A Light In The Dark

We heard his message from him and announce it to you:  God is light and there is no darkness in him.

If we say we are in fellowship with him, while we walk in darkness, we lie instead of being in truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we are in fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, purifies us from all sin.

If we say, "We have no sin," we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness.

If we say that we do not sin, we make God a liar, his word is not in us.

My little children, I write to you that you may not sin.  But if anyone sins, we have an intercessor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just One.  He is the sacrificial victim for our sins and the sins of the whole world.

1 John 1:5-2:2

"Father, admonish us when we stray.  Be our guide always.  Where there is darkness, be our Light."

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What The Blind Sees

As Jesus moved on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, "Son of David, help us!"  When he was about to enter the house, the blind men caught up with him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do what you want?"  They answered, "Yes, sir!"

Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, "As you have believed, so let it be."  And their eyes were opened.  Then Jesus gave them a stern warning, "Be careful that no one knows about this."  Bu as soon as they went away, they spread the news about him through the whole area.

Matthew 9:27-31

"Dear God, please make me blind to worldly distractions and allow me to focus on Your great love."

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Purifying Fire

As the Passover of the Jews was at hand, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  In the Temple court he found merchants selling oxen, sheep and doves, and money changers seated at their tables.  Making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the Temple court, together with the oxen and sheep.  He knocked over the tables of the money changers, scattering the coins, and ordered the people selling doves, "Take all this away, and stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!"

His disciples recalled the words of Scripture:  Zeal for your House devours me like fire.

The Jews then questioned Jesus, "Where are the miraculous signs which give you the right to do this?"  And Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."  The Jews then replied, "The building of this temple has already taken forty six years, and will you raise it up in three days?"

Actually, Jesus was referring to the temple of his body.  Only when he had risen from the dead did his disciples remember these words;  then they believed both the Scripture and the words Jesus had spoken.

John 2:13-22

"Jesus, I surrender all that clutters and pushes out the blessings from my life.  Help me drive them all away to make space for Your perfect gift."

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For Your Good

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain.  He sat down and his disciples gathered around him.  Then he spoke and began to teach them:

Fortunate are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Fortunate are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.

Fortunate are the gentle, they shall possess the land.

Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.

Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.

Fortunate are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.

Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.

Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers.  Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God.  This is how this people persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

Matthew 5:1-12

"Heavenly Father, help me to always trust that You make all things in my life work together for good."

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Food Pusher

Just as Jesus was setting out on his journey again, a amn ran up, knelt before him and asked, "Good Master, what must I do to have eternal life?"

Jesus answered, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good but God alone.  You know the commandments:  Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat, honor your father and mother."  The man replied, "I have obeyed all these commandments since my childhood."

Then Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him and he said, "For you, one thing is lacking.  Go, sell what you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven.  Then come and follow me."  On hearing these words, his face fell and he went away sorrowful, fo rhe was a man of great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  The disciples were shocked at these words, but Jesus insisted, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

They were more astonished tan ever and wondered, "Who then, can be saved?"  Jesus looked steadily at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God; all things are possible with God."

"Peter spoke up and said, "We have given up everything to follow you."  Jesus answered, "Truly, there is no one who has left house, or brothers or sisters, of father or mother, or children, or lands, for my sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive his reward.  I say to you:  even in the midst of persecution, he will receive a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands in the present time, and in the world to come eternal life."

Mark 10:17-30

"Lord, help me let go of material things in my life and embrace Your kingdom more fully."

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A Delightful Meal

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  And Jesus said to them, "When you pray, say this:

Father, may our name be held hold,
may your kingdom come;
give us each day the kind of bread we need,
and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive all who do us wrong;
and do not bring us to the test."

Luke 11:1-4

"Thank You so much for allowing me to enjoy all the good things You provide.  You are my Great Supplier."

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Kukurtz

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

Then Jesus called a little child, set the child in the midst of the disciples, and said, "I assure you that, unless you change and become like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever becomes lowly like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and whoever receives such a child in my name receives me.

See that you do not despise any of these little ones, for I tell you:  their angels in heaven continually see the face of my heavenly Father.

Matthew 18:1-5,10

"Teach us, Lord, to look at the world with the eyes of a child."

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The Last Humiliation

One day the desciples were arguing about which of them was the most important.  But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he took a little child and stood him by his side.  Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name, welcomes me;  and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me.  And listen:  the one who is found to be the least among you all, is the one who is the greatest."

Then John spoke up, "Master, we saw someone who drives out demons by calling upon your name, and we tried to forbid him, because he doesn't follow you with us."  But Jesus said, "Don't forbid him.  He who is not against you is for you."

Luke 9:46-50

"Lord, grant me the grace of a pure heart."

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True Intentions

In the hands of Yahweh, the heart of the king is like running water;  he directs it wherever he wishes.

To the eyes of man all his ways are honest but it is Yahweh who weighs the heart.

To do what is upright and just pleases Yahweh more than sacrifice.

Haughty looks, proud heart, the light of the wicket is sin.

The plans of a hardworking man result in earnings;  poverty is for those who act too hastily.

To make a fortune by means of deceit is like running after the wind; the end is death.

The soul of the wicked desires nothing but evil; not even his friend is treated with compassion.

When the mocker is punished the ignorant man grows wiser; when the wise man is instructed he grows in knowledge.

The Just One watches the house of the evildoer and hurls the wicked into misfortune.

He who is deaf to the poor man's cry will not be heard when he himself calls out.

Proverbs 21:1-6,10-13

"Dear God, search my heart daily and reveal to me the intentions I try to hide from myself."

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Love Is All That Matters

"Be that as it may, set your hearts on the most precious gifts, and I will show you a much better way.

"If I could speak all the human and angelic tongues, but had no love, I would only be sounding brass or a clanging cymbals.  If I had the gift of prophecy, knowing secret things with all kinds of knowledge, and had faith great enough to remove mountains, but had no love, I would be nothing.  If I gave everything I had to the poor, and even give up my body to be burned, if I am without love, it would be of no vlue to me.

"Love is patient, kind, without envy.  It is not boastful or arrogant.  It is not ill-mannered nor does it seek its own interest.  Love overcomes anger and forgets offenses.  It does not take delight in wrong, but rejoices in truth.  Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

"Love will never end.  Prophecies may cease, tongues be silent and knowledge disappear.  For knowledge grasps something of the turth and prophecy as well.  And when what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away.  When I was a child I thought and reasoned like a childe, but when Ig rew up, I gave up childish ways.  LIkewise, at present we see dimly as in a mirror, but then it sahll be face to face.  Now we know in part, but then I will know as I am known.  Now we have faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love."

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13

"Lord, fill my heart with love.  May I do all things for love of You and of my brethren."

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The God You Worship

"Jesus set out with his disciples for the villages around Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked them, 'Who do people say I am?'  And they told him, 'Some people say you are John the Baptist; others say you are Elijah or one of the prophets.'

"Then Jesus asked them, 'But you, who do you say I am?'  Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah.'  And he ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

"Jesus then began to teach them that the Son of Man had to suffer many tthings and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the Law.  He would be killed, and after three days rise again.  Jesus said all this quite openly, so that Peter took him aside and began to rpotest strongly.  But Jesus turning around, and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, 'Get behind me, Satan!  You are thinking not as God does, but as people do.'

"Then Jesus called the people and his disciples, and said, 'If you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.  For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it; and if you lose your life for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel, you will save it."

Mark 8:27-35

"Loving Father, I receive Your unconditional, immeasurable, overflowing love today, and I am ready to love others this way.  In Jesus' name.  Amen."

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The Grace Of Motherhood

"No one has ever gone up to heaven except the one who came from heaven, the Son of Man.

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

"Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but may have eternal life.  God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world; instead, through him the world is to be saved."

John 3:13-17

"Grant me an open heart, Lord, to be used for the fulfillment of Your plans for mankind."

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A Safe Refuge

"You have become news with a case of immorality, and such a case that is not even found among pagans.  Yes, one of you has taken as wife his own stepmother.  And you feel proud!  Should you not be in mourning instead and expel the one who did such a thing.  For my part, although I am physically absent, my spirit is with you and, as if present, I have already passed sentence on the man who committed such a sin.  Let us meet together, you and my spirit, and in the name of our Lord Jesus and with his power, you shall deliver him to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit be saved in the day of Judgment.

"This is not the time to praise yourselves.  Do you not know that a little yeast makes the whole mass of dough rise?  Throw out, then the old yeast and be new dough.  If Christ became our Passover, you should be unleavened bread.  Let us celebrate, therefore, the Passover, no longer with old yeast, which is sin and perversity; let us have unleavened bread, that is purity and sincerity."

1 Corinthians 5:1-8

"Lord, You are my rock, my fortress, my refuge and my strength.  There is nothing I shall fear."

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How Deaf Is Your Love?

"Again Jesus set out:  from the country of Tyre he passed through Sidon and, skiting the sea of Galilee, he came to the territory of Decapolis.  There a deaf man, who also had difficulty in speaking, was brought to him.  They asked Jesus to lay his hand upon him.

"Jesus took him apart from the crowd, put his fingers into the man's ears, and touched his tongue with spittle.  Then, looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him, 'Ephphata!' that is, 'Be opened!'

"And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly.  Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone about it, but the more he insisted, the more they proclaimed it.  The people were completely astonished and said, 'He has done all things well; he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.'"

Mark 7:31-37

"Jesus, as You speak to me today, give me the silence to listen and the courage to respond."

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Free

"When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, as he usually did.  He stood up to read, and they handed him the book fo the prophet Isaiay.

"Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written:  'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.  He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind;  to free the oppressed and lto the announce the Lord's year of mercy.'

"Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant and sat down;  and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.  Then he said to them, 'Today these prophetic words come true, even as you listen.'

"All agreed with him, and were lost in wonder, while he spoke of the grace of God.  Nevertheless they asked, 'Who is this but Joseph's son?'  So he said, 'Doubtless you will quote me the saying:  Doctor, heal yourself!  Do here in your town what they say you did in Capernaum.'

"Jesus added, 'No prophet is honored in his own country.  Truly, I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens withheld rain for three years and six months and a great famine came over the whole land.  Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in the country of Sidon.  There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet, and no one was healed except Naaman, the Syrian.'

"On hearing these words, the whole assembly became indignant.  They rose up and brought him out of the town, to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth is built, intending to throw him down the cliff.  But he passed through their midst and went his way."

Luke 4:16-30

"Lord, by Your grace and mercy, forgive me and thoroughly cleanse me.  Free me from my sins.  Amen."

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Love Is Spelled A-L-L

"Imagine someone who, before going abroad, summoned his servants to entrust his property to them.  He gave five talents of silver to one servant, two talents to another servant, and one talent to a third, to each according to his ability;  and he went away.  He who received five talents went at once to do business with the money, and gained another five.  The one who received two talents did the same, and gained another two.  But the one who received one talent dug a hole, and hid his master's money.

"After a long time, the master of those servants returned and asked for reckoning.  The one who had received five talents came with another five talents, saying, 'Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, but see, I have gained five more.'  The master answered, Very well, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in a few things, I will entrust you with much more.  Come and share the joy of your master.'

"Then the one who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you entrusted me with two talents; with them I have gained two more.'  The master said, 'Well, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in little things, I will entrust you with much more.  Come and share the joy of your master.'

"Finally, the one who had received one talent came and said, 'Master, I know that you are a hard man.  You reap what you have not sown, and gather what you have not scattered.  I was afraid, so I hid your money in the ground.  Here, take what is yours!'  But his master replied, 'Wicked and worthless servant, you know that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered;  so you should have deposited my money in the bank, and on my return you would have given it back to me with interest.

"'Therefore, take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten.  For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance;  but from those who are unproductive, even what they have will be taken from them.  As for that useless servant, throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

Matthew 25:14-30

"Lord, teach me to be fearless when it comes to giving to You.  Because You cannot be outdone in generosity."

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Ready!

"This story throws light on what will happen in the kingdom of heaven:  Ten bridesmaids went out with their lamps to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were careless, and the others were sensible.

"The careless bridesmaids took their lamps as they were, and did not bring extra oil.  But those who were sensible, brought with their lamps flasks of oil.  As the bridegroom delayed, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep.

"But at midnight, a cry rang out, 'The bridegroom is here, come out and meet him!'  All the maidens woke up at once, and trimmed their lamps.  Then the careless ones said to the sensible ones, 'Give us some oil, for our lamps are going out.'  The sensible ones answered, 'There may not be enough for us and for you.  You had better go to those who sell, and buy some for yourselves.'

"They were out buying oil when the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him to the wedding feast, and the doors were shut.

"Later the other bridesmaids arrived and called out, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  But he answered, 'Truly I do not know you.'

"So stay awake, for you do not know that day nor the hour."

Matthew 25:1-13

"Oh, Lord, let each moment of my life be a preparation for Your coming."

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Someone Believes In You

"But you get ready for action; stand up and say to them all that I command you.  Be not scared of them or I will scare you in their presence!

"See, I will make you a fortified city, a pillar of iron with walls of bronze, against all the nations, against the kings and princes of Judah, against the priests and the people of the land.  They will fight against you but shall not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue you--it is Yahweh who speaks."

Jeremiah 1:17-19

"Lord, in You I have strength.  I need You each day as I face the battles in my life.  I know I will conquer."

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For My Own Good

"The word of Yahweh came to me in these terms, 'Why are you applying this proverb to the land of Israel:  "The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge?"

"'As I live, word of Yahweh, this proverb will no longer be quoted in Israel.  All life is in my hands, the life of the parent and the life of the child are mine.  The lives of both are in my hands, so the one who sins will die.

"Imagine a man who is righteous and practices what is just and right.  He does not eat in the mountain shrines, or look towards the filthy idols of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife, or have intercourse with a woman during her period;  he does not steal, gives food to the hungry and clothes to the naked;  demands no interest on a loan and doesn't lend for interest, refrains from injustice, practices true justice, man to man, follows my decrees and obeys my laws in acting loyally.  Because such a man is truly righteous, he will live, word of Yahweh.

"'But perhaps this man has a son who steals and sheds blood, committing crimes which his father never did.

"'demands interest on a loan, even practices usury.  Will such a man live?  No, he will not!  Because he has committed all these abominations he will die:  his guilt will fall upon him.

"'That is why I will judge you, Israel, each one according to his ways, word of Yahweh.  Come back, turn away from your offenses, that you may not deserve punishment.

"'Free yourselves from all the offenses you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit.  Why should you die, Israel?  I do not want the death of anyone, word of Yahweh, but that you be converted and live!'"

Ezekiel 18:1-10,13,30-32

"Lord, guard me from temptation.  Reveal to me the ugliness of sin that I may despise it.  Amen."

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Always At Your Service

"Mary then set out for a town in a hill country of Judah.  She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.  When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leapt in her womb.  Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit, and giving a loud cry, said, 'You are most blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me?  The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy.  Blessed are you who believed that the Lord's word would come true!'

"And Mary said,

'My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit exults in God my savior!
He has looked upon his servant in her lowliness,
and people forever will call me blessed.

The Mighty One has done great things for me,
Holy is his Name!
From age to age his mercy extends
to those who live in his presence.

He has acted with power and done wonders,
and scattered the proud with their plans.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and lifted up those who are downtrodden.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
but has sent the rich away empty.

He held out his hand to Israel, his servant,
for he remembered his mercy,
even as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his descendants forever.'

"Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home."

Luke 1:39-56

"Lord, may I be like Mary who put others' needs before her own."

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