Scripture in Action

When a centurion approaches Jesus seeking healing for his servant who has suffered from a stroke, Jesus asks if she should come even before the Centurion can make his request, suggesting Jesus' eagerness to heal us. 

There is a longing in every human being for physical intimacy. When we don't have sufficient human contact, we can became depressed and suicidal. What do we do when we don't have someone to hug?

Teaching *as one who has authority* is different from teaching *with authority.* What do we need to do to preach as one with authority?

Do you know the story of The Three Little Pigs? To understand Jesus’ teaching today, all we have to do is think of The Three Little Pigs, who represent us today, and of the Big Bad Wolf, who represents the devil. 

A very tough Jesus doesn’t mince words as he warns us that on Judgement Day, many who have called him Lord will not enter heaven, nor will many who claim to have served him here on earth. “I will tell them plainly,” he says, “I never knew you.” What does he mean?

There were false prophets in Jesus’ time, and there are false prophets today. How does one recognize them? Not through signs and wonders, which even the devil can perform, but through the fruit, which the enemy cannot duplicate.

Jesus said: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

"Do to others what you would have them do to you." This is known as The Golden Rule. If we — regardless of faith — can practice this one rule, the world would be a much better place than it is. 

Nobody can give gifts like our Father in heaven! First he gave us the gift of salvation through his Son, Jesus. And through Jesus, we received the gift of the Holy Spirit, who comes with gifts of his own - four bags of them!

Ask, and it will be given you, says Jesus, encouraging us to ask our Heavenly Father for the things we want much as we would ask our earthly fathers. How do we ensure we receive what we ask for?

Everyone has the right to choose to believe whatever he or she wants to believe. What is the evangelist’s job then? It is merely to share our faith, and the reasons for our belief. It is up to people to accept it as the truth, or not. 

Have you ever noticed how we like to fix the faults in other people instead of in ourselves? There are three reasons why we do this. Let us discover them.

The only person who has the right to judge is Jesus, and if he chooses to be merciful, how can we, so much in need to mercy, choose to judge? Something to think about today.

Jesus asks: "Why do you worry about tomorrow? When tomorrow comes it will bring a new set of worries. Today's troubles are enough for today." I know that sounds a little pessimistic, but it isn't really. Jesus is simply telling us to live a day at a time. And it's a great philosophy.

Do you worry? I’m guessing you do. Almost everybody worries. And why not? There is plenty to worry about. But we don't need to because we  have a mighty God who also happens to be our Father. 

We are often faced with a choice between two desirable things. Our typical reaction is to say: I want both. This can be a problem if we want the things of heaven *and* the things of the world because they are usually incompatible. One such thing is money.

Jesus says our bodies will be full of light if our eyes are healthy. But our bodies will be full of darkness if our eyes are unhealthy. What does Jesus mean by healthy and unhealthy eyes? He can’t be speaking in a medical context, surely. He isn’t. 

There is something beyond death. It is life everlasting. Which means it pretty much goes on forever. While we put in so much effort to secure things here on earth that don’t last, most of us do nothing to ensure we have built up something for ourselves in heaven.

In the passage we just read, Jesus speaks about fasting, advising his listeners of what to do “when” they fast; not “if” they fast, suggesting it is something we need to do. Why?

Jesus said: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” We are forgiven in the proportion we forgive others.

When we call God "Our Father" we acknowledge two things: One, I am a child of the Father; two, every other believer is also a child of the Father. Do we truly believe this?

One day the apostles went to Jesus, asking him to teach them how to pray. They had undoubtedly been taught several ways of praying, just like we have, but they must have noticed that Jesus prayed very differently from them. What did he teach them?

We have heard this passage so often, we believe we understand what Jesus is trying to say here: not to put on public displays of our acts of holiness, but to be a little discrete. That is the primary lesson, of course, but we might obtain a few more jewels if we dig deeper.

One of the things we often say is: “I’m only human.” What do we mean when we say we *only* human? That we are pathetic, miserable, useless creatures who cannot help but sin, right? But is that what we are?

When Jesus was quoting that part about “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” he was actually quoting Scripture. Does this mean that God allowed for vendetta? Not quite so!