Welcome to Youngsville Free Methodist Church

For years I couldn’t understand why Jesus was commending a guy who was ripping off his  boss.   Then I finally got it…

You have to admire the genius of Jesus.  Every conversation, every word, every occasion….all of it is used to illustrate the grand decision that lies before the human race.   

Looking at the main theme’s  today, it seems to be Preparation and  Warning against Greed.   The two are closely related, and how we handle worldly possessions will either benefit us  or send us into hell.

Knowing that I would soon be blogging on what I read today, I felt almost overwhelmed.     How can I possibly comment on all this?   Jesus provided more teaching in these two chapters than I could preach on in an entire sermon series.

As I have said before, John is writing to offer convincing proofs that Jesus is the Messiah, and today’s reading contains two great examples.

Okay, I have to be honest…for just a second there I had the fleeting thought that Jesus told a lie.

 Some key beliefs of the faith are covered today, along with a great model for how to resolve conflict.

One of the advantages of reading the Gospels chronologically is that you pick up the small details that each author provides.   It helps you put together a more complete picture.

Among the many topics presented here I want to comment on just a couple.      Peter and the pearly gates is a concept that really irks me….

There are time honored traditions within the church, and then there are the direct commands of God.   I think we have more traditions that there are actual commands…and it’s important that the priority never be reversed.     And that brings us to the first topic in today reading…..

Philip.   It was Philip who asked “How are we supposed to feed this many people?”    The only Gospel to mention his name is John.    I wonder what else I might see…

Yesterday’s blog was narrowly focused on one particular insight that wasn’t a key text.   I’m hoping that today some of the material is repeated so that I can meditate on it a little more fully.

Well, well, well…..I learned something new today.    And I can’t wait to tell you about it!

The main themes today are obvious, but for some reason I am seeing some details that I hadn’t noticed before.

Today’s reading is densely packed  with crowds, teachings and miracles.   If these were the only miracles we knew of, it would still be enough to be convinced that Jesus  is the Son of  God.    And this  is only a small part of what Jesus did!

Is there a sin that is “unforgivable”?   How can we know if we have accidentally committed it and doomed ourselves?

Of everything I read today, it was the last line that really grabbed me.

The first section of the sermon on the mount sets the perspective from which we see all activity.   Then, Jesus goes into some detail about specific areas.

Workin’ on it!

What’s more important, seeing someone healed or making sure that no protocols were broken in the process?

Every time we read a biblical account, we have the possibility of seeing new things and detecting new meanings.  Let’s see what today’s reading has in store…

Lots to talk about in three chapters.   Let me relay to you some of my favorite lessons…in abbreviated form.   It will do me good to call them back to memory.

The temptation of Christ

Three accounts of the beginning days of Jesus’ ministry.   Let’s compare a few things, and see what we can find.

If you are following along “day by day” you probably realized that I skipped this passage yesterday.  What good does it do to read the Bible chronologically when you skip passages?     Oh well.   Let’s take a look…

Where there exactly 14 generations between each of these three events?

Hooray! Today we begin the New Testament.   Not that the Old Testament wasn’t good, it was…but this marks a milestone for us.   Let’s dig in.

I am happy to make some comments on Malachi today for two reasons:  First, Malachi has some profound things to say, and secondly, today marks the end of the Old Testament Reading.  Hooray!   We are heading into the New Testament tomorrow!

Occupy

For a minute there I forgot I was reading Nehemiah…this is all about Ezra!  Which brings up an interesting point…

A quick word this morning on how we understand the mystery of carrying out God’s will…