Christine's Blog (2,610)

We left Jesus standing before the Sanhedrin, with Caiaphas saying, 'we don't need any more witnesses--we heard all we need to hear,' planning to send Jesus to Pilate, governor of Judah~

There is no doubt that this was the most famous and the most important trial in all of history, so let’s take a look at the accounts from all four gospels, as Jesus begins his civil trial.

They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. By now it was early morning,…

Jesus finishes his time of agonizing prayer, and returns to his men, barely in time for his friend, Judas, to step forward and kiss him . . . ensuring those who had come to arrest him, that he was indeed The Man.  Luke continues with the events of that night:

The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking him and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?" And they said many other insulting things to him. At daybreak the council of the elders of the people,…

And so Jesus departs from the Upper Room . . . and begins the quiet march toward his arrest.  He returns again this night to the Mount of Olives, and stops in the garden that we hold so dear, the Garden of Gethsemane, where he prayed to his Father, about the agony that was soon to come upon him. . .  Luke 22.39-46 -  www.biblegateway.com

Good Morning~ 

Let's think for a moment about what it must have been…

Irony that hurts

Isn't it ironic. . .

An old man turned ninety-eight

He won the lottery and died the next day

It's a black fly in your Chardonnay

It's a death row pardon two minutes too late

And isn't it ironic?

It's like rain on your wedding day

It's a free ride when you've already paid

It's the good advice that you just didn't take

Who would've thought... that this tune would have run through my head as I…

Good Morning~

At sundown of that same day, thirteen men met to celebrate the Passover in a great gray hall, an upper room in a house on Mount Zion, the northeast corner of the height of Jerusalem. In the tall-roofed chamber with heavy beams holding up the ceiling, the only furnishings were rattan divans and a long oaken table, on which tall candles were burning. The flickering flames played upon the sturdy figures of the Apostles, and repeated them in distorted shadows against the…

Let us shift our focus from Rome back to Jerusalem and cast our gaze toward the Upper Room.  It is Passover time, so the city is teeming with people.  All Jewish males over the age of 12 were required to go there for the festival, which was followed by a seven-day celebration called the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For these festivals, Jews from all over the Roman Empire would converge on Jerusalem to celebrate the most important events in their history. You will remember that the Passover…

I asked you the other day whether or not you believe that you are chosen by God.  God chose you and me to love him and enjoy his love forever.

I hope that the word “chosen” speaks to you.  As children of God, we are God’s chosen ones.  Chosen means you are wanted, your company is sought after—I like that.  When I know that I am chosen, I know that I have been seen as a special person.  Someone has noticed me in my uniqueness and has expressed a desire to know me, to come closer to me,…

Do you believe that you were chosen by God?  I mean, chosen out from all the rest, which would follow then, that some were not chosen?  Hmmm.

We have looked at Romans 8, verse 28, from a couple different angles—today, please consider how it leads into the thoughts which come after it:  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  And now, today’s text:  “For those God foreknew he also predestined…

She is an amazing lady—now more amazing than any of us knew before!  Her calling in life has been to advocate for schoolchildren who are unable to maintain in the convention classroom setting, who have special challenges . . .  and without her, honestly, would be lost.  She is an angel to hundreds—both students and forever-devoted grateful parents.  Let’s call her ‘Cherie’.

Cherie had not been feeling well for a while, and in the final analysis, scans, a scope, blood work, etc.…

What Do You See?  What Do They See?

The Duke leaned against my car, and it felt kinda’ like an out of body experience for me, because he was talking about me to my two friends I had brought along to the Long Beach prayer meeting.  “I saw her come in, this blonde white woman and I basically thought she was a fraud.  I sat back and listened to her and looked to poke holes in what she said . . .”  Well, that explained the serious expression and dark eyes that I had viewed from my…

“Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers

Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs

That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care

Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers…”  Can’t you just hear Garth’s sweet croon?

‘Not really sure why it makes it more ‘country’ to use bad grammar—‘hmmm . . . can’t imagine why some folks think country singers are just a bunch of hicks… but what about the theology of the lyrics—is it…

Three things struck me about the following story—

-Sometimes God creates by making something beautiful of our lives

-It is in the ‘canyon’ times that we see growth

-If in the ‘canyon’, we ought be looking around for the beauty that

       has a unique opportunity to grow …

A friend read this story to me on the phone, and I hope it speaks to you as it did to me:

Gwen was an undisciplined and strong-willed girl, always accustomed to having her own…

Purpose in pain … three things to remember.  Romans 8.17 ff

Yes, my mom always told me that things came in threes.  A backward glance at our Romans 8 study reveals three things that groan—three things that keep us hopeful—Creation, believers, and the Holy Spirit, who prays for us. 

I am incredibly inspired by Romans 8!  Paul has so much to say to believers that we could honestly camp right here for several more weeks.  One of the areas that Paul speaks toward is suffering in…

Mama always told me that things come in threes.   Yesterday, today, tomorrow … tic-tac-toe … Father, Son, Holy Spirit … in baseball—three strikes, three bases, three outfielders … as we look a little more closely at the middle of Romans chapter eight, we see Paul’s observation that in life, there are three things that groan.  Take a look at Paul’s thoughts:

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  For…

Look where we are going . . . here in Romans chapter eight.

Scripture is meant to be read in its context.  So as we consider creation, we must remember that we have a hope and a future ourselves—an eternal one.  I have emboldened and underlined certain points, because my dear friends, these verses are critical to right thinking!  (perhaps you should consider reading this out loud, because this is one amazing passage, and I pray that it sends…

Anthropomorphism - attributing human characteristics to an animal or nature.  Did you know that the apostle Paul used anthropomorphism in his letters? 

“For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.”  Romans 8.19

“Poppycock!” you say, “As though creation understands that it is awaiting anything in the future—God-moved or otherwise!  Was Paul daft, Man?”  Permit me to take you where I’ve been in considering the answer…

Some words associated with Christianity really turn people off.  These words have the power to alienate, confuse, and create hostility—so strong are the reactions at times.  I’ve seen the expressions on faces time and again when the words are used in a religiously-integrated or even denominationally-mixed group.  (Hey, I like that, “religiously-integrated”)

Born again.  The first time that I remember the term ‘born again’…