Take Steps

 The lifestyle of John the Baptist would catch the eye of someone from any culture. Baptism was not a command in the Old Testament. So, to see a man submerging people into a river to raise them back up would draw the curiosity of many to go and see why this action was taking place.  On top of that, as people would come closer, they would see John, who would not represent the image of royalty with ...

Matthew 7:24-27The parable of the wise and foolish builders, which bring the sermon on the mount to a conclusion, may appear to be just comparing a believer in Jesus to a non-believer. Both would have similar needs to be met like a location for shelter but both shelters use different materials for the foundation of their shelters. Possibly leading  Jesus’s hearers to discern the two types of lifes...

People strive for peace in different ways. Some work to achieve a desirable comfort level of status or wealth through their own merit, deeming them to be deserving of it. Others may keep themselves isolated to keep the drama and impact of others away from their ideal way of life. The Bible makes a distinct claim that the effort of man will never bring sustaining peace; rather, we should cast off t...

Who we hold in our hearts can express the impact of the gospel on our lives.  The gospel starts with our knowledge and response to Jesus being the Christ, the Son of God, and the sacrificial payment for our sins. God’s effort toward humanity is expressed in John 3:16, with God freely giving His only Son, and whoever believes in Him shall receive eternal life. Paul wrote to the Romans that if we co...

What you value can be discovered by acknowledging where your time and effort are given. But sometimes our value is placed on a result of something rather than a trusted process. The outcome of misplaced value can lead to a lack of effort being given to work toward a result, and strength never being gained. Solomon wrote that “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his f...