Monthly Archives: January 2020

   Click Here to Listen Have you read any of the “bad plot summaries” that are going around the internet? For example, here’s a bad plot summary of the Lord of… Read More

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will… Read More

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on…. Read More

“No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other. Or else he will hold fast to the one and despise the other…. Read More

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is single, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body… Read More

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where… Read More

Moreover, when you fast, do not put on a sad face like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I… Read More

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew… Read More

  “Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven,    hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come,     your will be done,       on earth as it is… Read More

5 “And when you pray, do not be as the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, so they may… Read More

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly,… Read More

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew… Read More

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).     On the previous topic, “Enemies:” Jesus, Paul, and the early church spoke clearly and definitively about the… Read More

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may… Read More

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps… Read More

Sharing one’s faith—evangelizing—is a core practice among many religions. For Christians, it’s viewed as a mandate from Jesus himself before he departed earth: commanding his disciples to “spread the good… Read More

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take… Read More

“It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the… Read More

www.washingtontimes.com 5 mins read Religious conservative leaders at the national level see the fight over gender issues as make-or-break. (Associated Press/File) U.S. church attendance is dropping, but Hope Church in Memphis, Tennessee, is… Read More

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in… Read More

You have heard that it was said by those of old, you will not kill; and whoever kills will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you… Read More

Renew.org If you had the opportunity to sit down and talk with a world traveling disciple maker, what questions would you ask? As for me, I was curious about what… Read More

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).   Jesus’ words would probably have… Read More

Non-members can listen to several of the audio lessons (the Jesus N.T. Character Podcast, A Christian Response to Global Financial Crisis; Serving the Poor: Second Thoughts; Avatar; The Hunger Games, etc.), but… Read More

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to… Read More

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a lamp and put it under a basket, but… Read More

      Everyday Disciple Maker: Debbra Stephens CLICK HERE TO LISTEN Whether you work in sales or in a school, whether a preacher or a plumber, there is one… Read More

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt becomes foolish, how will it be salted? It is thereafter good for nothing but to be thrown out and… Read More

     “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.       Blessed are you when men speak abusively of you,… Read More

“Blessed are the peacemakers,    for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).  “If most of us are honest with ourselves, we know that there are many… Read More

In Matthew 5:13 we read, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for… Read More

“Blessed are the pure in heart,      for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).   (1) PURITY: A constant theme in Jesus’ teaching is that God looks not only at… Read More

Douglas Jacoby,  Washington DC (1993) (recommended by Russ Ewell, San Francisco) Prejudice is ugly and widespread, knowing no borders. Yet even more detestable is the use of biblical authority to justify… Read More

      The 5th beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). My friend David Berçot, who has examined all the ancient Christian writings, helps… Read More

      “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness / justice, for they will be satisfied.” What does this mean? Consider such passages as: “Man does not… Read More

      “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) “Meek” is a word we seldom use. It does not mean “weak.” It derives from the Old Norse mjúkr,… Read More

On January 1, Netflix released its latest über-bingeable series, Messiah, telling an all-too-believable story about the rise of a contemporary messianic figure known as Al-Masih (played by Mehdi Dehbi). Appearing out… Read More

11 Nigerian Christians Executed in ISIS Christmas Video…… | News & Reporting | Christianity Today In another filmed massacre, 11 Nigerian Christians were executed by the Islamic State West African… Read More

Something You Can Never Be CLICK HERE TO LISTEN   Have you ever been told an expression by somebody older than you which makes absolutely no sense to your generation?… Read More

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). In the background there are well over 100 scriptural passages on mourning, like this one, where Jesus identifies himself… Read More

By John Ortberg on January 1, 2020 This piece has been adapted from the transcript of a sermon delivered by John Ortberg at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church on January 5, 2014, and has… Read More

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). There are at least 20 beatitudes uttered by Jesus in the N.T. (8 in Matthew,… Read More

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. (Matt 5:1-2 ESV) Mountains in the Bible are associated with Moses (Exod 19-20),… Read More

Hebrew & Greek words: chuldah = mole. See the Huldah Gates (entrance into Temple precinct). nevi’ah = prophetess (Greek prophêtis) navi’ = prophet (Greek prophétēs) Prophetesses of the Bible: Old Testament… Read More