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Matthew 14:1-12

01 Aug

14 When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus, 2 he said to his advisers, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles.”

3 For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip). 4 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.

6 But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, 7 so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted. 8 At her mother’s urging, the girl said, “I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!” 9 Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders. 10 So John was beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 Later, John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.

Matthe 14:1-12

Dear God, I like how you can see Matthew correcting his narrative a little. He started to tell us about Herod’s interest in Jesus, but the he had to double back and tell us about John the Baptist’s death.

Herod’s interest in Jesus was seemingly two-fold. And we’ll see it later at the Passion when he and Pilate bond over what happened to Jesus. My feeling is that they bonded over being forced into a position that even they, a couple a pretty immoral people, found reprehensible and to be avoided: the murder of a good man (although, again, they had murdered plenty of good people in their day). I think Herod was also interested because of his making a connection between Jesus and John the Baptist and wondering if Jesus was channeling John from beyond the grave. Little did he know that it was John who was channeling Elijah. I wonder why this is the only mention of this Herod that Matthew gives us. I’d have thought he was setting us up for something more in the future. Maybe he was intentionally telling us about what happened to John the Baptist.

I’ve written about Herod before and his failure when it came to John the Baptist and how his immorally-gained wife manipulated him by using their daughter. Parents continue to use children to manipulate their spouses or the child’s other parent to this day. Nothing is new under the Sun.

Father, I don’t know what I really have here this morning except it’s always good to be reminded of these stories. It’s good for me to remember to only love and raise my children and not use them. It’s good to be reminded to assuage my guilt through true repentance, and not through acting out or even carrying around the guilt and shame. It’s good to sit here and know who you are and that I love you and you love me. I give you glory for everything.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 1, 2026 in Matthew

 

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Jeremiah 26

31 Jul

26 This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah. 2 “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard in front of the Temple of the Lord, and make an announcement to the people who have come there to worship from all over Judah. Give them my entire message; include every word. 3 Perhaps they will listen and turn from their evil ways. Then I will change my mind about the disaster I am ready to pour out on them because of their sins.

4 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you will not listen to me and obey my word I have given you, 5 and if you will not listen to my servants, the prophets—for I sent them again and again to warn you, but you would not listen to them— 6 then I will destroy this Temple as I destroyed Shiloh, the place where the Tabernacle was located. And I will make Jerusalem an object of cursing in every nation on earth.’”

7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people listened to Jeremiah as he spoke in front of the Lord’s Temple. 8 But when Jeremiah had finished his message, saying everything the Lord had told him to say, the priests and prophets and all the people at the Temple mobbed him. “Kill him!” they shouted. 9 “What right do you have to prophesy in the Lord’s name that this Temple will be destroyed like Shiloh? What do you mean, saying that Jerusalem will be destroyed and left with no inhabitants?” And all the people threatened him as he stood in front of the Temple.

10 When the officials of Judah heard what was happening, they rushed over from the palace and sat down at the New Gate of the Temple to hold court. 11 The priests and prophets presented their accusations to the officials and the people. “This man should die!” they said. “You have heard with your own ears what a traitor he is, for he has prophesied against this city.”

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to the officials and the people in his own defense. “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this Temple and this city,” he said. “The Lord gave me every word that I have spoken. 13 But if you stop your sinning and begin to obey the Lord your God, he will change his mind about this disaster that he has announced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands—do with me as you think best. 15 But if you kill me, rest assured that you will be killing an innocent man! The responsibility for such a deed will lie on you, on this city, and on every person living in it. For it is absolutely true that the Lord sent me to speak every word you have heard.”

16 Then the officials and the people said to the priests and prophets, “This man does not deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 Then some of the wise old men stood and spoke to all the people assembled there. 18 They said, “Remember when Micah of Moresheth prophesied during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. He told the people of Judah,

‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field;
    Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins!
A thicket will grow on the heights
    where the Temple now stands.’

19 But did King Hezekiah and the people kill him for saying this? No, they turned from their sins and worshiped the Lord. They begged him for mercy. Then the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had pronounced against them. So we are about to do ourselves great harm.”

20 At this time Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim was also prophesying for the Lord. And he predicted the same terrible disaster against the city and nation as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim and the army officers and officials heard what he was saying, the king sent someone to kill him. But Uriah heard about the plan and escaped in fear to Egypt. 22 Then King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan son of Acbor to Egypt along with several other men to capture Uriah. 23 They took him prisoner and brought him back to King Jehoiakim. The king then killed Uriah with a sword and had him buried in an unmarked grave.

24 Nevertheless, Ahikam son of Shaphan stood up for Jeremiah and persuaded the court not to turn him over to the mob to be killed.

Jeremiah 26

Dear God, this is a fascinating part of the story. I am pretty sure that, on the timeline, it happens after Jonah’s preaching to the Ninevites/Assyrians. Yeah, that’s what I thought. I just looked it up. On a timeline of Old Testament prophets, Jeremiah is one of the last ones. It looks like Jonah was even before Micah, who the elders mention in verse 18. But I can’t help but notice that it was easier for the Ninevites, and even their king, to repent than it was for these prideful people in Jeremiah’s time.

I suppose the first stage of grief is denial. And when we here something that makes us sad and we want to initially deny it, then the next thing we need to do is get rid of the messenger. He’s a “liar” after all, and he should be put to death for speaking false prophecy in your name. Ah, but was Jeremiah a false prophet? Was he a liar? We know now that he wasn’t, but they didn’t know what to make of him then. They just knew they were hearing news they didn’t want to hear. they were comfortable with their habits. They didn’t want to repent.

How would I handle a prophetic word of rebuke? Would my first inclination be to lable the person as a fake who didn’t know me or what she or he was talking about? Would I turn my back to them and not hear them? Or would I take a moment to consider what they are saying to me? Would I entertain it long enough to discern the truth of it through prayer and possibly repentance? Am I humble enough to hear your rebuke and accept it at any given time?

Father, I think the modern day message of this story is to accept your judgment and welcome it as for my good. The better I can be here, the more useful my small little life will be for you. I guess my ultimate goal is to simply try to love you and love others and then let your use of my life fall however you want it to fall. I heard something yesterday where this podcast was discussing this book called Girls: Generation Z and the Commodification of Everything. Apparently the thesis of the book is that young people, especially young women, are being taught that their only worth is in building their brand and then selling themselves to the world–whether as an influencer or whatever. Somehow, we are all learning that we have to have this life that is “important.” Well, like I’ve said many times, the widow who put her two coins in the offering that Jesus saw never knew her life would be talked about for thousands of years. She just knew she woke up poor that morning, she worshipped you through her officer, and then she went to bed that night as poor as she was when she woke up. And she probably died that poor too. So help me to live the life of that simple woman and be content in the fact that maybe all I have is the love of my God and the fact that he’s been doubly good to me by bringing me an amazing woman for my wife.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 31, 2026 in Jeremiah

 

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Philippians 3:12-14

28 Jul

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 3:12-14

Dear God, so this is ironic. Yesterday’s verse of the day was Hebrews 12:1,

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

That was the theme for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in 1986, the first year I went to the national conference in Estes Park. Today’s verse, Philippians 3:14, was the verse the next year in 1987. The real irony is that I am traveling today to see my best friend from high school who got involved in FCA with me our senior year. We both had shirts that had these verses on them.

What does this mean? Holy Spirit, are you trying to prepare me for something on this trip and visit with him? I don’t know, but the coincidences are remarkable.

But let me go back to this passage. I was having dinner with a couple of friends last night and we were talking about where to draw the line when deciding whether or not to confront someone else about sin in their lives. When it comes down to it, the Holy Spirit and I are working out my sin. Someone else is working out their sin with the Holy Spirit as long as they are working towards discipleship. I’m more interested in helping someone learn how to walk the narrow path of discipleship and then confront or work out their sin as you present it to them than I am just going around and telling people they are wrong.

I was thinking about the “press on” part of this verse this morning as I worked out. I did a virtual bicycle climb that took almost two and a half hours. There were times I thought about quitting. Then I thought of this verse and the metaphor for “pressing on.” I am on vacation this week, taking a break from my normal responsibilities. But when I get back next week, I need to press on.

Father, help me to forget what is behind and look forward to what lies ahead (verse 13). Help me to press on to finish the race you have called me to. It’s not necessarily an amazing race with amazing glory. It might just be a common life among the 7-ish billion people on earth. But if it could just be useful to you and your plan in some little unseen way that I might not even realize then I can live with that. “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee.”

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 28, 2026 in Philippians

 

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Hebrews 11

27 Jul

11 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

20 It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.

21 It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.

22 It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.

23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.

29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.

30 It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.

31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32 How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their loved ones back again from death.

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

Hebrews 11

Dear God, I don’t know that I’ve ever really spent a lot of time with this chapter, but it feels really important. “It was by faith…”

  • Abel’s offering
  • Enoch’s assumption
  • Noah’s ark
  • Abraham’s obedience
  • Sara’s conception
  • Abraham’s sacrifice
  • Isaac’s blessing
  • Jacob’s worship
  • Jochebed’s disobedience
  • Moses’s choice
  • Moses’s exodus
  • Moses’s Passover
  • Israel’s journey
  • Israel’s march
  • Rahab’s welcome
  • Gideon
  • Barak
  • Samson
  • Jephthah
  • David
  • Samuel
  • The prophets

Some received earthly rewards, but some suffered and died for their faith. Their faith was “better life after the resurrection.” Therefore, since I am surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let me strip off every weight that slows me down, especially the sin that so easily trips me up. And let me run with encdurance the race you have set before me. I will do this by keeping my eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects my faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside your throne. When I grow weary and want to give up, I will think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people. After all, I have not get given my life in my struggle against sin.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 27, 2026 in Hebrews

 

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Matthew 13:18-23

24 Jul

18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Matthew 13:18-23

Dear God, it’s funny that this is the gospel reading today because I accidentally read it last night at the graduation ceremony. It was one of the more surreal moments I’ve ever had public speaking. I’m assuming it was of the Holy Spirit. I intended to read the parable of the wheat and the weeds, which happens to be right after these verses, but when I was copying and pasting the scripture into my outline from which I read I accidentally copied the parable of the sower instead. So I started reading the passage from my notes and, in real time, I realized I was reading the wrong passage. I could go with it and ask the Holy Spirit to just speak through me with this passage instead, or I could stop everything, tell them I was reading the wrong passage, and then gotten the right passage on my phone. I decided to go with the wrong passage and trust that those were the words the people in the crowd needed to hear. I think it went okay.

Father, I want to pray for the men and their families. This is day one their post-Christian Men’s Life Skills class experience. And they have decisions to make today. Their loved ones have decisions to make today. I pray that they will lean into their “floor,” do the work that is healthy for them to do, and find a way to draw closer to you today. I pray for forgiveness between them and their families. I guess I pray for repentance too. I pray for humility. I pray for a servant’s heart. I pray that they will find the narrow path and have the courage to walk it. I pray the same for myself. Help me to find the narrow path today. Help Megan to find it too. And help me to get exactly what you need me to have from this unconventional vacation I’m taking this next week.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 24, 2026 in Matthew

 

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Graduation Night

23 Jul

Dear God, we are going to try this again tonight. Last week, the flooding in South Texas prevented us from having the graduation for the men in this Christian Men’s Life Skills Class, so we are doing it one week later. I hope all of the men and their families can come.

And I have the opportunity to speak to them. I’ve prayed through what to say before, and I have a lot of ideas. Here they are in raw form:

  • I need to start with a story. I need an entry point for them. I’ll come back to this.
  • I want to integrate the organization’s foundational verse, Proverbs 27:17 – As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. I think this is important. You saw early on, before the fall, that it was not good for humans to be alone. We need someone. Adam needed Eve, and Eve needed Adam. And they both needed you. We need positive peer pressure. We need influence. That makes me think about the Fellowship of Christian Athletes picture called “Influence.” I have a copy of it hanging on my office wall.
  • I want to talk about the influence our friends have on us. How I’ve heard it said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.
  • One of the teachers who has been through the program suggested I really stress the importance of participating in the weekly alumni program and encouraging the families to positively reinforce the good changes they see in their husbands/boyfriends/fathers/sons.
  • And I want to lean into the parable of the wheat at the tares from Matthew 13. I spoke about this the other night at the alumni meeting. Jesus made a point that it would not be good to rip up the weeds because some of the good wheat would get ripped up too. No, wait until the harvest, take it all up together, and then sort it out. All of us, including me, were spared a good weed-pulling. You spared us and gave us a chance to change. We’ve been through pain. It’s time for us to make the pain count.

Father, given what I just typed above, I think a rough outline will be:

  • Opening story. I have some thoughts, but I still need a good one.
  • I think I want to do the parable of the wheat and the tares next.
  • Then I want to do “we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.”
  • Then the iron sharpens iron verse.
  • Then encouragement to not let this pain be wasted. Make it count.
    • Make it count for all of us to grow.
    • Get involved in alumni.
    • Encourage your loved one who completed the course.
    • Maybe learn from the material he learned from.
  • Finally, this was Christian Men’s Life Skills. All of the teachers and leaders did this because, ultimately, we want the men and their families to know the Jesus/God we know.
    • Love your enemies.
    • Serve the poor.
    • Die to yourself.
    • Find the narrow path.
  • With that said, tonight is everyone’s chance to commit themselves to Jesus and then spend the rest of your earthly life in relationship with you and becoming more and more like you.
  • Close with prayer.

Father, please help me tonight. Help me decrease as you increase. Prepare the hearts, minds, and souls of everyone in the room. Help the two men who have been arrested for previous crimes in the past two weeks.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 23, 2026 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 

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Matthew 16:13-20

22 Jul

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Matthew 16:13-20

Dear God, I just had this thought while reading this passage this morning. According to our modern-day mission philosophy, we should be working every moment of every day to “save” every person on this planet that we can, yet Jesus seemingly spent his first 30 years on earth not really reaching out to anyone, and then he spent most of his public ministry obscuring the fact that he was the Messiah. Now, I understand that he couldn’t be completely inflammatory about himself being the Messiah or it would get the Pharisees to kill him sooner than he planned, but it’s still interesting that there was something of a cloak of secrecy about this.

I got to be with a group of eight men last night who have graduated (or are about to graduate) from the Christian Men’s Life Skills class. It was a lot of fun. Eleven weeks ago, we started with 24 men. Two have been re-arrested (I don’t know if they are out), two more left after the eight-week minimum, and a couple couldn’t come last night, but let’s say we are moving forward with 10 who intend to do this, and six end up walking this path together long-term. The men last night were talking about their changed lives. They were talking about their wives seeing the changes in them. They talked about the changes they see in each other and even a couple of guys who weren’t there. It was cool. But it reminds me that the path is narrow and difficult to walk and few will find it (Matthew 7:13-14).

Father, help me to continue to find the narrow path today. Help me to walk with these men on this path. And I’ll admit I’ve been feeling very selfish lately. Yes, I need a vacation, which I’ll get next week, but it feels beyond that. It feels like I’ve picked my ways to serve, but I’ve picked some pretty comfortable ways. I’ve thought of needs that I’ve ignored. They sounded too hard to help. So, Holy Spirit, move me and convict me when I need to be convicted. Show me what you would have me to do today.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 22, 2026 in Matthew

 

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1 John 1:5-10

20 Jul

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

1 John 1:5-10

Dear God, I can’t read verse 7 without thinking about dc Talk and their cover of Charlie Peacock’s “In the Light.”

I worked for a Christian music publisher for seven years. As I look back on it now 30 years later and I see the struggles many of the young artists we promoted (who were my age back then) have had since then with their personal lives and faith in you, I cannot help but see the irony of this song. We are so encouraged to not let our real selves be known. Our sins be known. Our struggles be known. Living “in the light” is difficult.

So how do we live in the “light?” It’s right there in verse 9: 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. But we have to confess them. We have to confess them to you. But we also need someone else to confess them to. Catholics would say we need reconciliation through a priest. I wouldn’t go that far, but we need someone. Going back to dc Talk, a couple of the guys have had well-documented struggles. Did they have someone to confess their sins to? We need others. We need accountability and community.

Father, I have a couple of men in my life with whom I can be vulnerable. Thank you for that. Help me to be truly vulnerable with them. I want to live in your light. I will not be like verse 8: 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. I don’t want to be like verse 10: 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. I want to live out verse 9. Help me to do that with others, and make me the kind of person with whom others can do that as well. Help me to be that safe person who can inspire and help someone grow.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 20, 2026 in 1 John

 

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Matthew 13:24-43

19 Jul

Parable of the Mustard Seed

24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.

“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

Parable of the Mustard Seed

31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

Parable of the Yeast

33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. 35 This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:

“I will speak to you in parables.
    I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.”

Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained

36 Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

Matthew 13:24-43

Dear God, I’m so grateful Jesus gave us this parable of the wheat and the weeds. It low-key explains so much about how you call the church to work. It would have been so easy for this parable to not be there and then for Christians to justify going around and “getting rid of” (whatever that might mean, up to and including death) people who weren’t righteous enough for our standard. For example, the Spanish Inquisition, which ran almost 400 years. But Jesus was clear about this. Tearing out the weeds now while we are on this side of life could destroy us as well. In fact, who’s to say I wouldn’t be on the other side of someon else’s cut line? Who’s to say that I am not holy enough and don’t live up to the standard someone decides to set? What if my life it too weedy?

That’s the part that people (including me) miss when they try to set a standard for others to live up to? What if I am on the wrong side of the cut line I have laid out? I remember years ago when a donor didn’t think they were getting enough preferential treatment from our organization because they gave a certain amount of money each year. They gave about $3,000. I never told them this, but I wondered at the time, “What if your $3,000 isn’t considered to be a large gift here? What if I set the standard for preferential treatment at $5,000?” At the same time, there was a couple who would send $7 as a memorial donation every time a friend would die. It was the sweetest thing. I imagined the wife sitting down and writing her $7 check to mail in. I imagined them balancing the checkbook and seeing they had made two $7 donations that month for $14. How big of a percentage was that? Was that a moderen-day example of the widow’s mite? (Mark 12:41-44)

Father, I still have a lot to learn. I have parts of my life that are weedy. In the grand scheme of your world church and body, I could be so much better and holy. I almost skipped church this morning because I don’t want to go. Then I was lying in bed and I wondered if I wasn’t just incredibly ungrateful for a couple of the amazing things you’ve done for me lately. And that you’ve done for our community? Why am I not wanting to get there and really worship you? Because I’m selfish. Because I’m ungrateful. That’s why. I’m sorry, Father. I’m about to leave now to join my wife and a few hundred other people to worship you. I give you my heart, Father.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 19, 2026 in Matthew

 

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Matthew 12:1-21

18 Jul

12 At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. 2 But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.”

3 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. 5 And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? 6 I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! 7 But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ 8 For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

9 Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, 10 where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)

11 And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. 12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”

13 Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! 14 Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.

15 But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, 16 but he warned them not to reveal who he was. 17 This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:

18 “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.
    He is my Beloved, who pleases me.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
    and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not fight or shout
    or raise his voice in public.
20 He will not crush the weakest reed
    or put out a flickering candle.
    Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
21 And his name will be the hope
    of all the world.”

Matthew 12:1-21

Dear God, I’m trying to understand having so much rage toward Jesus that I not only want to kill him but that it causes me to willfully ignore that fact that he just performed an amazing miracle. I want to believe that if I had been there I would have interjected to the Pharisees, “Did you not just see that he healed this man’s hand?!?”

I’ll be frank. Right now, I see national Christian leaders doing things that seem so foolish. I see what Al Mohler has been saying and proposing to Baptists (and the world) about women not just being pastors in the church but having the right to teach a group of people at all and I shake my head. Has he not seen how you have used women throughout history (including biblical history) to teach and lead? I see how church leaders bend over backwards and contort themselves into different positions to justify bad behavior by the politician they favor simply because of the letter (D or R) that is in front of their name (this one is on both sides of the aisle). It feels like Christians have lost the faith that the Sermon on the Mount still counts for today’s age and instead of loving our neighbors as ourselves and working to persuade them to worship the Jesus we know, they are grabbing for power to ensure that the ideals (not Jesus) get forced on everyone. I had lunch with a pastor a couple of years ago, and I complained about gerrymandering, and he countered with, “What that’s what [the other side] does too.” I told him that doesn’t make it the right thing to do.

I heard a man say a few years ago that Jesus used four tools to impact the world around him and four tools only. And that is all he left us: Prayer, Service, Persuasion, and Suffering (PSPS). That’s it. But I see the church now, much like the Pharisees 2,000 years ago, feeling threatened and instead of leaning into Jesus and praying, serving, persuading, and willingly suffering, it is trying to cling to power so that we can impose our will on our neighbors from the top down. Not much love in that.

This passage is from Matthew 12. In Matthew 11:20-24, Jesus said:

20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. 21 “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 22 I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.

23 “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. 24 I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.”

He spoke truth to them because they hadn’t repented of their sins, but he also let them be. He knew he couldn’t make them repent and follow him. When I fail to get people to really follow after you in discipleship, I’m reminded of the part of the sermon on the mount in Matthew 7:13-14 when Jesus says, 13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Somehow we’ve forgotten this and we think we can force the entire country onto the narrow path when I don’t think they realize they are drifting from the narrow path itself and everything Jesus spends the previous three chapters teaching by trying to do this.

Father, I have a funeral to go to this morning. It’s going to be sad. It’s for a young woman who died much to young and needlessly. I am sorry for her. I am sorry for her family. I haven’t seen her in almost three years. I didn’t know her the last three years, but I know the road was hard for her. I also know that she was never quite the same after her mother’s death maybe six or seven years ago. I pray for mercy over her soul. If Jesus can pray for you to forgive the people crucifying him even when they didn’t ask for the forgiveness, I ask that you will forgive her. She was in pain. I don’t know if that caused her to walk the path she chose or if she willfully rebelled against you. I suspect is was the pain that drove her in a direction. Please have mercy on her. Have mercy on her soul. And help her family to find you, find the narrow path, and make this pain count.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 18, 2026 in Matthew

 

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