Blog Posts containing "grace"

Fourth Sunday in Easter

One thing Jesus did was to confront those who did not believe Him. In His time it was the Pharisees. They were easy targets. He did not try to convince them as much as He used them as illustration for those who were open to the Truth. Otherwise, He would only be wasting His time because they just did not get it. When He told the story of the Prodigal Son, some have wondered why He added the character of the older brother. It was because He was talking directly to the Pharisees at that time. They teased Him, wondering why He would join the sinners and not their righteous group. He pointed out there was a party going on. You, like the older brother, are sitting outside bitter and angry and not coming in to celebrate.  Read more


Year A Easter IV Bottom Line Meditations

OLD TESTAMENT: Acts 2:42-47 Think Literally: “apostles teaching” is from the Bible as the Word of God. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching.” Feel the Spiritual Grace: “apostles teaching” is from the grace and Truth of Jesus who is the Word of God. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching.” Did you feel the Grace?  Read more


Third Sunday in Easter

Let us begin to wonder together. It is good for a dialogue. What was on their mind while they walked along the road to Emmaus? It had to be grief for the loss of their beloved leader. But, it also had to be more than that. There was anger at how their chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be condemned to death and crucified Him. There was depression and loss of hope because they had hoped He was the one to redeem Israel. Their grief was long lasting, it was now the third day since these things took place.  Read more


Year A Easter III Bottom Line Meditations

OLD TESTAMENT: Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Literal Religion: “the Lord calls to Him.” He only calls certain ones. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “For the promise is for you, your children, and for everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’” Spiritual grace: “the Lord calls to Him.” He calls all but not all respond to His call. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “For the promise is for you, your children, and for everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’” Did you feel the Grace?  Read more


Second Sunday in Easter

Life is what happened between our old and our new plans. It is an opportunity for a “Time Out”. How many of us need a time out. We perhaps could use a time out in our personal life. It seems to be headed down not up. There are time outs needed in our relationship at times. When was the last time we took a time out with our spouse, or with our children or with our parents? Our problem is we do not have time to take a time out. It is frivolous to think we can do it. Too many things to do, places to go, people to meet. And, yes, we are about to take on some more busy work. We believe the wise old warning that “the Devil is in the details.” We just do not have time to check out the details.  Read more


Year A Easter II Bottom Line Meditations

OLD TESTAMENT: Acts 2:14a, 22-32 Literal Religion: Believes they are full of gladness because His Presence is in us. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “you will make me full of gladness with your presence.” Spiritual grace: Believes they are full of gladness because they are in the Presence of God. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “you will make me full of gladness with your presence.” Did you feel the Grace?  Read more


Easter Sunday

Easter is all we expect it to be. There is the large choir, the outstanding music, the color of the robes, the flowers, even some hats. Yes, and even the sermon. Most of us are used to it. Whether we believe or not, we still have come to expect the expected. Then there is the unexpected. Suddenly, there is no body, just a cloth folded and lying on the ground. But where is the body? It is too much to wrap your head around.  Read more


Year A Easter Bottom Line Meditations

OLD TESTAMENT: Acts 10:34-43 Literal Religion: “God shows no partiality,” conditionally. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality.’” Spiritual grace: “God shows no partiality,” unconditionally. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality.’” Did you feel the Grace? Legalism is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted from grace!  Read more


Year A Sixth Sunday in Lent Bottom Line Meditations

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 50:4-9a Literal Religion: God helps us not to be disgraced by others. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced.” Spiritual grace: Not being disgraced is feeling God’s grace no matter what others have done to us. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced.” Did you feel the Grace? Legalism may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort!  Read more


Fifth Sunday in Lent

John 9:1-41 “Open wide the eyes of my soul.” John got grace. Now, all of us got grace in the eyes of the Lord. Our issue is to let grace get us. John got grace spiritually. He also “got” grace rationally; that is, he understood the difference being in or out of grace makes in our life by moving from the rational physical to the conscious spiritual. This chapter is one of the best of his exercises. It is tricky in that for the first thirty nine verses we are talking about physical blindness, then in the last three verses he jumps into writing about spiritual blindness. The purpose is to find out if the reader can make the shift. It is good practice to see if you can get the Grace.  Read more


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