“But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.” Luke 19:48  In Luke chapter 19, the religious leaders had had enough of Jesus and were looking for any opportunity they could find to crucify Him. They were indignant and furious at His teaching, and as you can imagine, they boiled over with hate at His turning over the tables and clearing out the temple. Yet, as much as they hated Jesus, there was another group that hung on every word He said. This is what made it difficult for those religious leaders to[…]

“But Moses gave no allotment of land to the tribe of Levi, for the Lord, the God of Israel, had promised that he himself would be their allotment.” Joshua 13:33 It was the day everyone had been waiting for! As the Tribes of Israel lined up one by one, anticipation must have filled the air. Everyone waited with bated breath for Joshua to give out the allotments of land they had all been promised. Everyone knew it was only the Lord who could have helped them defeat so many kings as they did. Though they were vastly outnumbered on many battle[…]

“And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” Luke 17:19   A bonus is always a great thing. It may be for hitting your sales goal, for the company’s quarterly profit share, or what the company gives out at Christmas, but a bonus is something everyone enjoys. In Genesis 38 we see one such bonus being handed out to Benjamin, the youngest brother of Joseph. Benjamin received five times as much food on his plate as his other brothers. Five, is the Biblical number for grace. We’ve been called the “Benjamin Generation.” Just like Benjamin,[…]

The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you!” Luke 17:6  According to Wikipedia, a mulberry tree can grow as tall as eighty feet and span more than thirty feet, which can seem mountainous to a passerby. So how much faith would it take to tell a mulberry tree to be uprooted and cast into the sea? Well, according to Jesus, only as much faith as the size of a mustard seed, which[…]

“Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.” Psalm 82:3 There’s a Rhode Island judge who’s become pretty famous, but not for his harsh sentences, but rather for his mercy. Judge Frank Caprio is the Chief Municipal Judge in Providence, Rhode Island. Someone took note of Judge Caprio’s bent toward mercy and decided to create a You Tube channel and Facebook page. His philosophy, as seen from the bench, differs from the typical “tough on crime” approach and instead leans heavy on mercy. Not only do defendants often leave his court[…]

“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” Luke 15:7   From the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, Jesus goes to great lengths to express the importance of just how much value our Heavenly Father places on just one. Certainly, he cares about the multitudes, as seen when Jesus feeds the five thousand with just a few loaves and fish, but it seems as though his heart rejoices even as much,[…]

“That same day the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river, and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own special possession.” Deuteronomy 32:48-49  As Moses was nearing the end of his life, the Lord told him to go to the top of Mount Nebo and look out over the “Promised Land.” The Lord wanted Moses to see with his own eyes the very place he had spoken about so many times. Moses[…]

“And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” Luke 12:28  In Genesis chapter 30 Jacob found himself playing a bizarre game of chess with his Uncle Laban, and he had certainly met his match when it came to trickery. His Uncle Laban tricked him by giving him Leah instead of Rachael and made him work an extra seven years for the bride his heart was set on. Then, after they had made a deal for the spotted[…]

“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.” Luke 12:6 According to People.com, “A Southern California man was in for a howling surprise when he rescued what he believed to be a puppy and soon discovered that it was no snuggly house pet after all. While walking his dog in a canyon, the man came across the abandoned furry creature, Darriel Walker, a representative at San Diego Human Society, tells PEOPLE. With no hesitation, Walker says the man brought the little “puppy” back home before the Humane Society arrived at[…]

“No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.” Luke 11:33 “In light of,” is a phrase we hear from time-to-time and may even say on occasion. The definition of this phrase is to “consider something.” It is typically used in reference to some new revelation, fact, or piece of information that affects some circumstance, situation or outcome. Luke, in his Gospel account, sights a conversation Jesus had with a group of listeners where He[…]