August 31, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on Prayer by Form: Reflections on Bunyan
I dislike where Bunyan’s exposition of Scripture leads me! I remember my first encounter with written prayer—having grown up such that even the idea of “praying Scripture” seemed shady and questionable—and here, there was a church that called “prayer” this … Continue reading
August 31, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on Praying with the Spirit – Application
by John Bunyan, modernized; scripture quotations from HCSB 1. What it is to pray. 2. What it is to pray with the Spirit. 3. What it is to pray with the Spirit and with the understanding. 4. Use and application … Continue reading
August 29, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on The Tree and the Storeroom
Luke 6 concludes with Jesus reinforcing this idea of those whose blessings depend on heaven, and those whose blessings are built on earth. He begins by talking about trees. “Each tree is known by its own fruit,” Jesus says; good … Continue reading
August 28, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on The Business of Judging
One of the most commonly quoted passages, I think, by those who claim the name of Christ if not the substance, is Luke 6:37-42: thou shalt not judge. It is in the clear context of enduring persecution, following closely on … Continue reading
August 27, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on Love your enemies.
So, following up on the two categories of people in the beatitudes, in Luke 6:27-36 Jesus turns His attention exclusively to “you who listen.” The true prophets, the poor, the slandered. And what response does He say to make to … Continue reading
August 25, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on The beatitudes: where are my blessings?
Ah, the beatitudes: I’ve heard so many completely different interpretations of these scant handfuls of words. “Blessed are the poor.” Does this mean 1) God saves the materially poor to make up for their poverty on earth; 2) Christians should … Continue reading
August 23, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on Christ and the Sabbatarians
In Luke 6:1-11, we find two more instances where Jesus tangled with the Pharisees—this time, on the issue of the Law. This passage is much more fleshed-out in Matthew 12. Underlying Christ’s views are two key parts of Judaism. First, … Continue reading
August 23, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on What it is to Pray with the understanding
by John Bunyan, modernized; scripture quotations from HCSB 1. What it is to pray. 2. What it is to pray with the Spirit. 3. What it is to pray with the Spirit and with the understanding. 4. Use and application … Continue reading
August 17, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on The business of Jesus.
Luke 5:29-39 is full of many hard sayings! Three, I think: first, that Jesus didn’t come to call the righteous (v 32); second, that the disciples of Christ shouldn’t fast until He is gone (v. 35); and third, that you … Continue reading
August 15, 2014
by julie
Comments Off on Lord, You can make me clean.
Luke 5:12-26 has two accounts of Jesus healing people, and it makes very clear that there were two kinds of healing Jesus was doing: physical and spiritual. The plea of the leper struck me especially tonight: he falls facedown and … Continue reading