Scripture: Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed… Thought for the Day: Many scholars view this as Jesus’ purpose statement or his vision and mission. I am struck by the phrase
Scripture: James 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. Thought for the Day: What exactly does James mean by “spirit” in this passage? It is the Greek word pneuma, which is used to describe the Spirit of God. At the same time, I used to sit in the stands at football games and chant, “We’ve got spirit,
Scripture: Mark 8:31-32 Then Jesus began to teach the disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Thought for the Day: The theologian, Jurgen Moltmann, struggled to make sense
Scripture: 2nd Samuel 11:1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Thought for the Day: How do you confront power, when your confrontation could lead to your death? How do you call out a king without loosing your
Prayer for the Week: Psalm 118 proclaims: This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and celebrate in it! O Lord, you are the source of creativity, and we acknowledge your artistic presence in this moment of life. By faith, we give witness to your work of mending and shaping, reimagining and renovating,
Scripture: Luke 23:24 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” Thought for the Day: I have seen this moment portrayed on the big screen and on the stage, and it almost always gets a heartfelt sigh from the audience. I would be among them, yet I am coming to believe that a sigh – even a really deep and sincere sigh – is
Scripture: John 14:8-10 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father; that will be enough for us.”Jesus replied, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been with you all this time? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I have spoken
Scripture: Acts 9:4-8 He fell to the ground and heard a voice asking him, “Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me?” Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, whom you are harassing,” came the reply. “Now get up and enter the city. You will be told what you must do.” Those traveling with him stood there speechless; they heard the voice but saw no one. After
Scripture: Matthew 16:15-16 Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Thought for the Day: If this had been Jeopardy, Simon Peter would have had the correct answer, except that he didn’t put it in the form of a question. This was a major declaration, and the writer of the Gospel
Scripture: Philippians 2:5-8 Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus: Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit. But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings. When he found himself in the form of a human, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,