ONE OF TENSCRIPTURENow on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"-Luke 17:11-13By this time in Jesus's ministry, interruptions weren't new. He was no longer nameless or unrecognizable. Crowds followed ...  Read More

RICH OR POOR?SCRIPTUREJust then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"-Matthew 19:16Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem when he was interrupted. Not one to ignore a person, Jesus stopped and directed his attention to the wealthy man. When this intruder had Jesus's attention, he called Jesus "teacher." Clearly this man had already heard enough abou...  Read More

THE TAX COLLECTOR IN MESCRIPTUREAfter this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.-Luke 5:27-28Jesus's disciple whom we know as Matthew--called Levi in this passage from Luke—was a tax collector. He was hated, snubbed, and considered to be a Jewish traitor. He over-colle...  Read More

BURNING ENCOUNTERS WITH JESUSWORSHIP FOCUSRespondingSCRIPTUREMy heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming."-Psalm 27:8 (NLT)The more self-sufficient we think we are, the more we fool ourselves. We are needy people. Perhaps that's why the extravagance of God sometimes feels unrealistic or out of our reach.This week, we will review encounters people ...  Read More

PRAYING WESCRIPTURESo I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition... and confessed... we have sinned and done wrong.-Daniel 9:3a, 4a, 5aOur worldview changes when God's unfailing and scandalous love permeates our hearts. We take God's perspective. There is no them and us. We all need God's forgiveness. That's where Daniel's prayer for his people is a good model for praying...  Read More

THE SALT AND LIGHT EFFECTSCRIPTUREYou are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.-Matthew 5:13-14The TV commercial for a popular salted chip brags that you can't eat just one. Salt creates an ...  Read More

HE TOOK MY CASESCRIPTUREYou, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life.- Lamentations 3:58As an awkward teenager, my mouth usually got me into more trouble than my actions did. I tended to argue a point to the despair of everyone else in my family. My sister used to take me aside and plead, "Why can't you just stop arguing and leave it alone?" I couldn't answer then, but I think I can now.I want...  Read More

DEEP AND WIDESCRIPTUREAnd I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.-Ephesians 3:17b-18I've seen the Grand Canyon with its abyss where the river below looks more like a stream I could jump across. I sat on rocky ground with my tennis shoes staunch against a boul...  Read More

SCANDALOUS LOVESCRIPTUREFor God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.一John 3:16I feel like a pinpoint in the world whenever I find myself in an airplane flying over open land or cities. My larger-than-life world reduces me to ant status from this viewpoint. I echo David's cry, Who am I that you pay attention to me...  Read More

UNFAILING LOVESCRIPTUREMany are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.-Psalm 32:10God is not a stranger to our mishaps in love. He sees every rejection, every betrayal, every argument, every separation. He longs for us to know that he is the God of unfailing love. It's not just one of his traits; it's the trait that binds everything we know about...  Read More

A BURNING LOVEWORSHIP FOCUSCome for LoveSCRIPTUREAnd that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.- Deuteronomy 30:20aThe Bible is a love story. It is the story of God's love with backbone, determination, persistence, and uncompromising boundaries for our protection. He does nothing without us in mind-and not just us from this generation. His actions and instructi...  Read More

HONESTY WITH GODSCRIPTUREYou desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.-Psalm 51:6 (NRSVUE)My husband and I enjoy many places in our community where we can walk. I especially love the wooded trails just minutes from where we live. Regardless of the season, the trees are our allies and secret keepers as we walk and talk together. It reminds me of the garden walk...  Read More