Matthew 9:9-13: As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw […]
2966) “Me– A Pharisee?” (1/2) Read More »
From The Daily Study Bible by William Barclay: Here is the eternal principle: Forgiveness is a costly thing. Human forgiveness is costly. A son or a daughter may go wrong; a father or a mother may forgive; but that forgiveness has brought tears; it has brought whiteness to the hair, lines to the
2932) Forgiveness is Costly Read More »
Today’s meditation is brief, but it requires a slow and prayerful reading. It is taken from the book A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie (1949). This book contains 62 prayers, one for every morning and evening of the month. It is one of the resources I use every day in my own personal
2922) A Prayer for Self-Examination and Confession Read More »
A friend of mine once described to me a way that he would pray sometimes without words. Instead of using words, he prayed in images, or, I should say, he imagined himself right in a Bible story with Jesus. So if he was feeling overwhelmed by his troubles, he would close his eyes
2852) “Were You There…?” Read More »
Matthew 5:21-22b…23-24 — (Jesus said), “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment… Therefore, if you are offering your gift
2843) First Be Reconciled Read More »
Above painting: The Last Supper by Fritz von Uhde (1886) ————— During his Last Supper with the disciples, on the night before he died on the cross, Jesus passed around some bread and wine, told the disciples it was his body and blood, and said it was given for the forgiveness of their
2834) Alone With Your Thoughts? Read More »
Image above: This mural painted in the Dura-Europos house church in Syria is of the healing of the paralytic in Matthew 9 (note how he is carrying his mat). It is from the third century and might be the earliest representation of a miracle in Christian art. —————————– Matthew 9:2-8 — Some men brought
2810) Do You Want Healing or Forgiveness? Read More »
By C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity [One of the most unpopular of the Christian virtues] is laid down in the Christian rule, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;’ because in Christian morals ‘thy neighbor’ includes ‘thy enemy’, and so we come up against this terrible duty of forgiving our enemies. Every one
2795) As We Forgive Read More »
By Fred Craddock (1928-2015), Craddock Stories, ed. by Mike Graves and Richard F. Ward, 2001, Chalice Press, pages 101-102. ————————- I remember the first time I went to a minister to talk about something personal; it was tough as toenails. It was hard to go and talk to a minister. I had
2790) What Are You Carrying Around? Read More »
From The Clergy of America: Anecdotes, 1869, pages 169-170 A sermon illustration from a New England minister in the 1700’s. ————————– A clergyman sitting in his study, saw some boys in his garden stealing melons. He quietly arose, and walking into his garden, called out to them, “Boys, boys.” They immediately fled
