DID YOU KNOW “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” —John 1:11, ESV We may never openly declare that we want to take God’s place. Yet the desire can appear in ordinary decisions: insisting that His answer must match our expectations, postponing obedience until we approve of His instructions,Continue reading “When We Try to Take God’s Place”
Tag Archives: Christian stewardship
When We Try to Take God’s Place
DID YOU KNOW “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” —John 1:11, ESV We may never openly declare that we want to take God’s place. Yet the desire can appear in ordinary decisions: insisting that His answer must match our expectations, postponing obedience until we approve of His instructions,Continue reading “When We Try to Take God’s Place”
What Your Bank Balance Cannot Tell You
DID YOU KNOW “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” —Luke 6:20, NIV Did you know that Jesus’ blessing of the poor speaks to real hardship as well as our need for God? When Jesus begins this portion of the Sermon on the Plain, Luke tells us that HeContinue reading “What Your Bank Balance Cannot Tell You”
When Full Hands Hide an Empty Heart
The Bible in a Year “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” —Ezekiel 16:49 When most of us hear the name Sodom, our minds immediately go to Genesis 19Continue reading “When Full Hands Hide an Empty Heart”
The Mina Reveals the Heart
Heaven, Faithfulness, and the Returning King The parables of the talents in Matthew 25:14–30 and the minas in Luke 19:11–27 are often treated as lessons about productivity. They certainly teach stewardship, but Jesus takes us much deeper. These stories reveal what people truly believe about the King who has entrusted His resources to them. TheContinue reading “The Mina Reveals the Heart”
The King Will Remember Your Faithfulness
Heaven Jesus told the parable of the minas because His followers expected the kingdom of God to appear immediately. In Luke 19:11–27, the nobleman’s departure and return picture the time between Christ’s ascension and His second coming. Before leaving, the nobleman tells his servants, “Do business till I come” (Luke 19:13). That sentence places ourContinue reading “The King Will Remember Your Faithfulness”
Faithful Until the King Returns
Heaven Jesus often taught by placing something familiar beside a spiritual reality. The Greek word for parable, parabolē, carries the idea of setting one thing alongside another so that the known helps us understand the unknown. In Luke 19:11–27, Jesus used the familiar world of servants, money, responsibility, and royal authority to explain how HisContinue reading “Faithful Until the King Returns”
Training Now for the Kingdom to Come
Heaven Most of us learned early that responsibility is something we earn. A child who faithfully cares for a small task may eventually be trusted with a larger one. An employee who handles one assignment well is often given greater responsibility. Scripture suggests that something similar is happening in our Christian lives right now. TheContinue reading “Training Now for the Kingdom to Come”
WHEN EARTHLY TREASURE OUTLIVES ITS OWNER
As the Day Ends “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:20 As this day comes to a close, Jesus invites us to measure life by more than what we have accumulated. The rich manContinue reading “WHEN EARTHLY TREASURE OUTLIVES ITS OWNER”
Open Hands, Restful Hearts
As the Day Ends “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” — 1 Timothy 6:6-7 As evening settles around us, Paul’s words remind us of a truth we often forget during busy days. Much of our anxiety comes fromContinue reading “Open Hands, Restful Hearts”