"faith as small as a mustard seed". The disciples had asked Jesus to increase their faith. It was as if they thought Jesus was responsible for their level of faith. Jesus put the onus back on them. It is not so much about how much faith we have but rather what we do with the ... Read more
"we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard". You can't keep quiet: what has happened directs your mind and governs your tongue. You know that if God can bless you, He can bless anybody and you tell them so. It has been so wonderful to experience the Lord at work that you ... Read more
"live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature". Think and act positively expecting the new life in the Spirit to kill the desires of the flesh. Go on the offensive, be strong in the Lord. Draw your strength and pleasure from Him. Don't entertain the devil for one ... Read more
"Apply your mind to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge". Learning comes more easily to some than others. Some find no difficulty in paying attention while others have thoughts that wander all too easily. Learning about the Lord is the highest application for the mind and attention to His voice will produce the ... Read more
"You have stayed long enough at this mountain". Some of us can settle down and be comfortable anywhere. But a halfway house is not for permanent residence. The Children of Israel lingered too long at Mount Horeb and the Lord had to tell Moses to get them on their way to the Promised Land. A ... Read more
"salvation has come to this house". We are not told what happened other than Jesus stayed there with Zacchaeus. He was a seeking soul and it is therefore not surprising that he found salvation in this Friend of Sinners. That Jesus included "this house" suggests that the others in the family trusted Christ, too. They ... Read more
"be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray". No good being taken up with an hundred and one other things if you want to be effective in prayer. You must be able to put out all the hindrances and temptations if you would wrestle in prayer with God. If, like the church in ... Read more
"Take careful heed to yourselves". The Lord leading and protecting His people for 40 years in the desert did not absolve them from responsibility, neither was God's care any excuse for them to be careless. The Israelite's experience was not unique. We who claim to be disciples need to take heed these many years later. ... Read more
"these men had been with Jesus". Not only had they been with Him, but they had become like Jesus. They had caught something of the power and authority that Jesus was known to have - something of Him had rubbed off on them. Those who attempt to live up to the demands of the gospel ... Read more
"who changes rocks into pools of water and solid cliffs into flowing springs". Our verse lists rocks becoming pools of water and cliffs flowing springs, no doubt alluding to water flowing from the rock when Israel journeyed through the wilderness. One cannot imagine any two more opposites than flint stone and running water. The Children ... Read more