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"But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."" (Luke 7:7-8). Life just got in the way. I've used that phrase a lot. I was excited to get together with friends this week, but life just g...
Keep ReadingLuke 7:1-10 About a month ago, I was driving home one night after babysitting; it was only around 7:30 pm, but it was pitch black outside. I crossed over a small bridge and noticed two people sitting there, one of them obviously in some sort of distress, and the other with their arm wrapped around the hurting one. I could not stop, but the situation was tugging at my hear...
Keep ReadingTaken aback, Jesus addressed the accompanying crowd:"I've yet to come acrossthis kind of simple trust anywhere in Israel " (Luke 7:9, MSG) I was drum major of my high school marching band, and for my teenage self that role was simultaneously exhilarating and anxiety producing. All eyes were on me. My own anxiety and what I picked up from others on the sideline before tak...
Keep Reading"But say the word, and my servant will be healed."Luke 7:7b So let's talk about authority (the right and ability to control someone or something). If you're under authority, how do you feel about that? If you wield authority, how effective are you? You see, parents have the authority to put their babies in the crib to sleep, but they certainly can't make them sleep (witho...
Keep ReadingLord, say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority,with soldiers under me. I tell this one, "Go," and he goes; and that one, "Come," and he comes.I say to my servant, "Do this," and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him,and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faitheven...
Keep ReadingJesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges,...
Keep ReadingJesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach. Mark 3:13-14 I used to live by keeping all the different parts of my life in their separate worlds. I had my work, family, and faith worlds, as well as numerous others. I invented my own univers...
Keep ReadingJesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. (Mark 3:13-15) Have you wished you had the power or authority to affect the spiritual environment in the places ...
Keep ReadingJesus appointed twelve - designating them apostles - that they might be with Himand that He might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.Mark 3:14 Jesus couldn't be everywhere physically during his three years of public ministry. If His message is to spread further abroad, He needs help, so after a night of prayer (Luke 6:12), He chooses twelve ...
Keep ReadingJesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.Mark 3:13 [Editor's Note: Happy New Year! Your devotional writing team is back, refreshed and ready for a new sermon series: Spiritual Power in Everyday Places, highlighting the spiritual authority of the believer. First, though, we're focusing on Jesus calling His twelve apostles (Mar...
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