Christ is Prophesied The people who walk in darkness shall see a great Light—a Light that will shine on all those who live in the land of the shadow of death. Isaiah 9: 2 TLB A Light for all of us, for we all live in the “land of the shadow of death.” Oh, come,…
Category: Open My Eyes
Insights in Scripture
Advent, Week 1, Tuesday
Christ is Prophesied For the time is coming, says the Lord, when I will place a righteous Branch upon King David’s throne. He shall be a King who shall rule with wisdom and justice and cause righteousness to prevail everywhere throughout the earth. And this is his name: The Lord Our Righteousness. Jeremiah 23:5-6 Living…
Advent, Week 1, Monday
Christ is Prophesied All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign—a child shall be born to a virgin! And she shall call him Immanuel (meaning, “God is with us”). Isaiah 7:14 TLB (The Living Bible) God is with us. Not has been or will be – although both are true – but right…
Catching Stress Before It Catches You
While taming our to-do list is a good first step, the truth is that stress comes anyway. There is no way we can live up to the subtle expectations that bombard us from inside and out on a daily basis. But there are ways to catch and deal with stress before it overwhelms. These are…
Ready … Set … STRESS!
Today is Black Friday, when retailers expect us to put them into the financial black for the year. It is the start of the mad rush fondly called “the Holidays,” when the world abandons common sense and spends time and money like there is no tomorrow. And we are expected, even guilted, into going along….
Then They Met Jesus…
(adapted from monologues written in 1992 as sermon illustrations) The Rich Young Ruler His clothes are of the finest cloth. His posture is noble. He is clearly “somebody.” And yet, when he looks at you, he betrays no pride or arrogance. (Well, maybe a little. He is, after all, very young.) He speaks. ‘I am…
Then They Met Jesus …
(adapted from monologues written in 1992 as sermon illustrations) Simon Peter He pauses in the hot sun as he kneels on the shore by his net and squints up at you. You are surprised by his size when he stands up. As he speaks, his eyes roam over the scene: the boats, the lake, the…
Then They Met Jesus …
(adapted from monologues written in 1992 as sermon illustrations) The Samaritan Woman She stands in the doorway and looks at you for a few seconds, perhaps trying to decide if you are “safe” to talk to. Then humorously, she says, “I guess if I had a theme song, it would be,” she pauses, making air…
The Lord is My King
Broadly speaking, the kingdom of God is the rule of an eternal, sovereign God over all the universe, Monarch of all creation. For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth. Psalm 47:2 NIV For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. Psalm 95: 3 NIV…
The Lord is My Song
SONG: a short metrical composition intended or adapted for singing, especially one in rhymed stanzas; a lyric; a ballad. God loves music! The Bible mentions music and singing hundreds of times. After all, the Book of Psalms is a song book. Music comes from God, and when we participate in it – whether by writing,…