Author: Scott

Matthew 16:24 If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. I have tried to change a thousand times and have failed.  I have promised myself over and over that I would never do this again but here I am.  I have prayed repeatedly for God to…
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Matthew 16:21-23 Jesus began to show his disciples that he must… be killed… And Peter… began to rebuke him, saying… “This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said… “you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” I sat, not long ago, talking with…
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Matthew 16:13-16 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” I have a habit of putting myself in a story and wondering how I would perform.  Would I have answered Jesus’ question correctly?  The disciples had lived with…
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Matthew 15:17-20 …Whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled. But what comes out… proceeds from the heart… For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone. I…
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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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