Month: January 2017

Matthew 15:8,9 This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me… Have you ever, out of obligation, said that you would do something that you had no desire or intention of doing?  Lacking the courage to just say, I’m not doing that, have you…
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Matthew 14:38-31 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord,…
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Matthew 14:15-17  The disciples came to him and said… “Send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” A few years ago, my…
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Matthew 13:54,57,58 Coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue… And they took offense at him.   And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. This passage always reminds me of the movie Elf (yes, the one with Will Ferrell). In the movie, Santa Claus’ sleigh was powered by belief.…
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Matthew 13:47-49 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age.…
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Matthew 13:45,46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Just in case I did not get it the first go around, Jesus retold his parable of the treasure hunter. I…
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Matthew 13:44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. What would you give to live rightly and be free from your defects?  What would you give to be…
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Matthew 13:31,32 The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree… Jesus here, provides me with a painful but much…
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Matthew 13:15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. I don’t have a problem! Almost everyone who…
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Matthew 13:3,7,22 A sower went out to sow… Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them… this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. There are times when I must search to…
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