Archive for June 27, 2012

Life Source – Week 11 – Day 1 ** John 20: 1

As we continue to relish “the story” … today read John 20: 1 – 10.

I want us to consider the three primary players in these verses today – Mary, Peter and John.

But to set the scene consider these historical and cultural insights: First …

“It was the custom in Palestine to visit the tomb of a loved one for three days after the body had been laid to rest.  It was believed that for three days the spirit of the dead person hovered round the tomb; but then it departed because the body had become unrecognizable through decay.  Jesus’ friends could not More >

Confident Speech

In Matthew 28:4, the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

Those who oppose God are overwhelmed when they come in contact with His work. Paul had this type of encounter too but he had it with Jesus Christ himself. If we have Christ living inside of us, why do people not fear God when they encounter us? Instead, they are most often annoyed by us. They ridicule us because we have done such a poor job providing the reason we have the hope that we have in Christ. We need to talk more confidently when we speak of our More >

Life Source – Week 11 – Day 2 ** John 20: 11

We are in John 20.  Today focus on verses 11 – 18.

This is one of my favorite scenes in all of scripture.  I love the tenderness of it … the incredulity of it … the overwhelming love that is portrayed.  Rather than share any of my own limited observations … I want to share a reading with you today.  In 1986 Mary Lou Carney wrote a little book titled: “Heart Cries – Prayers of Biblical Women”.  In that book, Ms. Carney takes a few verses that set up a scene involving one of the women of the Bible … and More >

Thought for the morning of Wed June 27, 2012

This is a crafty word from the lip of the arch-tyrant Pharaoh. If the poor bondaged Israelites must needs go out of Egypt, then he bargains with them that it shall not be very far away; not too far for them to escape the terror of his arms, and the observation of his spies. After the same fashion, the world loves not the non-conformity of nonconformity, or the dissidence of dissent; it would have us be more charitable and not carry matters with too severe a hand. Death to the world, and burial with Christ, are experiences which carnal minds More >