The Roman Centurion in the story today has some awesome character qualities that I want to nurture in myself and my kids.

He recognizes Truth immediately.

He understands that Jesus has authority.

He’s humble.  He doesn’t feel he deserves for Jesus to come to his house.

He brings his request directly to Jesus.

He cares about his servant.

I often tell my kids to remember who they are and make good choices.  This man knows who he is and he knows who Jesus is.  Everything else flows out of that truth.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers. – Psalm 1:1-3

Bible reference: Matthew 8:5-13

photo credit: Richard0

Find a quiet place to pray & focus on God. You will begin to sense God’s grace. – Matthew 6:6, The Message

I wish I could say that every morning I spend time praying and reading my Bible.  Too often I let other things creep in and crowd out my time with God.

To be promised the grace of God, but let mundane tasks blot it out is like being offered the Hope Diamond but filling my hands with so many plastic beads.

Why do I let that happen?

If you can carve out some time with God this week, consider reading the Sermon on the Mount.  John only tweeted out a small bit of it yesterday and today.  But it is rich with teaching from Jesus.  You can find it in Matthew, chapters 5, 6 and 7.

photo credit: Katie Tegtmeyer

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You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what’s most dear to you. Then you will be embraced by God. – Matthew 5:4, The Message

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. – Matthew 5:4, NIV

Today John tweeted the first part of the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes.  The tweets are quoted from The Message, because I really like how Eugene Peterson translated these verses.

Matthew 5:4 is a difficult verse, especially when you are in the midst of deep grief.  It is true that if we place ourselves in the arms of God, He will bring comfort.  But sometimes it takes a while for that comfort to really sink in to our hurting hearts.

At first, we just ache.  We certainly don’t feel blessed.  The blessing comes from staying in the arms of God long enough for His comfort to penetrate the pain.

Bible reference: Matthew 5:1-12

photo credit: jurvetson

I love this scene in the Temple.  Jesus is there, teaching on the Sabbath.  There’s also a man with a crippled hand there.

The religious leaders must have seen Jesus looking at the crippled man.  They were whispering about him healing on the Sabbath again.

So Jesus, instead of letting them continue to whisper, brings the man to stand in front of everyone.  And he puts them on the spot with the question, “What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Good or Evil? Helping or leaving helpless.”

The silence and anticipation in that moment was awesome.

Jesus tells the man to stretch out his hand and the hand was restored.

What the Pharisees were whispering about, Jesus did so that everyone could see and understand.  He came to bring help and healing and He wasn’t about to be stopped.

Bible reference: Matthew 12:1-14, Mark 2:23 – 3:6, Luke 6:1-11

photo credit: striatic

So far, on our journey with John we’ve seen Jesus heal people, free people from demons, forgive people of sins.

He is the elixir for all that ails us.

He’s the balm for our wounded hearts.

He’s the salve for all that itches and irritates us.

He’s the relief for suffering.

He’s the antidote for the poison.

He’s the panacea, bringing changed life, inside and out.

He’s the Remedy.

photo credit: darkpatator

Bible reference: Matthew 9:10-17, Mark 2:15-22, Luke 5:29-39

What do you think about a man literally going through the roof to get to Jesus, only to have Jesus at first “ignore” his paralysis and treat a different problem instead?

I think it’s safe to assume that this man had heard about all the healing Jesus had been doing and wanted some of that healing for his body too.

Have you ever had it happen to you?  You pour your heart out to God with your problem, only to have him address a different issue?

Tell me what you think.  What’s your story?

Bible Reference: Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26

photo credit: hoyasmeg

The leper could have called out to Jesus from a distance.  In fact, he should have because lepers weren’t to go near other people.

But he came close.  He fell on his knees at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus could have healed him with his words.  He spoke the world into creation, to speak healing would have been an easy thing for him.

But he touched.  He reached out and touched all that was ugly, sick and broken – and made the man whole and well.

Sometimes I need to come close.  To come near Jesus with all my ugly, sinful, broken self and let him touch me.  What about you?

Bible Reference: Matthew 8:2-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-16

I wish I could hear with my own ears what Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, to James and John, that made them want to follow him.  How compelling he had to be for them to leave their boats and nets.  What did Jesus say to them that they were willing to leave their father and the other workers?  Did their father approve?  Were the workers upset that James and John left them holding the torn nets?

What kind of adventure does he have in store for you?  Are you following or holding back?

Bible reference: Matthew 4:18-22

photo credit: lensbug.chandru