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Again, Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" (John 21: 16). Peter is an ordinary man brought into an extraordinary situation with Jesus. What connects me more deeply to Peter is how bumpy his journey with Jesus can be. When he meets Jesus, he literally drops everything to follow him. Ultimately, on the night Jesus was betrayed, Peter denies Jesus three times. A...
Keep ReadingThe third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep." John 21:17 I am a responsible and dependable person, and I follow the rules. I'm only human, though. I mess up just as much as anyone else, ...
Keep Reading"When you were young, you were able to do as you liked and go wherever you wanted to; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and others will direct you and take you where you don't want to go." Jesus said this to let him know what kind of death he would die to glorify God. Then Jesus told him, "Follow me." (John 21:15-19 TLB) Swoosh! "Ooooooo!" the crowd ch...
Keep Reading"Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time."John 21:17b It's an all-too familiar setting for me: routinely beset by insomnia, I lie awake, easily for an hour or more. Before you suggest it, yes, I do pray - well, I start with good intentions, but invariably my mind wanders to My Worst Sins Highlights, where I peer intently into the rearview mirror. Sometimes, ...
Keep ReadingPeter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" (John 21:17) Disqualified. What a painful word to hear. You stepped out of bounds, you bent, broke or played fast and loose with the rules. Or you didn't "measure up," you didn't have the qualifications, didn't, couldn't meet expectations. Despite rationalizations, blame-shifting and self-justificati...
Keep ReadingNow Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all p...
Keep ReadingAs Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "Truly I tell you," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." (Luke 21:1-4 NIV) Would you ever g...
Keep ReadingJesus watched the crowdcalled His disciples and said,"I tell you the truth,this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others" (Mark 12:41,43). Pastors Alex and Jaime, along with the Connect Devotionals and small group discussions, have been focusing on our rising above dire circumstances, soaring that others can see and we ourselves feel. But is it possi...
Keep Reading"All these people gave their gifts out of wealth, but she out of her povertyput in all she had to live on" (Luke 21:4). My time on this earth is a precious gift to me. But I often feel like I never have enough time. There's so much I want to do if I could only find the time. Time feels like the one thing that's always in the shortest supply. If I could have more of anythi...
Keep ReadingMark 12:41-44 This week's passage in our Soar series may be a familiar one. Often called "The Widow's Mite" (mite being an archaic term for a small amount, a coin of little value), it tells how Jesus observed a poor widow placing her last two coins into the Temple offering box. Jesus tells his disciples that this woman put in "more" than those who, out of their excess, ga...
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