Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank. Exodus 24:9-11 Imagine that you’ve been invited to a dinner party. The menu has things that you enjoy. Also, the time and the date work for you. But then you come to realize that you don’t ...
[Jesus said] “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3:14 Bronze has been known to cure snake bites. At least it did in 1500 B.C. God’s people figured their God was taking longer than he should to get them from Egypt to the Promised Land. So, they complained about his leadership, just like they had been complaining for the last forty years. This time, God allowed them to experience a little bit of ...
There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Matthew 17:2 People have lots of opinions about Jesus. Some say he was just a good teacher. Some say he was just a prophet. Some say he was just a symbol of love and justice. Some say he was just a legend. But what Jesus reveals and tells us about himself doesn’t leave any room for “just.” The apostle Matthew tells us that Jesus was “transfigured.” That means he changed right in front of his ...
The people all responded together, “We will do everything the LORD has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD. Exodus 19:8 “Sign here, here, and here, and write your initials here, and here, and here.” If you have ever signed a contract, you have heard those words. Whether putting a downpayment on a house, buying a car, or adopting a life insurance policy, you are asked to sign your name and agree to all the fine print. So much fine print! With such documents there are pages and pages of legal expectations and ramifications. ...
[Jesus said] “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 Where I live, winter can be a dark time of year. In fact, during several months of the year, the sun goes down well before ...
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11 Is today shaping up to look a lot like yesterday? And the day before it? Life sure can settle into a routine, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Routines and habits can be blessings in our lives. But the same familiar rhythms of our daily lives can also lull us into a false sense of security in our spiritual lives. Because we end up doing the same thing most days, we can easily ...
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9 What is a peacemaker? A peacemaker is someone who steps into tension with a goal, not to win, not to escape, but to bring peace. That sounds noble. It also sounds exhausting. Especially when we remember that people are complicated and disagreements are real, and peace isn’t always welcome. So, Jesus’ words come to us both as a comfort and a challenge: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Before we think about what it means for us to make peace, we need to start ...
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7 If mercy were easy, Jesus wouldn’t have needed to preach about it. Mercy means showing compassion when it isn’t earned and giving kindness when it isn’t deserved. Mercy steps toward people who disappoint us, inconvenience us, or wound us, which are not usually moments when we feel particularly “blessed.” That is why Jesus’ words might surprise us: “Blessed are the merciful.” The world often views mercy as a sign of weakness. Jesus calls it evidence of a heart transformed by grace. To understand mercy, ...
At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 1 Kings 18:36-37 If you are like me, there is a good chance that at some time in your life, you prayed for millions of dollars. ...
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 Have you found yourself yet? Many of us are on a quest to find ourselves, or at least were at one time in our lives. We live in a world so full of people, groups, and ideas that we wonder where we fit. And so, we spend much of our lives searching for an identity—looking for a way to define ...
