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Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash Mark 6 tells us that Herod respected John the Baptist – but he still had him beheaded. God calls us not just to “respect” Him, but to obey. Scripture:        Job, chapter 21; Mark, chapters 5-6 Mark 6:14-29 (CEB): Herod the king heard about these things, because the name of Jesus had become well-known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the […]

Photo by Roger Bradshaw on Unsplash Jesus warned us that no one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). How can Christians navigate the political world while continuing to serve God? Scripture:        Job, chapter 20; Mark, chapters 3-4 Mark 3:1-6 (CEB): Jesus returned to the synagogue. A man with a withered hand was there. Wanting to bring charges against Jesus, they were watching Jesus closely to see if he would heal […]

Photo by Jonathan Wells on Unsplash The heart of the Gospel is the message of grace. In Acts 13, Paul declares this message to Jews and Gentiles alike: we can be in right relationship with God through belief in Jesus! Scripture:        Job, chapters 9-10; Acts, chapters 13-14 Acts 13:38-47 (CEB): “Therefore, brothers and sisters, know this: Through Jesus we proclaim forgiveness of sins to you. From all those sins from […]

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez In Acts 8, Philip shares the good news with an Ethiopian official by “starting with that passage.” What can we learn from this encounter? Scripture:        Job, chapters 3-4; Acts, chapters 8-9 Acts 8:26-39 (CEB): An angel from the Lord spoke to Philip, “At noon, take the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) So he did. Meanwhile, an Ethiopian man […]

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash Nehemiah recognized that the gracious power of God was with him. How do we recognize God’s power at work? How do we cooperate with God’s work? Scripture:        Nehemiah, chapters 1-2; Psalms 133 and 134; Luke, chapter 22 Nehemiah 2:1-8 (CEB): In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, the king was about to be served wine. I took the wine […]

Photo by Afrah on Unsplash The disciples asked Jesus what the signs of His return will be. Instead of trying to figure out when it will happen, Jesus challenges us to be ready! Scripture:        Ezra, chapters 9-10; Psalm 131; Luke, chapter 21 Luke 21:5-19 (CEB): Some people were talking about the temple, how it was decorated with beautiful stones and ornaments dedicated to God. Jesus said, “As for the things […]

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash We’ve all heard the phrase, “God works in mysterious ways.” But why does God do that? And what does it mean for those who are following Jesus? Scripture:        Ezra, chapters 7-8; Luke, chapter 20 Ezra 7:11-20 (CEB): This is a copy of the letter that Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, a scholar of the text of the Lord’s commandments and his […]

Photo by O0mix0O_Pix on Unsplash When the disciples told Jesus, “We’re going to drown!” He asked them, “Where is your faith?” That led them to ask: “Who is This?” Scripture:        Ezra, chapters 2-3; Luke, chapter 8 Luke 8:22-25 (CEB): One day Jesus and his disciples boarded a boat. He said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail. While they were sailing, […]

Photo by Katherine Conrad on Unsplash People want to know how to be truly happy. Advertisers tell us, politicians tell us – but we need to listen to God.  Read Psalm 84! Scripture:        Ezra, chapter 1; Psalms 84 and 85; Luke, chapter 7 Psalm 84:1-7 (CEB): How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord of heavenly forces! My very being longs, even yearns, for the Lord’s courtyards. My heart and my […]