For Faith
Offer
The Spirit arranges a meeting between Philip, a follower of Jesus, and an Ethiopian. Philip hears him reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah and wonders if he understands.
Revives
“God revives my soul…,” says the psalmist. Meaning, relationship to God through worship, study, prayer, fellowship, service and awe will animate and enliven us.
Look, Touch, Lunch
Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” to his friends after the Resurrection. Their response was terror as if seeing a ghost, doubt and joy. Then Jesus creates peace he commends with three simple moves: look, touch and what’s for lunch?
Easter Gift
Way back in the first chapter of John’s gospel, John gives away the ending of his book, he says “The light shone in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.” That is our Easter gift.
Friday Friend
From his Friday to ours and because of his Friday take heart, you have a Friday Friend! “To trust God in the light is nothing but trust him in the dark that is faith.”
King of Palms and Curses
It’s time to ask ourselves, what kind of friend are we to Jesus? The actual Jesus. Maybe friendship with Jesus looks like us simply refusing the temptation to make him in our image.
Death
What must I do to die a good death? You see, the great irony is that those of us who struggle with the fear of death also really struggle with the fear of living life abundantly.
Condemnation
Jesus coming among us is God’s love-errand, so that we wouldn’t “perish” or be “condemned” but have “eternal life.” That is life beyond biological definition now, and life so long and deep that years fail as a measurement tool.
Church
For Jesus, the Temple was a “house of prayer,” for some others it was a “marketplace.” Jesus felt so strongly about that gap that he made a whip and drove animals and people out of the Temple.
Control
Remember whether we’re talking work, marriage, learning or life with God, the familiar should come with a warning label! The familiar can become a rut and a rut can become a grave.