Every Good Commitment Costs “Now great crowds were traveling with Him. So He turned and said to them: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to... Read more
Excuses “When one of those who reclined at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “The one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God is blessed!” Then He told him: “A man was giving a large banquet and invited many. At the time of the banquet, he sent his slave to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ “But without exception they all began to make excuses. The first one... Read more
Relapse ““When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest, and not finding rest, it then says, ‘I’ll go back to my house where I came from.’ And returning, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man’s last condition is worse than the first.”” (Luke 11:24–26, HCSB)... Read more
Increasing Commitment to God by Destroying the Idols in My Life “On that very night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old. Then tear down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Build a well-constructed altar to the Lord your God on the top of this rock. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the... Read more
Set Apart “The Lord then said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why are you on the ground? Israel has sinned. They have violated My covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put the things with their own belongings. This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they have been set apart for destruction. I will... Read more
Doctor, Doctor “Then He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Doctor, heal yourself. So all we’ve heard that took place in Capernaum, do here in Your hometown also.’ ”” (Luke 4:23, HCSB) “Jesus replied to them, “The healthy don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”” (Luke 5:31–32, HCSB) Dr. Luke lifts the quotes from Jesus which has a medical theme. Jesus quotes... Read more
Lagniappe ““At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and store it within your gates. Then the Levite, who has no portion or inheritance among you, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come, eat, and be satisfied. And the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.” (Deuteronomy 14:28–29, HCSB) Lagniappe is Cajun for “a little something extra.”... Read more
Doubt Versus Faith ““How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”” (Luke 1:18, HCSB) Zechariah questioned God in a spirit of doubt. After the experiences of Abraham, Zechariah, a priest of God, should have known that God uses His angels to deliver His messages and he should have known that God would deliver on His promises. However, Zechariah doubted. For him, the cost was to... Read more
God’s Instruction About Wealth ““Be careful that you don’t forget the Lord your God by failing to keep His command—the ordinances and statutes—I am giving you today. When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in, and your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold multiply, and everything else you have increases, be careful that your heart doesn’t become proud and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the... Read more
God Loves and Helps All Kinds of People “a great and numerous people, as tall as the Anakim. The Lord destroyed the Rephaim at the advance of the Ammonites so that they drove them out and settled in their place. This was just as He had done for the descendants of Esau who lived in Seir when He destroyed the Horites before them; they drove them out and have lived in their place until now.” (Deuteronomy 2:21–22, HCSB) Sometimes we... Read more
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