Jesus – Page 15 – 300 words a day

when you fast

Don’t you love the difference the choice between two words can make? One word makes things optional. One word makes them expected. One word makes you think about the perhaps. One word makes you think about the procedure. One word is about whether. One word is about how. One word is “if”. One word is […]

by Jon Swanson

Like God (Valentine weekend edition)

Be like God. Love your enemies. That’s what Jesus is saying in Matthew 5:43-48. He starts with enemies. When it rains, it rains on everyone. Though we wish there were little clouds that followed some people and little suns that followed others, it rains on everyone. Everyone in the parking lot I’m looking at as […]

by Jon Swanson

The main attraction

[Matthew 4:12-17] It is so easy to imagine how things might have looked around Jesus. We read that after John was arrested, Jesus goes back to Galilee. From this time on, Matthew says, Jesus will start preaching exactly the same message that John was preaching: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven in near. We see […]

by Jon Swanson

Carry on

[Matthew 4:12-17] When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. It sounds like running away. John had been by the Jordan River. He was on the end of that river closest to Jerusalem. Closest to the authorities. Closest to the people in power that he was attacking. John got […]

by Jon Swanson

These are tough times.

[post by Paul Merrill who writes and designs in Colorado.] Many are calling this the new depression. But then, the press tends to make things look darker than they are. Jesus said, “And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for […]