Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, […]
A Chance to Boast
So now here we are in a state that we can’t boast or celebrate any of our good deeds, because it’s not the outward deed that matters, but what you are on the inside. On Saturday, a guy was raking leaves at my neighbor’s house. I sat in my car, about to drive away, and […]
Romans 2: God Doesn't Need Your Upgrades
You’ve got to read this entire chapter to really crack open Romans 2:6-11. In vs. 6-11 it sounds like one’s works decide salvation, but down in Romans 2:25-29 the difference between good and bad is really defined. Romans 2.25-29 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the […]
Jesus Shows His Love for All of Us Doubters
This morning the thing that is striking me the most about John 20:26 is that Thomas was STILL with them 8 days later. That is a big deal. He would obviously be outcast, not sharing the faith of the others that saw and believed (I’ll still call that faith) or the belief of the others […]
Romans 1 and the Created Laws
Back in v. 5 Paul talks about the “obedience of faith” which hints at obedience not coming from the Law. When Paul quotes Habakkuk, it’s kind of out of context for what Habakkuk is talking about, but it still holds true. Judgment was coming on Israel because of their lack of faith in God. They […]
Punishment Without Shame
I was reading John 19 about Jesus and Pilate and followed a reference from a friend to Deut 25. Deut. 25:3 but he must not give him more than forty lashes. If he is flogged more than that, your brother will be degraded in your eyes. Punishment under Levitical law was not intended to degrade […]
Jesus Finishes His Time with Pilate
John 19:6 I think Pilate thought the Jews would see what he had done to Jesus and be appeased, but instead they just saw that they had gained momentum toward getting Jesus executed. [11]?Jesus answered him, ?You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he […]
Restraint During Injustice
There are so many things that Jesus hears through this that were SO WRONG but He didn’t protest. One way of protest would have been to stick up for Himself, to get Himself freed. What questions He DOES ask are more toward walking the fools around Him toward the truth. He is not concerned with […]
Jesus' Kingdom
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.â€Â (John 18:36 ESV) Jesus refers to His servants here (strong’s) 5257.  huperetes, hoop-ay-RET-ace; from 5259 and […]
No Disappointment from the Father
Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.†(John 18:21 ESV) Jesus is saying this at almost the exact same moment that someone is actually asking those who heard Him out in the courtyard. Peter is saying “I don’t know the man.†[…]