...
Posted on 03/25/2012 8:52 PM by Grant Ray
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Our text identifies several details about Jesus praying. Sometimes it is good to look at every little detail. This time, I want to step back from the WORD and look at a bigger picture.
Notice the order in which Jesus prayed in this single prayer. First he prayed for himself, then ...Read More...
Posted on 03/24/2012 8:34 PM by Grant Ray
Friday, 23 March 2012
In John 14, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit that would come after him would teach us all things and remind us of everything Jesus taught us. Can you imagine that? Do you live it today? What the Holy Spirit does is helps us who have been enlightened by the WORD to understand the ...Read More...
Posted on 03/23/2012 8:19 PM by Grant Ray
Thursday, 22 March 2012
As I read the Scriptures, I try to be sensitive to words that sort of jump out at me. In John 15 the main word seems to be "remain." To remain is to stay, to stick with, to continue with... you get the idea. The second thing I look for is who is speaking and who are they speaking ...Read More...
Posted on 03/22/2012 9:03 AM by Grant Ray
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Jesus says that if we love him, we will obey. He said that when he is gone from this earth, the Father would send "another counselor" to be with us forever. The counselor is a reference to a lawyer or a defense attorney who would be our advocate and act in our best interest and ...Read More...
Posted on 03/21/2012 12:47 PM by Grant Ray
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Remember when gas stations were called "service stations?" The service attendant would come to your window when you pulled up to the pump and ask you what he could do for you today. "Fill 'er up." "Check the oil." I always thought that was a good start ...Read More...
Posted on 03/20/2012 12:27 PM by Grant Ray
Monday, 19 March 2012
In John 12.23, Jesus declares, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified..." Up to this point Jesus was saying that it wasn't yet time -- now suddenly it is. How did he know? What was his clue? All the events of his life had led up to this point in time. They ...Read More...
Posted on 03/19/2012 12:09 PM by Grant Ray
Sunday, 18 March 2012
It is in the account of Lazarus, special friend to Jesus and brother to the biblically famous Mary and Martha that we see the line that even non-Christians have heard of: Jesus wept. Wouldn't you weep too if one of your best friends had just died a few days earlier?
Jesus' love ...Read More...
Posted on 03/18/2012 10:01 PM by Grant Ray
Saturday, 17 March 2012
Sheep are some of the most fascinating creatures I've ever worked with. They tend to be rather nervous, fretful creatures. On the positive side of things, they do appreciate authority. There is something securing about the sound of the shepherd's voice that seems to make everything ...Read More...
Posted on 03/17/2012 9:46 PM by Grant Ray
Friday, 16 March 2012
My daughter and I have really sensitive hearing. We can hear a lot of things far away that others can't hear and hear things up close we wish we didn't hear! We can also experience physical pain by the intensity of certain frequencies. As much as I hear, I can't always tell what someone ...Read More...
Posted on 03/16/2012 9:12 PM by Grant Ray
Thursday, 15 March 2012
The one who will not believe the truth cannot be trusted. That is an axiom I learned years ago. Jesus found himself in this situation when he was challenged. He said that his opponents couldn't hear because they did not belong to God. Was their hearing really that bad? No. ...Read More...
Posted on 03/15/2012 8:53 PM by Grant Ray
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
There are those who don't doubt God, but the do doubt Jesus. Even Islam claims our God as their own but call him Allah. But as far as Jesus is concerned, he doesn't hold the same place that he does with us. But Jesus explains a very powerful truth. He says in today's text, ...Read More...
Posted on 03/14/2012 8:26 PM by Grant Ray
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
When I read about Jesus' feeding the 5,000 with just a little bread and fish, I think of how he can take whatever we have or whatever we are blessed with and multiply it. I don't have to be the best at anything (good thing, because I'm certainly not); all I am required to do is offer ...Read More...
Posted on 03/13/2012 7:49 PM by Grant Ray
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