Tag: Kingdom

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Image of God

Daily Reading

Mark 12-13

Daily Thought

Jesus had been telling stories, called parables, and in many of them the Jewish religious leaders fared badly–so badly, they wanted him gone, if not dead. To this end, they posed questions of him publicly to discredit him. Some Pharisees and Herodians came together (Pharisees and Herodians seldom come together–they do not like each other) to ask Jesus, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Mark 12:14).. The Herodians were pro-Rome, while the Pharisees were fiercely anti-Rome, and therefore pro-Israel. and there lay the trap of the question. Pay or not, either answer, Jesus would be picking one side and offending the other, so he said both. 

Jesus asked for a coin, “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it”  (Mark 12:15). He did not have one, but the religious leaders do, “and they brought one. And he said to them ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to him, ‘Caesar’s’” (Mark 12:16). They handed Jesus a coin with an icon of Caesar and an inscription that read, “Caesar Tiberius, Son of God Augustus.” One King, Caesar, owns all the money in the kingdom. His picture is on every coin. One King, Jesus, has nothing at all, not even a denarius.

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant.” ~Philippians 2:5-7

Noting the inscription and the image of Caesar on the coin, Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). It has his picture on it, so give it to him; likewise, give to God what bears his image. 

“So God created man in his own image, male and female he created them.” ~Genesis 1:26

Caesar can have his taxes. Caesars come and Caesars go, but there is a another…

And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed. ~Daniel 7:14

You belong to God.

“And the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” ~Revelation 17:14

Daily Prayer

Lord God, I look forward to Your return. I know when You come back, it will be as victorious Savior, King of kings. You will put all things in order. Sin, evil, pain, and tears will be no more. The world will be filled with Your glory, holiness, love, beauty. It will be good.

May I be a light in this world, illuminating Your Kingdom to a world that needs to see what is ahead. When You come, Lord, may You find me living a life reflecting Your glory.

Amen

Daily Question

How much of your life do you give to God?

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The Kingdom Come

Daily Reading

Daniel 7-9

Daily Thought

Daniel, the interpreter of dreams, had his own, and they are terrifying. The latter half of the book of Daniel is filled with wild visions of future events. The course of history is contained in dismaying images of kingdoms, the first “like a lion and had eagles’ wings” (Daniel 7:4); the second, “like a bear, raised up on one side, it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth” (Daniel 7:5); next, “like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back, and the beast had four heads” (Daniel 7:6); and, finally, “a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet” (Daniel 7:7). Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, we know their names. But there is another.

“Behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him. ~Daniel 7:13

A keen awareness of sin accompanies Daniel’s vision of a righteous King, and he makes no excuses, “we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled” (Daniel 9:5). God hates sin, but loves repentance more, and grace the most, and Daniel appeals to God’s mercy, “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name” (Daniel 9:19). This is the call to another kingdom and a righteous king. There is a future for Israel and all called by the name of God,

And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.” ~Daniel 7:14

Empires will rise, and all will fall, except one, one that rises not from the dust of earth, but comes down from the heavens.

Daily Prayer

God, full of righteousness and grace, justice and mercy. It is a wonder that I can approach You. It’s wonderful that You listen. My life does not warrant Your attention, but through the goodness of Your Son and the righteousness He gives me through His death, I can speak with You. I can even speak confidently. I have Your promises, written in Your Word, and I trust You completely.

So, God, I bring You praise, and I also bring the needs and concerns that surround me. I lay them at Your feet, and I pray in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, Your will be done.

Amen

Daily Question

Do you make excuses for your sins? If so, what are some of them? If not, why not?

Posted on

Image of God

Daily Reading

Mark 12-13

Daily Thought

Jesus had been telling stories, called parables, and in many of them the Jewish religious leaders fared badly, so badly, they wanted him gone, if not dead. To this end, they posed questions of him publicly to discredit him. Some Pharisees and Herodians came together (Pharisees and Herodians seldom come together, they do not like each other) to ask Jesus, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Mark 12:14).. The Herodians were pro-Rome, while the Pharisees were fiercely anti-Rome, and therefore pro-Israel. and there lay the trap of the question. Pay or not, either answer, Jesus would be picking a side, so he said both. 

Jesus asked for a coin, “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it”  (Mark 12:15). He did not have one, but the religious leaders do, “and they brought one. And he said to them ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to him, ‘Caesar’s’” (Mark 12:16). They handed Jesus a coin with an icon of Caesar and an inscription that read, “Caesar Tiberius, Son of God Augustus.” One King, Caesar, owns all the money in the kingdom. His picture is on every coin. One King, Jesus, has nothing at all, not even a denarius.

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant.” ~Philippians 2:5-7

Noting the inscription and the image of Caesar on the coin, Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). It has his picture on it, so give it to him; likewise, give to God what bears his image, “so God created man in his own image, male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26). Caesar can have his money. Caesars come and Caesars go, but there is a another…

And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed. ~Daniel 7:14

Caesar does not get you.

“And the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” ~Revelation 17:14

Daily Prayer

Lord God, I look forward to Your return. I know when You come back, it will be as victorious Savior, King of kings. You will put all things in order. Sin, evil, pain, and tears will be no more. The world will be filled with Your glory, holiness, love, beauty. It will be good.

May I be a light in this world, illuminating Your Kingdom to a world that needs to see what is ahead. When You come, Lord, may You find me living a life reflecting Your glory.

Amen