Jesus didn’t call the most respected person in town—He called Matthew, a tax collector. In Matthew 9:9-13, we discover a Savior who meets people where they are and extends mercy instead of condemnation. “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who abides with believers as the Spirit of truth, guiding and dwelling within those who love Him and keep His commandments.
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who abides with believers as the Spirit of truth, guiding and dwelling within those who love Him and keep His commandments.
Matthew 9:9-13…“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.” vs. 9 There is a painting in the Contarelli Chapel in Rome by the Italian master, Caravaggio, called “The Calling of St Matthew.” It shows Jesus, having entered a room, standing and pointing with an outstretched arm at one of five shadowy figures sitting at a table counting money.…
Romans 4:18-25…“It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.” vss. 24-25 For Paul, Abraham and Sarah’s faith experience wasn’t just a bit of Israel’s history, it actually demonstrated the nature of God’s gracious love. Paul told the Romans that the old story was for them too, and that it showed the blessings that came with…
Romans 4:13-17…“For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.” vs. 13 Paul loved the story of Abraham and Sarah, the two old folks who had been promised an impossible son. In his understanding this tale turned the message of the Torah upside down and opened the way for a revolutionary understanding of God’s grace. Humanity’s relationship to God was not dependent…
I came for the Healing of Memories workshop for veterans, and I almost didn’t come because of the trauma I wrestle with, but your staff, the workshop leaders and the quiet and safe campus held me there and I’ve found a new sense of peace and healing.
A retreat for religious leaders who have experienced emotional, psychological and spiritual distress in their personal or professional lives — facilitated by the Institute for Healing of Memories — is coming June 3-6, 2024.