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In: Bible and Theology, Prayer and Devotions

38 He is not God of the dead but of the living, because all are living to[e] Him.” (Today’s full scripture text:  Luke 20:27-47) Jesus takes on both the major “parties” of ancient Judea when the Sadducees come to test him with a disingenuous gotcha question about the Resurrection. Keeping in mind the status of women in that culture, they are asking him a legal question about a woman who was widowed seven times in her lifetime: when she and all seven husbands are resurrected, which husband will own her? The answer the Lord gives, at minimum, states that in Heaven, sons and daughters will not be chattel their parents marry offRead More →

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In: God's Character, Prayer and Devotions

26 They were not able to catch Him in what He said in public, and being amazed at His answer, they became silent.  (HCSB)Today’s full text: Luke 20:1-26 How did Jesus respond when the religious leaders of his day questioned his authority to do the work His father had sent him to do? For context, one of the reasons they doubted his credentials as a Rabbi is because he had never been a disciple for anyone, so he’d rebelled against the status quo, no human had taught him to be just like them and commissioned him as a rabbi to teach others to be just like his own rabbi. SoRead More →

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In: Bible and Theology, Faith, Fear and Anxiety, God's Character, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

“Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:5-6) Psalm 118 falls right before Psalm 119’s sometimes unappreciated, lengthy serenade to the law’s beauty and virtues.  In 118, the psalmist urges his audience to give thanks to the Lord because he is good and his love is steadfast. To these reasons, the psalmist adds his personal testimony: he was either troubled internally by mental or physical pain or suffering or he was in an external state of danger orRead More →

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In: Bible and Theology, Faith, Lament, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Troubled? Christ tells us we can turn to his speech in John 14-16 any time and receive comfort and peace from knowing the Father himself loves us and that someday he will bring us out of our present sorrow and deliver us to joy. He promises us hardship and trouble and travail in this life and that the unbelieving world will hate us if we are truly walking with Him, and has indeed oftenRead More →

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In: Bible and Theology, Fear and Anxiety, God's love, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3) This is my favorite verse to turn to in times of trial and distress of any sort. Here the Lord reassures us that though he has returned to the Father and we cannot see him faceRead More →