HOW THE JEWISH FESTIVALS POINT TO JESUS The Lord instituted seven “festivals,” or feasts for Israel. These feasts were to remind Israel of God’s provision and to prepare them for the Messiah. It can get a little overwhelming reading the description of these feasts, but they are worthy of our meditation as we see how
OVERCOMING OUR DOUBTS This is the confession of a man who desperately wanted to believe, but still had doubts. This doesn’t sound like the greatest of confessions, yet Jesus healed the man’s son nonetheless. Jesus still answers the prayers of those who have a mixture of doubt and belief. The important thing is to confess
HOW DO YOU HANDLE DISCOURAGEMENT? Many tend to wallow or spiral down deeper into despair when facing sadness and discouragement. But David knew how to “encourage himself in the Lord” (1 Sam. 30:6). This psalm illustrates his method. When he felt down or out of sorts, he didn’t just drag on, he stopped and
OUR SEXUAL PURITY MATTERS TO GOD Leviticus 18:1-30 essentially expands on the 7th commandment, which is “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Ex. 20:14). Much of the book of Leviticus is just that, an expansion on the Ten Commandments, so that Israel could see the specific application of each commandment. In answer to the question,
OUR ACCESS TO THE FATHER THROUGH CHRIST JESUS The Lord told Moses to tell his brother, Aaron, that even though he was the high priest, he was not allowed to enter the Holy Place “whenever” he wanted. The Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies, was the inner room behind the veil that contained the
DO YOU GET ALONE TO PRAY? After a long day filled with teaching and miraculously feeding the 5,000, Jesus insisted that His disciples go on ahead while He went up into the hills to pray. Jesus wanted some time alone to talk to His Father. For the Son did “nothing of Himself” (John 5:19). Everything
FAMILIARITY IS NOT FAITH When Jesus began teaching and performing miracles in His hometown of Nazareth, “He was amazed at their unbelief.” Can you imagine that? That the Son of God was “amazed” at the lack of faith He saw in the very neighbors that should have known Him best? Turns out they knew a
CHRIST’S METHOD OF LIFE-ON-LIFE DISCIPLESHIP When Jesus went into the home of the synagogue ruler whose daughter had died, He only permitted three of the Twelve to follow inside. Peter, James and John were often singled out for such occasions. They were witnesses on that day of Jesus raising the synagogue ruler’s daughter up from
THE POWER OF ONE WITNESS In the region of the Gerasenes, on the Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus encountered a man who was beset by a “legion” of unclean spirits. He commanded them to leave and the man was restored to his right mind. Afterwards, the man wanted to go with Jesus,
THE THORNY SOIL OF THE AMERICAN HEART Jesus told a parable about a sower who sowed seed that fell on four types of soil. Some seed fell on a path, some in rocky soil, some fell in soil overgrown with thorns and some fell on good soil. Jesus later explained the parable to His disciples.