Victory in Christ

I've been meditating a lot lately on this story from 1 Samuel 5:1-5 (here). In this passage we see what happens to the Philistine god, Dagon in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant. Leading up to this encounter, Israel has wrongfully decided to go into battle with the ark at the forefront as it usually was. The ark was captured and taken as spoils by their enemies.

The Welfare of Your City

I was super encouraged by Jeremiah 29:7 this morning which says this:

"But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."

Celebrity Jesus

As I read through the beginning of Matthew 21 this morning, I couldn't help but laugh at the odd position that Jesus had found himself in. The obscure, homeless, Galilean peasant was now the center of attention in Jerusalem, the cultural hub of the day. The people are bowing at his feet and telling others "Jesus is here! Yes, THE Jesus!" In only a few years time Jesus has gone from marginalized to celebrity status. Everyone knows about who he is and what he's done.