Seeking Jesus Like Zacchaeus
The story of Zacchaeus is only found in the gospel of Luke, and only 10 verses are devoted to his story. But there’s something special about him — and his interaction with Jesus. Zacchaeus is described as a “chief tax collector, and he was rich” (Luke 19:2), and when Jesus passes through Jericho en route to Jerusalem, Zacchaeus climbs a sycamore tree to see Him, “for he was of short stature” (Luke 19:3). Zacchaeus is just a normal guy to whom we can relate. Why? None of us re
Can We Judge?
“Judge not, lest you be judged” has become the most popular verse in our society today. Yes, I’d say even more so than John 3:16. But the majority of those who quote that scripture wouldn’t be able to tell you where it’s found in the Bible, nor the context in which Jesus said it. Despite that, how many times have you been told that you can’t judge, and only God can judge? We live in a world that embraces tolerance; that truth is relative. And any time a Christian raises an ob
Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness
As we conclude our study on the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), I came across this quote that I’d like to share: “The ‘fruit’ of the Spirit is one fruit with nine characteristics, not nine different and distinct ‘fruits.’ Meaning, if a person is walking by the Spirit, others will see all of these related qualities in them. Spiritual maturity is not multiple choice.” Our final characteristic is “goodness.” Why must we reflect the characteristic of goodness? It is a charact
Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” — Matthew 5:5 According to Webster, meek is defined as “not violent or strong; deficient in spirit and courage.” The Greek translation defines it as mild and gentle. So perhaps this beatitude—the third one in Matthew 5—is the most misunderstood of all because we don’t live in a world that seems to value meekness. Think about it: The last time you went in for a job interview and you were asked, “What is your greatest s
