Tag: Jesus

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Bible

Would You Steal for Jesus?

In Mark 11:2-7, there is the story of Jesus sending out his disciples to “borrow” a donkey for him to ride into Jerusalem.

When this request is considered in a modern context, what he asked them to do is even more astounding.  It would be much like Jesus telling us to go boost a car or at least take a bike.

The disciples were not told to ask permission first (which seems prudent), but they were merely instructed what to say if questioned—implying that they would, in fact, be stopped and questioned.

Certainly this was a risky thing to do, as they could likely have been arrested and punished for steeling. Yet they did as Jesus instructed — and without question.

Would we be willing to do the same?

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

Categories
Bible

A Boy (and Jesus) Feed 5,000 People

In Matthew 14:14-20 there is the dramatic account of Jesus’ miracle in feeding 5,000 people. This event is also recorded in Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-14.

The people have been with Jesus all day; they are hungry and without food. Jesus asks how much food is available; the report is merely five loaves of bread and two fishes from a boy (John 6:9).

Surely out of more then 5,000 people, other people there also have some food, but they are keeping it to themselves (which seems wise and prudent). However, one boy is willing to share what he has. Because of that, his small gift is used to feed all those people.

We don’t have to give Jesus something huge or beyond our means, but we do need to give him what we have. When we do, Jesus can do great things with it.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

Categories
Bible

Responding to the Work of Jesus

In Mark 5:2-17 there is the account of Jesus healing a demon-possessed man. It is a dramatic story in which the man is healed and a herd of pigs are killed (the demons kill the pigs, not Jesus).

The people of the nearby town who are told of this miracle have two ways to respond:

1. In awe of Jesus’ power and authority, they could turn to him and follow him.

2. Out of fear of the unknown and the uncomfortable, they could reject Jesus and push him away.

They choose the later, insisting that Jesus leave them alone and not bother them any more (Mark 5:17). How sad.

I wonder, how often are we confronted with the work of God, but fearing the unknown or the uncomfortable, end up pushing him away?

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.