Read John 7:14-24. Jesus didn’t listen to his brothers. They wanted him to go with them to Jerusalem for the feast, but not just for the feast. No, they wanted him to do his miracles there in order to attract more followers. They were clueless as to who he was, though the John puts it … More What if I don’t choose God’s will?
Read Luke 17:1-10. Sometimes, Jesus seems to say things that don’t necessarily connect. I can see why his disciples, without the benefit of the Holy Spirit, struggled. I sit over this passage and, with the Holy Spirit, don’t really want to accept it! But accept I must, because it’s from my Lord. He starts by … More What if I can’t forgive?
Read Luke 16:10-12. Jesus was telling his disciples a parable. It’s an unusual one about a manager who was getting fired for being wasteful. Before others learned of his demise, he cut deals with the owner’s clients in order to gain their favor. When his boss found out, he was actually impressed with his shrewdness. … More What if I can’t be trusted?
Read Luke 12:22-34. He’d just finished telling a parable. He was trying to put an end to an argument over inheritance. The point made: Be rich towards God, not yourself. Always wanting to make sure his disciples understood (since they could be dense), he explained further. The point in simple language was to stop worrying … More What if I’m not able to stop worrying?
Read Mark 9:33-37. You could tell Jesus had boys. Here they are walking along the road, and all the disciples are doing is arguing with each other. Been there, done that, says the mother of two sons. I can even picture the scene: Jesus had been walking ahead, leading the way to Capernaum. The disciples … More What if I don’t like being last?
Read Mark 9:14-32. Three of the disciples had just seen something miraculous — Jesus transfigured before their eyes and talking with Moses and Elijah. Wow! What a sight. They talked about it all the way down the mountain. And at the end of their walk, they hit bottom. Which is what usually happens, isn’t it? … More What if I can’t believe?
Read Mark 4:21-25. Jesus’ teaching wasn’t always clear, and he knew it. After all, he said he spoke in parables for a reason. Yet, this time, he really did expect his disciples to grasp the meaning. He’d been talking about sowing seed. Thankfully, he took the time to explain it to them. They must have … More What if I heard but don’t hear?
Read Matthew 21:18-22. The weight of the world was on him. He was already mourning the lack of faith he saw in those who, just the day before, had welcomed him triumphantly into the city. He was the only one who knew what was coming, knew the cost, knew the pain. And then he couldn’t … More What if my faith is sprinkled with doubt?
Read Matthew 19:16-30. His was an honest, but misdirected question. “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” After all, many people ask that question today. They are trying to do that one good thing that will tip their scale of good works to insure a happy ending for their life to come. … More What if I want to be perfect?
Read Matthew 18:15-20. Have you ever been wronged? That’s the opposite of righted, right? Being wronged hurts. It makes you want to yell out, “that’s not fair!” It’s certainly not right, because it’s wrong. Do you know what’s worse than being wronged? Being wronged by a person who says they follow Jesus just like you … More What if someone does me wrong?