Josh1Eight

Jesus at one point had gained quite a following, which is great since that's exactly what He was hoping to achieve right? Kinda.  Jesus came into the world so that the world would be saved if they simply believed (John 3:16-17). But a good number of people simply followed Jesus around like a food truck because He gave them something to eat while they listened to Him teach.  On this occasion a hungry crowd followed Jesus across the lake to hear Him speak in hopes of getting a free lunch. Many had come from miles away but ended up leaving empty-handed.  What? No food? You mean I sat through this sermon for nothing? Come on kids, get back in the car. We're done here.  Seriously?  These disciples had followed Jesus around not because he was worth following because of what they thought they would get out of it. To them, Jesus was really a means to an end; another way of getting their needs met. Vs 66 says, At this point many of his discip...

There are only a handful of times throughout Scripture where God is said to be looking for something. Since God in Himself is clearly all-sufficient and needs nothing, when He is said to be searching for something it is not so much for His benefit as it is for ours. 1. God is looking for people who have lost their way in life. "For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” (Luke 19:10 NLT) God rejoices when lost people stop and ask Him for direction because He always knows the way (John 14:6). 2. God is looking for wholehearted worship "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and dtruth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." (John 4:23 NLT) God doesn't need our worship to be complete; we however we're made to find our completeness in Him (Colossians 2:10) 3. God is looking for uncompromising loyalty. "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengt...

"One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said. Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.” Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:20, 21, 31-35 NLT) Jesus was from a small town called Nazareth where everybody knew everybody and their business. He was no stranger in His home town. But imagine the gossip that spread when the carpenter's son suddenly leaves his job, family, and any local friends behind to wander around Galile...

"Later, however, when the Israelites became strong enough, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves. But they did not drive them out of the land. The descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and asked, “Why have you given us only one portion of land as our homeland when the Lord has blessed us with so many people?” Joshua replied, “If there are so many of you, and if the hill country of Ephraim is not large enough for you, clear out land for yourselves in the forest where the Perizzites and Rephaites live.” The descendants of Joseph responded, “It’s true that the hill country is not large enough for us. But all the Canaanites in the lowlands have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shan and its surrounding settlements and those in the valley of Jezreel. They are too strong for us.” Then Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, “Since you are so large and strong, you will be given more than one portion. The forests of the hill country will be you...

In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up. (Matthew 21:18, 19 NLT) During the last week of Jesus' life He enters the capital city of Jerusalem to face his final rejection and crucifixion. On the way before He even had a chance to eat breakfast, He sees a tree with leaves but no fruit, curses it, and watches it die in front of Him.  My first thought is, "Jesus take it easy man. I know it's early in the morning and you're hungry but seriously? Why you gotta take it out on this unsuspecting tree?" And why all the hostility? This episode in Jesus' life seems very out of character compared to the meek, humble servant we're used to. Jesus doesn't come right out and answer the disciples' question (vs 19) about wh...

In Matthew 18 Jesus tackles the reality if sin from every possible angle: our sins, others' sins, sins done to us by others, and what how we should handle all of the above. "So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decisi...

"a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son,1 with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”  Have you ever wanted God to speak to you? Like where you could actually hear Him as of He was standing in the same room?  If so, what what would He have to say? Would He be mad? Would he ask you to become a missionary to Siberia? I'm pretty sure everyone at some point has wondered what it would be like to literally hear God's voice. Not that voice in your head that speaks to your heart sometimes. I mean the thundering, audible voice from the clouds speaking to your ears kind of hearing.  In Scripture there are only a handful of times that God ever broke His silence to the human ear, however this was definitely one of them. Jesus and three of his disciples hike up the mountain. And then out of nowhere, Jesus temporarily transforms into His spiritual secret identify that is beaming with light.  Not knowing what to do or say, Peter starts talki...

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 ESV) Paul's statement here about the nature and origin of Scripture, aka the Bible, might be one of the most profound spiritual truths ever penned.  He paints a picture of the Holy Spirit, the very breath of God Almighty, exhaling into human history in written form decades after the Word became flesh and lived lived among us (John 1:14).  As we begin to read Scripture I imagine God the Spirit filling collapsed lungs with spiritual strength, resuscitating me to life . Not that we were dead necessarily but sometimes we feel and even act spiritually unconscious for a period of time and desperately in need of some holy CPR. His Word gives us what we could never give ourselves - it's truth when I deceive myself, correction when I'm dead wrong, teaching...