Ransom: a sum of money or other payment demanded or paid for the release of a prisoner – That’s a pretty good description of the ransom that was paid for your release. And mine. And everyone else’s. Your life is held prisoner in this fallen world. Your body is held prisoner to sin, and sin demands a ransom. And if the ransom … The rest of the story…
Category Archives: Matthew
The Salt of the Earth Is Losing Flavor and Getting Trampled Under Foot
“It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” What is the “it” that sentence is talking about? Salt. “Salt of the earth” to be more precise. It’s a metaphor for Christians and the Christian message. And even here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. this salt is being tossed out and … The rest of the story…
Are you spending any time today worrying about what might happen tomorrow or next week or next month or next year? Do you realize you’re living in a future that may not even exist. I’m not saying THE future doesn’t exist. I’m saying a future you’re seeing in your worried mind’s eye may not exist. And yesterday? Well, it’s gone … The rest of the story…
Blessed Are You Who Hunger Now
The Creator of the universe and everything in it said this: “blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled.” Imagine how good that must sound to someone who truly knows the gut-wrenching pains of hunger. Blessed are you who hunger now. And later. A couple of days ago I shared another beatitude with you. And I mentioned … The rest of the story…
You have enough to think about today. So, how will it help you to worry about tomorrow, today? The short answer is…it won’t. And a longer, much more efficient answer can be found in red letters in the Bible. (for those of you unfamiliar with the Bible, red letters are used when it’s Jesus talking) Think about tomorrow for a … The rest of the story…
Open Rewards for Secret Deeds
Did you know you could receive open rewards for secret deeds? It’s a principle found in the teachings of Jesus. Uh-oh…there he goes again talking religion and Bible thumping. Sorry if it upsets you to hear all these things I write and sing about that come from the Bible. But I’m convinced when you see the love behind it, you’ll … The rest of the story…
If you need a reason for faith instead of empty promises and stuffy traditions, you couldn’t do better than having faith in Jesus. I’ll explain… Jesus lived out His life on earth as a sinless man. At about the age of 30 He began a three year ministry that included teaching, admonishing, healing, and even raising people from the dead. … The rest of the story…
I’ve had a number of brand new cars in my life. And I’ve enjoyed the luxury of a large house with plenty of nice furnishings. At times you could see I was not denying myself the pleasures of multiple performance tools like keyboards, computers, sound systems, and various accoutrements. (I always wanted to use that word somewhere) But all the … The rest of the story…
There’s no getting around it. In this life you will have to suffer fools. To have no contact with fools you’d need to leave the planet. And sorry to say…that would make you a fool, and then your plan would self-explode. 🙂 Now, just because you have to suffer fools and their willful ignorance doesn’t mean you have to do … The rest of the story…
My Hiding Place
Even the bravest warriors, fighters, and soldiers need a hiding place once in a while. A place where they can rest from their battles. A place where they can eat and fuel their minds. A place where they can rise above the noise and plan their next moves. Do you have a hiding place you can go when this world … The rest of the story…
Tomorrow Will Worry About Its Own Things
A red letter edition of the Bible is a version where the words in red are the ones spoken by Jesus after He became a man. As far as I know you’ll only find those words in the New Testament. But one verse I always remember, when my soul wants to worry, is Matthew 6:34. You’ll see these words in … The rest of the story…
Rivers of Living Water
Over the course of your life you’ll speak, read, and hear possibly millions of words. The words flowing from the mouths and minds of men and women will last for a time and then fade further away with each passing generation. But the Word of God is alive. And when you speak it, read it, hear it, or write it … The rest of the story…
Heaven And Earth Will Pass Away
In certain Bibles, when you read the words, “Heaven and Earth will pass away“, the letters are in red. That kind of Bible is commonly referred to as a “red letter edition”. Simply put, the red letters represent Jesus speaking. And when He said “Heaven and Earth will pass away”, He also added, “but My words will by no means … The rest of the story…
Humble Pie
When I was younger I remember hearing the expression, “you may have to eat some humble pie”. It was a common way of saying “you messed up and now you’d better man up”. Humility is an important part of spiritual growth and wisdom. I compare humility to a drive in the Rocky Mountains. If you’ve never been to the Rockies, … The rest of the story…
Gold Frankincense And Myrrh
Imagine getting gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh just for being born. It sounds like an awesome way to get started in life. And for most of us regular run-of-the-mill humans it would be. But if your birth was foretold for hundreds or even thousands of years…and if there were a lot of people who wanted to make sure you … The rest of the story…
Wow…when you look at the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 there is a long list of begetting. The list starts with “Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers”. Those are names most everyone has heard at one time or another. But the list continues with about 34 other names from father to son … The rest of the story…
Keeping Watch Over Their Flock
I remember a few years ago my wife and I and a couple of our friends were enjoying some exploration time on the Western slope near Rifle. (for those of you not from Colorado, that’s here in my home state) We were driving up a dirt road canyon and happened upon a couple of men (and their dog) keeping watch … The rest of the story…