tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96653532024-03-13T17:21:22.001-05:00with devotionfrom my heart to yourskc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.comBlogger1877125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-37644930985658343772022-12-17T13:31:00.001-06:002022-12-17T13:31:50.099-06:00hyperbole and the moving of mountainsJesus told his disciples, “Have faith in God! I tell all of you with certainty, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ if he doesn’t doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. That is why I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. [Mark 11:22-24 ISV]
The kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04757315688547991419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-62973726880469821492022-05-31T11:24:00.000-05:002022-05-31T11:24:28.938-05:00the myth of religious karmaThe Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ [Luke 18:9-14:]
This religious dude seems to have embraced the idea of religious karma.By that, I mean the idea that our lives are rewarded because we do kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04757315688547991419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-31898965480590434072021-03-31T11:19:00.001-05:002021-03-31T11:19:28.090-05:00feeling alone and forsakenNow from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” [Matthew 27:45-47]
Has there ever been a more surreal death in all of history?Lean into kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-46360323588999335392021-03-25T12:43:00.001-05:002021-03-25T12:43:40.162-05:00the human on the crossLater, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. [John 19:28-29 NIV]
These words are the first that Jesus speaks to us that reminds us that he was fully human. So far he kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-862334873526436412021-03-19T11:33:00.036-05:002021-03-19T11:51:14.839-05:00finding comfort in each otherStanding near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. [John 19:25-27 NLT] It is so easy to get wrapped upkc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-86820803061053235512021-03-17T11:04:00.000-05:002021-03-17T11:04:15.631-05:00two men dyingOne of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-52212754429249169102021-03-15T13:00:00.000-05:002021-03-15T13:00:02.140-05:00humanity on trialTwo others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-64812494101148292412021-03-11T12:47:00.000-06:002021-03-11T13:56:47.669-06:00being open to hear“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. [John 5:25-27 ESV]
I find it so interested how Jesus' words have a kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-84460371335259232732020-09-08T11:28:00.002-05:002020-09-08T11:28:29.625-05:00the only one qualified to judgeThe Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. [John 5:22-24 ESV]
Most of us really dokc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-12978501992479585772020-08-29T16:26:00.000-05:002020-08-29T16:29:24.662-05:00spiritual intimacySo Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-29949118886151379942020-08-28T11:07:00.000-05:002020-08-28T11:07:33.883-05:00our spiritual fatherThis was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. [John 5:18 ESV]
Many still today stumble over Jesus' claims of being the Son of God.
The claim seems to be a bit outrageous from a purely human point of view.
Before Jesus no one ever dared call God their father.
kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-86109528928906264092020-08-23T11:34:00.000-05:002020-08-23T11:34:13.208-05:00religious vs spiritual peopleThis issue keeps arising from the Jewish leaders. They do not appreciate the good things Jesus does on the Sabbath. Most Jews cower at the rebuke from these men, but Jesus does not. He is very clear about this. He cares for the poor, the sick, and the marginalized more than He cares for how some people may interpret and apply God’s law. It is easy to follow a set of rules; it is much harder to kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-50666156423369275002020-08-21T11:54:00.000-05:002020-08-21T11:54:19.832-05:00kingdom workJesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your bed and walk.” At once the man was healed and picked up his bed and walked. ... The Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Day of Rest. It is against the Law for you to carry your bed.” ... Because Jesus did these things on the Day of Rest, the Jews made it very hard for Him. Jesus said to them, “My Father is still working all the time so Ikc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-19667499888274516632020-08-16T10:37:00.003-05:002020-08-16T10:37:41.559-05:00the loneliness of sufferingNow there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him,kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-55436513395708041462020-08-13T11:12:00.003-05:002020-08-13T11:12:50.613-05:00exercising trust in a crisis The official pled, “Sir, please come now before my child dies.” Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son is healed!” And the man believed Jesus and started home. While he was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that all was well—his son had recovered. [John 4:49-51 MSG]
The dialog between Jesus and the official seems a bit strange.
The man comes pleading to him about a sonkc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-21634075969831605772020-08-04T14:34:00.000-05:002020-08-04T14:34:15.304-05:00spiritual foodJesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” ... Then Jesus explained: My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. [John 4:32-35 NLT]
I can relate to doing things that quench my spiritual kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-5683224811558213412020-07-20T11:11:00.001-05:002020-07-20T11:11:32.465-05:00worship is spiritual not geographicalJesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband.” ... The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-7621858112042210832020-07-16T11:30:00.000-05:002020-07-16T11:30:32.847-05:00spiritual thirstJesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” ... The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” ... Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” ... Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-32256812330523078912020-07-15T11:05:00.000-05:002020-07-15T11:09:08.555-05:00spiritual influence“No one can have anything unless God gives it. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ ... He must become more important while I become less important.” He who comes from above is greater than all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly matters, but he who comes from heaven is above all. He tells what kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-61049833449119277052020-05-27T18:33:00.003-05:002020-05-27T18:36:24.518-05:00the dark sideThe Light has come into the world. And the Light is the test by which men are guilty or not. People love darkness more than the Light because the things they do are sinful. [John 3:19 NLV]
The setting for the coming of the Messiah is one of great spiritual darkness. Everyone is stumbling around in the dark - even the religious leaders struggle spiritually. This passage reminds me of this verse kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-43767138977808386202020-05-03T11:26:00.000-05:002020-05-03T11:26:34.191-05:00the gift of immortality
As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior. Those who kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-56181116160333893342020-03-09T12:06:00.000-05:002020-03-09T12:06:05.794-05:00the inner wind of the heartDo not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? [John 3:7-8 ESV]
As this kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-13322516747988734222020-02-24T10:33:00.000-06:002020-02-24T10:33:44.594-06:00spirit gives birth to spirit“And how can a man who’s getting old possibly be born?” replied Nicodemus. ... “I assure you,” said Jesus, “that unless a man is born from water and from spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Flesh gives birth to flesh and spirit gives birth to spirit: you must not be surprised that I told you that all of you must be born again.“ [John 3:5-6 Phillips]
Before 1975 I had never heard the kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-23999497045994575352020-02-22T10:26:00.001-06:002020-02-22T10:26:52.201-06:00spiritual understanding“What right have you to order them out?” the Jewish leaders demanded. “If you have this authority from God, show us a miracle to prove it.” “All right,” Jesus replied, “this is the miracle I will do for you: Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up!” [John 2:18-19 TLB}
It makes sense that the Jews questioned Jesus' authority here.
After all, he had just cleared the temple kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-61180919585977484592019-12-29T11:49:00.001-06:002019-12-29T11:49:52.162-06:00zealous for our heartsThe Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take kc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.com0