Reflecting the Image (by Carla Sunberg)

Scripture: Psa. 24:0   Of David. A Psalm. 1 The earth is the LORD’S and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; 2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers. Psa. 24:3    Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. 5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation. 6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah Psa. 24:7    Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! t...

More than half of the selfies clicked are about appearance of people, highlighting their make-up, clothes and lips, according to a study that analysed 2.5 million pictures on popular photo-sharing website Instagram. Read more here Scripture: Matt. 20:29   As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet; but they shouted even more loudly, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” 32 Jesus stood still and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him. Observation: It was a moment in time, when Jesus was getting ready to leave Jericho. The crowds were huge and there were two blin...

Celebrating ordination in the most unlikely of places.  Scripture: Acts 9:32   Now as Peter went here and there among all the believers, he came down also to the saints living in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!” And immediately he got up. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. Observation: In this text by the physician Luke, Paul has just recently been converted. Suddenly the narrative shifts to the Apostle Peter who is, no doubt, the leader of the followers of the Way. This passage sets the stage for the expansion of the ministry to the Gentiles. It is in Joppa that Peter has his vision that eventually leads him to the house of Cornelius but at this moment, Peter has no idea where this is going. Peter is simply going about his business, visiting t...

Scripture: Heb. 7:11 ¶ Now if perfection had been attainable through the levitical priesthood—for the people received the law under this priesthood—what further need would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than one according to the order of Aaron?  Heb. 7:12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.  Heb. 7:13 Now the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.  Heb. 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.  Heb. 7:15  ¶ It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek,  Heb. 7:16 one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life.  Heb. 7:17 For it is attested...

Scripture: Hebrews 6:15 And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Observation: God had made a promise to Abraham but the fulfillment of that promise was not in an instant. Rather, there would be a lengthy period of time before he would see that promise come to fruition. As a result, Abraham’s character as a man of patient endurance lives on, and his endurance bore fruit as he was able to obtain the promise, not just for himself but for all of the children of Abraham who would come later. Application: We live in a world that is influenced by Moore’s Law. “Moore's law is the observation that the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles about every two years.” (Wiki) Now, you may wonder what that has to do with anything, but it has a lot to do with our lives. The world is changing and adapting at a faster rate than humanity has ever experienced because of the ability to build smaller and faster technology. If you ...

Scripture: Job 42:10   And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. 12 The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children, and hi...

Grateful for these servant leaders, Franklin and Maylou Cook.  Scripture: Luke 22:24   A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. Luke 22:28   “You are those who have stood by me in my trials; 29 and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Observation: Luke records this dispute among the disciples at the last supper. Jesus had just modeled se...

Scripture: Job 38:1-2 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Observation: Trying to give a reason for Job’s circumstances, his friends had provided every explanation imaginable to the human mind. Now, it was time for God’s response and reality is brought into focus. The friends were bringing counsel to Job, but they did not have knowledge. There was far too much that they did not understand.  Following this question God reminds Job that God alone has power over creation, and this knowledge is far beyond Job’s understanding. Therefore, the words of Job’s friends are hollow with misunderstanding. They do not know God, and should not presume to speak for God, for their counsel becomes words without knowledge.  Application: If our first instinct is not to run to the Lord in difficult circumstances, we may be allowing ourselves to be counseled by words without knowledge. The...

Scripture: Revelation 7:13-17 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Observation: Suffering is never anything that we like to talk about. Yet, here in the book of Revelation, John notes that there are those who are robed in white, who are standing before th...

Scripture: Job 11:13-15 “If you direct your heart rightly, you will stretch out your hands toward him. If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and do not let wickedness reside in your tents. Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be secure, and will not fear. Observation: Job’s friend, Zophar tries to give him advice. Zophar believes that Job is being punished for something that he has done wrong and is now suggesting a solution. I’m afraid that many people would find this advice plausible, and may even have been given this kind of suggestion. The problem is that the central focus of salvation becomes Job. There is no savior here, but only a human being who is supposed to get things right on their own power.  Zophar tells Job to get his heart right, because obviously it was wrong if bad things happened to him. However, that’s simply not the case. Job had been a good and righteous man, he hadn’t done anything to de...