The Personal Cost of Causing Division
Herb Montgomery | August 12, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “Our reading this week calls to mind times when we have also had to make decisions about speaking out against things we … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | August 5, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. We don’t see Luke’s Jesus traveling around passing out tickets to heaven; instead we see him teaching a more socialized way of … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | July 29, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. Every day, we face the evolutionary challenge of survival. We here in the U.S. have also been deeply conditioned by our culture … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | July 22, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “When we don’t directly face the anguish caused because some of our most desperately wanted prayers are unanswered, the reality puts us … Continue reading
Jesus, Politics, and the Rights of Cis Women, Trans People and Nonbinary Folk
Herb Montgomery | July 15, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “Luke’s Jesus does not rebuke Mary for taking up space that is often reserved only for men. He, instead, praises her.” Our … Continue reading
The Subversive and Transgressive Call to Love Our Neighbor
Herb Montgomery | July 8, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “What Christian stereotypes about others are we being called to subvert in our societal context? What are those stereotypes rooted in? Are … Continue reading
To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. Herb Montgomery | July 1, 2022 ****This week’s article was written before last Friday’s devastating U.S. Supreme Court ruling. We at Renewed Heart Ministries, as a community of … Continue reading
When Liberation Becomes Complicated
Herb Montgomery | June 17, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “And what does change cost? Is it this cost that causes us to be more moderate when we should be directly and … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | June 3, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “We don’t get to go from exclusively gendering God as male for two thousand years in Christianity to describing God as genderless. … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | May 27, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “I don’t read this week’s reading as calling for this kind of unity. I don’t read this week’s passage as placing unity … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | May 20, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “The facts are that the early Jesus community was comprised of those on the undersides and margins of their society who were … Continue reading
Loving One Another and Justice
Herb Montgomery | May 13, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “You can’t love another” without desiring that those whom you love have what they need to thrive, and also doing … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | May 6, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “We are part of one another. Yes, some of us see life through one lens, some of us see life through others. … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | April 29, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “This third weekend after Easter in our western Christian calendar, how is the Jesus of this story calling you to renew how … Continue reading
Breathing In Spirit, Exhaling Love and Justice
Herb Montgomery | April 22, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “In the stories, Jesus doesn’t come back from the dead just to live another 30 or so years doing the same thing … Continue reading
Easter and the Myth of Redemptive Suffering
Herb Montgomery | April 15, 2021 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “These are valid questions. How can we reconcile seeing the cross event as a salvific divine act without unintentionally inferring that God’s … Continue reading
A Different Vision for Memorializing the Last Supper
Herb Montgomery | April 8, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “Next week is Holy Week leading up to Easter for many in Western Christianity. This time of year always amplifies … Continue reading
Mary’s Perfume and No More Poverty
Herb Montgomery | April 1, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “I want to offer an alternative interpretation. Poverty is a human-made reality, and therefore poverty can be eradicated through our choices in … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | March 25, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “This week’s parable calls us to question whom we are excluding and the basis for our exclusion. And it’s calling us to … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | March 18, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “Democratic societies must be made to birth a distributively just society where the needs of everyone and not only … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | March 11, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “Even if threatened by those with privilege, we too, can keep on, in the language of our story this week, casting out … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | March 4, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “In the wilderness story, Jesus rejects the temptation to sacrifice himself and tempt God to save him in the end. This calls … Continue reading
Encouragement When the Work is Lonely and Hard
Herb Montgomery | February 25, 2022 To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here. “In this story, the early Jesus followers are trying earnestly to make sense of Jesus’ execution at the hands of the Roman … Continue reading
Setting in Motion a Safe, Compassionate, Just Society
Herb Montgomery | February 18, 2021 (To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here.) “The passage describes the reciprocal nature of judgment, of condemnation, of forgiveness, and of giving. Our choices show not only what kind … Continue reading
When Social Justice is Rejected and Spoken of as Evil
Herb Montgomery | February 11, 2022 (To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here.) “But things never remain as they are. Change is the nature of reality. We can choose to bend the arc of the … Continue reading
Decolonizing Fishing for People
Herb Montgomery | February 4, 2022 (To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast episode click here.) “Fishing for people was about hooking or catching a certain kind of person, a powerful and unjust person, and removing them from … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | January 28, 2022 “We can do better today. We don’t have to disparage Jewish people, Jewish wisdom, or Judaism to value Jesus and his ethical teachings. There is so much good in the Jesus story that … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | January 21, 2022 “There are so many contemporary parallels to draw between the way Luke’s gospel characterizes the life and mission of Jesus and the justice needs present in our world today. Since his era, oppression, domination … Continue reading
Following Jesus in the Time of Covid
Herb Montgomery | January 14, 2022 “Instead of arguing whether we should mandate vaccinations for the sake of the common good and for those who are vulnerable among us, as Jesus followers we already have a mandate in place: love … Continue reading
Jesus’ Baptism as Social Protest
Herb Montgomery | January 7, 2021 “Jesus’ baptism has been understood in terms of a salvation that addresses only individuals’ personal or private sins rather than establishing systemic justice in place of systems that harm vulnerable and marginalized people. This … Continue reading
Christmas Means Centering the Voices of Women
Herb Montgomery | December 24, 2021 “We, too, can choose to listen when a woman has the courage to tell her story, even if it seems “impossible” to patriarchal men . . . If we are to take these Christmas … Continue reading
The Feminist Liberation of Advent
End of Year Matching Donations! 2021 has been a year of big challenges. Doing ministry during an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought its share of change along with moments of heartwarming providence and blessings. As this year is coming to … Continue reading
End of Year Matching Donations! 2021 has been a year of big challenges. Doing ministry during an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought its share of change along with moments of heartwarming providence and blessings. As this year is coming to … Continue reading
Advent, Hope, and Living on the Margins
[To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast click here.] Herb Montgomery | December 3, 2021 “The gospel message here, and one of my favorite Advent themes, is that salvation, change, and liberation don’t come from the center of … Continue reading
Advent and a Different Iteration of Our World
by Herb Montgomery | November 29, 2021 (To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast, click here.) “As we enter this Advent season this weekend, we are called again to build a better world. Hope can give way … Continue reading
November is A Shared Table 2021 month! Find out more here. (To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast, click here.) by Herb Montgomery | November 12, 2021 “Seen through this lens and given Jesus’ love for the poor … Continue reading
A Widow, Taxes, and Giving More Than What is Life-Giving to Give
November is A Shared Table 2021 month! Find out more here. Herb Montgomery | November 5, 2021 “This story does not praise the piety of the poor within a system that takes economic advantage of their piety. It condemns any … Continue reading
Seeing Others As Part of Ourselves
Herb Montgomery | October 29, 2021 “The closest I will ever come to meeting God in this life is you . . . No one should be excluded from our core practice of loving our neighbor as ourself. We are, … Continue reading
Damage Mitigation Versus Changing the System
Herb Montgomery | October 22, 2021 “It’s not enough to remove the basis for people being treated as less-than. We must also challenge the very systems the create less-thans and greater-thans. Jesus didn’t just give Bartimaeus his sight. He continued … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | October 15, 2021 “These types of systems are to be eliminated, not reformed. We must not merely seek the lowest positions within hierarchical systems of domination and oppression, we are to reject those systems in their entirety. … Continue reading
Getting Free from Fear and Facing the Future Together
Herb Montgomery | October 8, 2021 “Christians have always come up with ways around stories like these in the gospels, but imagine with me this week, a community didn’t try to get around them. What if we allowed … Continue reading
Jesus, Patriarchy, and the Wellbeing of Women
Herb Montgomery | October 1, 2021 “I see this passage through a justice-for-women lens where Jesus is more concerned about the wellbeing of women who could be divorced and sent away from their homes with no economic protection within a … Continue reading
Social Justice, Jesus and Hell
Herb Montgomery | September 24, 2021 “I want to be clear: I reject the common Evangelical doctrine of eternal torment, including a belief in a literal, eternally burning hell. If we take all the descriptions of a post-mortem ‘hell’ that … Continue reading
Taking Up Our Crosses, Injustice, and Abuse
Herb Montgomery | September 10, 2021 [To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast click Episode 388:Taking Up Our Crosses, Injustice, and Abuse] “Oppressors throughout history have used the concept of ‘taking up one’s cross’ to prioritize themselves over … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | September 3, 2021 [To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast click Episode 387: Openness to Change] “In our present system, those whose difference causes them to be seen or treated as less-than should be heard. … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | August 27, 2021 (To listen to this week’s eSight as a podcast click Episode 386: Worshiping in Vain) “I’m not saying that we can retrospectively make Jesus a critical race theorist because he was not that, and … Continue reading
Universal Love Means Universal Thriving
Herb Montgomery | August 20, 2021 “Love and justice are connected in the gospels. Proclaiming love, specifically a universal love of which everyone is the object, and embracing the directive to practice that love for every one of our neighbors, … Continue reading
Renewed Heart Ministries is a nonprofit organization working for a world of love and justice. We need your support to offer the kind of resources RHM provides. Helping people find the intersection between their faith, compassion, and justice is work that … Continue reading
Renewed Heart Ministries is a nonprofit organization working for a world of love and justice. We need your support to offer the kind of resources RHM provides. Helping people find the intersection between their faith, compassion, and justice is work that … Continue reading
Those Things Which Are Eternal
Renewed Heart Ministries is a nonprofit organization working for a world of love and justice. We need your support to offer the kind of resources RHM provides. Helping people find the intersection between their faith, compassion, and justice is work that … Continue reading
Renewed Heart Ministries is a nonprofit organization working for a world of love and justice. We need your support to offer the kind of resources RHM provides. Helping people find the intersection between their faith, compassion, and justice is work that … Continue reading
Ticket to Heaven or Concrete, Earthly Liberation
Renewed Heart Ministries is a nonprofit organization working for a world of love and justice. We need your support to offer the kind of resources RHM provides. Helping people find the intersection between their faith, compassion, and justice is work that … Continue reading
Speaking Truth to Those in Power
Herb Montgomery | July 9, 2021 “Remember, there are consequences to speaking truth to those in positions of power. Those in power rarely responds well to having truth spoken to them . . . Perhaps the combination of sounding outrageous, … Continue reading
A Community of Dependence and Connectedness
Herb Montgomery | July 2, 2021 “In Jesus’ vision for human community in the synoptic gospels and the book of Acts, we take responsibility for taking care of one another, not to establish dependency, but because we already are dependent … Continue reading
A Preferential Option for the Excluded
Herb Montgomery | June 25, 2021 “This is what liberation theologians refer to as a preferential option. The word preferential means a preference or partiality and implies favor or privilege. The word option does not mean that the preference is … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | June 18, 2021 “I need a Jesus that can challenge the great windstorm and the waves of deep homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in the Christian church that threatens to capsize the lives of LGBTQ young people … Continue reading
This week’s reading calls us all to question our classification of trees as weeds. Similarly, the call to affirm, embrace, and include LGBTQ Christians in the church is not a call to affirm things that are intrinsically harmful but a call to help us recognize that the LGBTQ community should not be on the “harmful” list in the first place. Continue reading
“Today our strong man could be capitalism, White supremacy, Christian nationalism, cisheterosexism, and more. All of these working separately and together comprise the strong men that we must bind in our time. What does binding the “strong man” as a thief in the night look like for us in our system? What does it look like in the context of working toward justice, compassion, and safety for all who are marginalized and made vulnerable? And how should we go about doing it?” Continue reading
A Better Way to Tell Our Stories
“Classifying our flesh, bodies, and material world or nature as, at best, unimportant or disposable and, at worst, evil or something to be saved from has yielded deeply harmful, destructive fruit throughout Christian history . . . That disregard then led to a privatized, personal, individualistic form of Christianity that was complicit in the oppression of vulnerable populations. We encounter the fruit of this today whenever Christians speak negatively of social justice and related movements for a more equitable society . . . Are there better ways to tell our stories?” Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | May 21, 2021 “The Jesus of John calls us to not let go of life but to take hold of it, to stand up for that which is life-giving, and to stand alongside the oppressed in … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | May 14, 2021 “We should first stop and ask if we are genuinely being hated at all. And if we are, we must also realize It’s not enough to be hated. We have to ask ourselves who … Continue reading
The Inherent Relationship of Love and Justice
by Herb Montgomery | May 7, 2021 “There is a way to teach God’s love that is complicit in oppression and is harmful to marginalized communities. There is another way to teach love that can be foundational to the … Continue reading
Branches Grafted to a Poisonous Vine
"Although the passage we began with focuses on bearing fruit rather than being a dead or withered branch that bears nothing, we see that the kind of fruit one bears matters too. What does it mean for American Christians to live as Jesus did?" Continue reading
Renewed Heart Ministries is a nonprofit organization working for a world of love and justice. We need your support to offer the kind of resources RHM provides. Helping people find the intersection between their faith, compassion, and justice is work that … Continue reading
Renewed Heart Ministries is a nonprofit organization working for a world of love and justice. We need your support to offer the kind of resources RHM provides. Helping people find the intersection between their faith, compassion, and justice is work that … Continue reading
Being Sent for the Work of Justice
Renewed Heart Ministries is a nonprofit organization working for a world of love and justice. We need your support to offer the kind of resources RHM provides. Helping people find the intersection between their faith, compassion, and justice is work that … Continue reading
The Good News of Forceful Nonviolent Resurrection
Herb Montgomery | April 2, 2021 “The good news was not that Jesus died, or even that he died for you. The good news rather was that this Jesus whom they killed, God has brought back to life! . . … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | March 26, 2021 The synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, offer consistent political comparisons between Jesus’ vision for human society (God’s just future) and the status quo of the society Jesus found himself in instead . . … Continue reading
Reinterpreting the Easter Story
Herb Montgomery | March 19, 2021 “The central image of Christ on the cross as the savior of the world communicates the harmful message that suffering is redemptive. So what do we do with the passage from John’s gospel?” This … Continue reading
Transparency and the Vilification of Darkness
What the passage from John describes is the desire to avoid the light of justice for fear of harmful actions toward others being exposed, actions that benefit some at the expense of others. We read about some hiding in the shadows for fear of being discovered, maybe held accountable, and most definitely being stopped. It’s about them coopting the darkness, which is not inherently evil, and using the darkness not for the life giving purposes of which it is intended, but to hide so they can continue doing harm. Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | March 5, 2021 This week’s reading is John 2:13-22. I prefer Mark’s version of this story: “On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned … Continue reading
Gaining the World, Losing One’s Humanity
Herb Montgomery | February 26, 2021 In Mark’s gospel we read, “He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the … Continue reading
Salt, Light, and Cautious Optimism
Herb Montgomery | February 19, 2021 “But mere diversity is not the goal. A safe and just world for everyone, where everyone can call our world home, is the goal. It will not be enough to see a more diverse … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | February 12, 2021 “I’m thankful for a woman who didn’t give up, but persisted in helping Jesus and his disciples see her need beyond their culturally conditioned prejudice. In that moment, she was teacher of the teacher. … Continue reading
The Falling and Rising of Many
Herb Montgomery | January 22, 2021 “This is the intrinsic reason why our collective thriving depends on raising up some in society while those who have gained too much power, privilege, property, or profit must fall back down. Ancient societies … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | January 15, 2021 “As a White Jesus follower, all of these things weigh on me. The red-flag-warning parallels between our own story and the warning Jesus gave; the values acted on in last week’s events; the disparity … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | January 8, 2021 Mark’s stories about Jesus begin: “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come … Continue reading
The Concrete Liberation Narratives of Advent (Part 3)
Herb Montgomery | December 24, 2020 “So many are suffering hardship right now in the U.S. These stories of the birth of Jesus aren’t distractions from that suffering. They don’t turn our focus to postmortem bliss or internalized private and … Continue reading
The Concrete Liberation Narratives of Advent (Part 2 of 3)
Herb Montgomery | December 18, 2020 “Notice that, for their first audiences, the stories of Jesus were not Christian stories about getting to heaven. These were stories deeply rooted in the concrete liberation hopes and realities people were facing . … Continue reading
The Concrete Liberation Narratives of Advent (Part 1 of 3)
Herb Montgomery | December 11, 2020 “This Christmas story, far from being about how Jesus would make a way to the afterlife and leave the oppressive systems and structures of this world passively untouched, speaks to its audience of liberation … Continue reading
Transforming Communities Built on Exclusion
Herb Montgomery | December 4, 2020 Mark’s Jesus narrative offers a Jesus who has come not to destroy us or who we are but to liberate us from the self-hatred and the internalized low self-estimation our communities of origin have … Continue reading
December 1 is #GivingTuesday this year! #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities, and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving … Continue reading
Taking Sides, Reclaiming our Humanity
2020 has been a challenging year for many nonprofits. RHM is no exception. We need your support to impact lives and bring the faith-based, societal-justice focused resources and analysis RHM provides. Intersections between faith, love, compassion, and justice are needed right now more … Continue reading
2020 has been a challenging year for many nonprofits. RHM is no exception. We need your support to impact lives and bring the faith-based, societal-justice focused resources and analysis RHM provides. Intersections between faith, love, compassion, and justice are needed right now more … Continue reading
2020 has been a challenging year for many nonprofits. RHM is no exception. We need your support to impact lives and bring the faith-based, societal-justice focused resources and analysis RHM provides. Intersections between faith, love, compassion, and justice are needed right now more … Continue reading
The Social Location of Your Christianity Matters
2020 has been a challenging year for many nonprofits. RHM is no exception. We need your support to impact lives and bring the faith-based, societal-justice focused resources and analysis RHM provides. Intersections between faith, love, compassion, and justice are needed right now more … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | October 16, 2020 “Seeing the man set free from his internalized oppression, the society around him refuses to get free of the same ‘demons.’ . . . When people get free of collective violence toward a marginalized … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | October 9, 2020 “In Matthew and the other gospels, Jesus stands in the prophetic lineage of Isaiah, calling for the radical inclusion of those once excluded by their sacred text. Radical inclusion is a trend in Jesus’ … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | September 25, 2020 “Beware when you see those in power using law and order rhetoric used to maintain power, position, control, and political office. Jesus’ followers should be the first to recognize when ‘law and order’ is … Continue reading
2020 has been a challenging year for many nonprofits. RHM is no exception. We need your support to impact lives and bring the faith-based, societal-justice focused resources and analysis RHM provides. Intersections between faith, love, compassion, and justice are needed right now more … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | September 11, 2020 “Yes, the love of the gospels is universal. Yes, every person has worth and value. But not every person is facing the same level of harm in our society from how our current society … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | September 4, 2020 2020 has been a challenging year for many nonprofits. RHM is no exception. We need your support to impact lives and bring the faith-based, societal-justice focused resources and analysis RHM provides. Intersections between faith, love, compassion, and … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | August 28, 2020 “No matter how small or how disconnected it may feel to you, no matter how tempted you may be to categorize your present efforts to move this world toward justice, mercy, and peace as … Continue reading
Saltless Salt and Social Justice
Herb Montgomery | August 21, 2020 In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says: “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is … Continue reading
Social Liberation in the Jesus Story
Herb Montgomery | August 14, 2020 “As Jesus followers today, the gospel we tell must locate Jesus among our oppressed siblings, whether they are women, people of color, Black people, LGBTQ people, poor people, or others.” I was shocked when … Continue reading
The Social Truth of Resurrection
Herb Montgomery | August 7, 2020 “The elite characters in the story represent the political and economic elite in partnership to conquer the life that many of the oppressed and excluded found in Jesus’ teachings as a prophet of the … Continue reading
Three Paths Toward Change Rejected
Herb Montgomery | July 31, 2020 “And in each of these versions of the story, Jesus announces the arrival of God’s just future (‘the kingdom’) but rejects three methods for bringing justice to fruition. We’ll look at each of them.” … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | July 24, 2020 As COVID-19 cases continue to rise and set new records each day, remember that the world that exists post-COVID will be determined by the kind of people we choose to be right now during … Continue reading
Mislabelling Social Justice as Foolishness
by Herb Montgomery | July 17, 2020 “I find it alarming that there are Christian pastors or leaders who call fellow Jesus followers seeking social justice ‘fools.’ It is past time for those who bear the name of Jesus to … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | July 10, 2020 “The question I wrestle with most when considering communities like those I just described is how do we protect certain community members from others who may use their strength to overpower, take advantage of, … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | July 3, 2020 “Every generation faces these inflexible alternatives, transformation or eventual implosion—these are the inflexible alternatives before us, today, too. How much of what we are now experiencing was unavoidable? How much could we avoid in the … Continue reading
Choosing Peace through Militarized Policing or Distributive Justice
Herb Montgomery | June 26, 2020 This week we end our consideration of the final warnings in Luke’s version of the Jesus story and how they might relate to our society. In Luke 23, we read: “Jesus turned and said … Continue reading
COVID and The Things That Make for Peace
Herb Montgomery | June 12, 2020 “We actually can transition to a society shaped by justice and love. We can imagine a different way of being together again post-COVID, and that way will be determined by the kind of people … Continue reading
3 Reasons Why White Christians Should Be Standing In Solidarity With Black People
Herb Montgomery | June 3, 2020 “It’s not enough to not be racist ourselves. We must also stand intentionally against racial inequality. The current train is racing down the tracks and it’s not enough to remain neutral or individually focused. … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | May 29, 2020 “Our passage this week and this pandemic make me think of my working-class Appalachian friends, family, and neighbors—forgotten by the establishment or marginalized by the elite class as dumb mountain people. These forgotten people … Continue reading
Building the World We Want to Live In
“Today, many of us are seeing our society being pushed to yet another breaking point. Blessed are the ones calling for change now. Blessed are the ones modeling a compassionate new world. Blessed are the ones shaping a world that … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | May 15, 2020 “The contradictions of our present economic system are being exposed more every passing day. The exploitations built into our present system are straining in this pandemic. A system with such a long history of … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | May 8, 2020 “What would happen if Christians stopped believing that Jesus’s way is impractical, naïve, insufficient, or “doesn’t work in the “real world” and began to follow the way of life Jesus came to teach … Continue reading
A More Distributively Just Way
by Herb Montgomery | May 1, 2020 “The present pandemic is laying bare other areas of our unsustainable and unjust system. What would a world look like that is a safe, compassionate, inclusive, and just home for all of God’s … Continue reading
Transforming Negative Pushback To Work In Favor of Change
by Herb Montgomery | April 24, 2020 “We may still be a long way from our desired outcome, but we can make progress. Our efforts may be interrupted, delayed, or even halted, but that doesn’t mean we have necessarily failed.” … Continue reading
New Wine in Old Wineskins (Part 2)
Herb Montgomery | April 17, 2020 “Moments like these not only call us to reassess our systems, but also our own personal values and the values our societies have been built on: the systems we are accustomed to and our … Continue reading
New Wine in Old Wineskins (Part 1 of 2)
Herb Montgomery | April 10, 2020 “Texts must be interpreted in life-giving ways within communities that prioritize the voices of the most vulnerable in our society. These communities practice a preferential option for the marginalized and see every human as … Continue reading
We Are Not Just Passing Through
Herb Montgomery | March 20, 2020 “Our first concern should not be to leave it all behind, but to bring healing to the world around us. Jesus modeled how we can be conduits of healing to this world, and we … Continue reading
A Community of Healing Justice
Herb Montgomery | March 13, 2020 “At its source, it’s not about a lone hero who does something revolutionary on our behalf. It’s a call to participate, with others, in a community of healing justice. “You have said so,” Jesus … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | March 6, 2020 “Are you seeing calls for societal change threatening the status quo today? Are you seeing concern and fear from the establishment toward movements for distributive justice or for a larger swath of people?” In … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | February 28, 2020 “Change can scare those benefitting from the present system no matter how unjust that system may be for others. Sadly the moderates in any given society typically side with the establishment, not with those … Continue reading
Zacchaeus and Christian Support of Destructive Administrations
“What is needed for empowered, privileged Christians who support a corrupt administration today to follow Zacchaeus’ example? What is needed for Christians to take more seriously Jesus’ commands to stand with the vulnerable and those on the margins rather than … Continue reading
The Refusal of the Older Brother
Herb Montgomery | February 7, 2019 “If you believe God loves someone, justice for them isn’t far behind. Love for those on the margins is the seed out of which the reality of God’s inclusive, just future sprouts.” “The older … Continue reading
The Ethic of Enemy Love (Part 2)
Herb Montgomery | January 31, 2020 “This I believe is the genius of the ethic of enemy love that Jesus and many others in history have taught. Rightly understood, it enables one to stand up to one’s enemies while not … Continue reading
The Ethic of Enemy Love (Part 1)
by Herb Montgomery | January 24, 2020 “I want to be careful with this ethic of enemy love. First, this ethic does not mean that we should expect reconciliation without change or reparations from our enemies . . . To … Continue reading
When Equality Means Some Are Given More Than Others
Equality, Equity and Jesus’ Preferential Option for the Marginalized by Herb Montgomery | January 17, 2020 “Some may cry unfair when others receive more, yet if this ‘more than’ is based on what they need is more than what others … Continue reading
Great Joy for All People (Part 3)
Herb Montgomery | January 10, 2020 Luke’s narratives about Jesus, beginning with the Christmas narratives, ultimately offer hope for those society deems less than, and they are still problematic to those in positions of power and privilege. I believe they … Continue reading
Great Joy for All People (Part 2)
Herb Montgomery | December 20, 2019 “Luke skillfully integrates into his story the hopes of Judaism and the subversion of the political theology of the Roman Empire. Jesus, for Luke, is simultaneously the fulfillment of one (Judaism) and the subversion … Continue reading
Great Joy for All People (Part 1)
by Herb Montgomery | December 13, 2019 “Seen in their original context, Luke’s birth narratives for Jesus subvert the Roman economic, political, social, and theological systems of their day. Do these stories offer anything to our justice work today and … Continue reading
A Christmas Story for the Marginalized
Herb Montgomery | December 6, 2019 “The question for those presently at the center is not whether they will include the presently marginalized at their table, but whether they will participate in the socially transformative work that is already taking … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | November 22, 2019 “Some will say, ‘This sounds like socialism!’ I’m reminded of the words of historical Jesus scholar John Dominic Crossan, ‘Do not, by the way, let anyone tell you that is Liberalism, Socialism, or … Continue reading
A Gospel About Jesus Versus the Gospel Jesus Taught
Herb Montgomery | November 15, 2019 “One thread in Jewish tradition enlarged this hope and applied it not only to the Jewish people, but also to the rest of humanity with a much more universal end to all oppression, violence, … Continue reading
Biblical Inclusion Versus Biblical Exclusion
by Herb Montgomery | November 8, 2019 “What is our relation, as followers of Jesus, to the marginalized of our day? To what degree are we marginalized in our own lives? Are we standing in solidarity with others who are … Continue reading
A Primer on Self-Affirming Nonviolence (Part 10)
Herb Montgomery | October 11, 2019 “Jesus’ form of nonviolence was an act of self-affirmation in a society where one’s self was already being sacrificed. When we interpret nonviolence as self-sacrifice, irreparable harm, even lethal harm, is done to those … Continue reading
A Primer on Self Affirming Nonviolence (Part 9)
Herb Montgomery | October 4, 2019 “Self-defense, in and of itself, is not violence. Violation is violence. Oppression is violence. Injustice is violence. Protecting one’s privilege and power over others is violence. Self-defense or self-affirmation in the face of all … Continue reading
A Primer on Self-Affirming Nonviolence (Part 8)
Herb Montgomery | September 27, 2019 “As followers of Jesus, especially ones who choose to embrace Jesus’ rejection of violence, we must remember that Jesus did not stand up to injustice, and suffer for it, on our behalf. He calls … Continue reading
A Primer on Self Affirming Nonviolence (Part 7)
Herb Montgomery | September 20, 2019 If Jesus taught nonviolence, why does the rest of the Bible seem to endorse or even command violence? This week’s episode is quite a milestone. This is our 300th episode! I want to take … Continue reading
A Primer on Self-Affirming Nonviolence (Part 6)
Herb Montgomery | September 13, 2019 “Jesus was not about peace-keeping but peace-making. He was not about keeping the peace, not disturbing the status quo, but about calling for justice, the justice that in the Jewish tradition was to be … Continue reading
A Primer on Self-Affirming Nonviolence (Part 5)
By Herb Montgomery | August 30, 2019 “We must be much more scandalized by the institutional violence that leads to violent rebellion than the violence of those who stand up to institutional violence. They are not the same. One is … Continue reading
A Primer on Self-Affirming Nonviolence (Part 4)
Herb Montgomery | August 23, 2019 “We’ve been discussing the importance of listening to those on the margins of society and their experiences and wisdom. What follows is a result of doing just that in the context of the subject … Continue reading
A Primer on Self Affirming, Nonviolence (Part 3)
Herb Montgomery | August 16, 2019 “Jesus was teaching the rejection of violent responses to this world’s evil. Yet he was not teaching that we should simply do nothing! Jesus was teaching nonviolent ways for oppressed people to take the … Continue reading
A Primer on Self Affirming, Nonviolence (Part 2)
“Today we live in the wake of these changes. Christianity and its Jesus fell in the same way as all the other religions taken in by Rome . . . If the bloody violence of Christianity’s history has taught us … Continue reading
A Primer on Self Affirming, Nonviolence (Part 1)
Herb Montgomery | July 26, 2019 “But today most of Christianity either rejects Jesus’ nonviolence outright or embraces nonviolence in a way that leaves marginalized and exploited people passive in the face of injustice and harms them. There are alternatives … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | July 19, 2019 “We can do better than defensiveness. In this story of Jesus I hear the call to lay mine down . . . Another world is possible. But we’re going to have to learn to … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | June 28, 2019 “Today, certain Christians are still trying to use the power of the state, not to side with the people and protect the vulnerable . . . to push their own agenda regardless of the … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | June 21, 2019 It’s not enough to simply offer a gospel that only offers divine forgiveness of sins. A gospel that is faithful to the Jesus story must include people forgiving people. It must include a redistribution … Continue reading
When Doing the Right Thing Is Illegal
Herb Montgomery | June 14, 2019 “What happens when we have to choose between saving life and abiding by the law? Jesus’ healings call us to take a side either with the marginalized and liberator (with Jesus) or to interpret … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | June 7, 2019 “The fishing metaphor was a way to denounce injustice against the vulnerable, and looks forward to social change.” “‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will show you how to catch big fish.’ At … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | May 31, 2019 “ . . . and for those who associate abuse with the terms ‘God,’ or ‘heaven,’ or anything Christian, the kingdom even doesn’t have to be associated with religious dogma. Jesus demonstrated for us … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | May 24, 2019 “One of the first steps of hope for people in such wilderness places is to understand that their situation reflects social and political forces, not the divine will . . .” “And so John … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | May 17, 2019 “Here in the West we are shaped by a deeply individualistic culture, and some Christian communities rarely address Jesus’ social salvation, if ever. The form of Christianity that most people experience focuses heavily … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | April 26, 2019 “Even when it looks like nothing is ever going to change, and regardless of whether or not changes are ever made to the extent we desire, the mere presence of our voice makes things … Continue reading
Social Sins, Social Justice, and the Jesus Stories
Herb Montgomery | April 19, 2019 “Understood in this light, Jesus’ story offers rich fields for exploration and discovery as we learn to hear a gospel that calls us not to simply be ‘a good person,’ but also to stop … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | April 12, 2018 “Today, sectors of Christianity that only teach a personal Jesus deeply need a reintroduction to the gospels’ social Jesus. They need to rediscover and understand social salvation contrasted with personal salvation. They need a … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | April 5, 2019 “Where else do you see institutions threatened by the voice of prophets? We may not call them prophets in every institution, yet the punishment of prophets is a universal dynamic. Whenever there are people … Continue reading
Calling Good Evil (Part 5 of 5)
Herb Montgomery | March 29, 2019 “The image of God is the male-female spectrum. When we speak of a person’s sex, we’re describing their bodies in terms of characteristics we define as male, female, neither, or both. Wherever nature places … Continue reading
Calling Good Evil (Part 4 of 5)
Herb Montgomery | March 22, 2019 “If Brownson is correct and Paul is referring to Gaius Caligula’s actual behavior, which Paul’s contemporaries, Philo, Dio Cassius, and Dio Chrysostom all wrote about with similar language, then he is describing harmful behavior … Continue reading
Calling Good Evil (Part 3 of 5)
Herb Montgomery | March 15, 2019 “Using the term ‘homosexual’ in these translations represents negative cultural bias. If these passages were free from homophobic bias, they would read ‘pederasty.’ One must ask which interpretation is more culturally biased, and more … Continue reading
Calling Good Evil (Part 2 of 5)
by Herb Montgomery | February 15, 2019 “My purpose in sharing their work with you is so that each of us can do our own homework, putting in the energy to read, study, and grapple before we ask someone in … Continue reading
Calling Good Evil (Part 1 of 5)
Herb Montgomery | February 8, 2019 “And yet I’m torn when I watch the toll it takes on my LGBTQ friends to repeatedly explain these passages. Speaking about them does not have the same emotional cost for me as it … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | January 31, 2019 “Legality is never the end of the moral discussion. We must also ask if what is being done is right . . . Law and order arguments too often fail to account for whether … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | January 18, 2019 “This is a much different take on women’s virginity than I was raised with. It would also allow a different interpretive lens through which to view Mary who raised a son who modeled, … Continue reading
Salvation as Liberation, Reparation, and Societal Healing
Herb Montgomery | January 11, 2019 “Jesus’ vision for this world was not to condemn it, wipe it out, and make a new one. Jesus pictured a God who loved our world: a God who dreamed of this world’s healing, … Continue reading
Courage in the Face of Setbacks
Herb Montgomery | January 4, 2019 “Something for us shifted because of this meeting. As the Rev. Dr. Emilie Townes so eloquently states in Journey to Liberation, ‘When you start with an understanding that God loves everyone, justice isn’t very … Continue reading
Lightening the Burden of Others
Herb Montgomery | December 21, 2018 “This Christmas, we may not all have someone whose economic debt we can cancel. But are there other types of forgiveness we could embrace? Are there reparations for past wrongs we still need to … Continue reading
Christmas and Liberation from Hate
by Herb Montgomery | December 14, 2018 “Beauty is about how different shapes, colors, lines, or objects are arranged together. Humanity is varied and richly diverse. We can hold our differences in relationships that are beautiful or in ways that … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | December 7, 2018 “In the Hebrew sacred text we read an ancient story of a town’s xenophobic refusal to show hospitality out of a desire to protect it’s own affluence from the threat of having to be … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | November 29, 2018 “Exclusion, whether racism, misogyny, homophobia, or whatever, is already within many us. What are our faith traditions doing to challenge and change us so that we can participate in making our larger society more … Continue reading
Justice, Grace & Charity: Part 2
by Herb Montgomery | November 16, 2018 “While we work toward a better world we must also be about mitigating the damage being done in this one. But do not think for a moment that if we have only offered … Continue reading
Justice, Grace & Charity: Part 1
by Herb Montgomery | November 9, 2018 “We need justice that is distributive. We need grace which is liberating. Only with both will we see far enough to have a life-giving discussion about charity.” “Here is my servant whom … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | November 2, 2018 “To believe in universal love is to work for a distributive, societal justice for those who are the objects of that universal love.” “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | October 26, 2018 “’The separation between Church and State is different from the separation of faith and public life.’ . . . The separation of church and state is about keeping the state out of matters … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | October 19, 2018 “What does it mean to be delivered from economic oppression and ecological oppression as well? The U.N. reported this last week that we have only twelve years left to address climate change, and if … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | October 11, 2018 “‘Politics is really about how we as a community choose to distribute resources and power among people and groups of people.’ She goes on to say, therefore, ‘There’s no opting out of it.’ … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | September 28, 2018 “‘When you start with an understanding that God loves everyone, justice isn’t very far behind.’ How many times have we witnessed traditional White Christianity emphasize religiousness, puritanical morality, and even the ‘love of … Continue reading
God the Father, Exclusive Othering, and a Distributive Justice for All
Herb Montgomery | September 21, 2018 “And if Amos were alive this week, he might have said, ‘I hate, I despise your endless religious statements that make you feel pious, protecting your phobias about those whose experiences in life are … Continue reading
Salvific Teachings: Womanism and the Gospel
Herb Montgomery | September 7, 2018 “Notice that in this passage, which is not at all unique to the gospels, the ‘gospel of God’ is the announcement of the arrival of the reign or kingdom of God, who desires … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | August 31, 2018 “Jesus chose to live a life in opposition to unjust, oppressive cultures. Jesus did not choose the cross but chose integrity and faithfulness, refusing to change course because of threat.” (Brown and Parker, For … Continue reading
The Violence Inherent in the System
by Herb Montgomery | August 24, 2018 “Those who read the Jesus story from within communities of people facing marginalization regularly see in Jesus’ crucifixion a deep solidarity with those on the margins in Jesus’ day and also those in … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | August 10, 2018 “These societal structures all function based on the variables of race, gender, sexuality, gender identity and expression, current economic status, ability, age, education, ethnicity, religion, criminal record, and more . . . What does … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery | August 3, 2018 “The system is intended to break their spirit once and for all, to make them give up and simply cycle through the judicial system indefinitely. Jesus’ vision for human society was that his kingdom … Continue reading
Another World is Possible (Part 3)
by Herb Montgomery | July 27, 2018 “The poverty of the poor is not a call to generous relief action, but a demand that we go and build a different social order.” — Gustavo Gutiérrez; The Power of the Poor … Continue reading
Another World is Possible (Part 2)
by Herb Montgomery | July 13, 2018 “To live out the reign or kingdom of God is to replace wealth accumulation with a distributive justice that ensures people’s needs for survival and thriving are taken care of: an early version … Continue reading
Another World is Possible (Part 1)
by Herb Montgomery | June 28, 2018 “Tempted to succumb to the narrative of scarcity and competition against one another for the one loaf in the boat, they forgot the lesson in the feeding of the multitudes. What little we … Continue reading
Self Affirming Nonviolence and the Myth of Redemptive Suffering (Part 2)
by Herb Montgomery | June 21, 2018 “Taking up one’s cross should not be interpreted as acceptance of pain, misery, and abuse, but rather as the call to stand up, resist, and refuse to let go of life, justice, and … Continue reading
Self Affirming Nonviolence and the Myth of Redemptive Suffering (Part 1)
by Herb Montgomery | June 16, 2018 “In its own cultural setting, Jesus’ nonviolence was a means of self-affirmation for those who don’t have access to common power, and it is best illustrated not by the cross but by … Continue reading
Solidarity with the Crucified Community
by Herb Montgomery | June 1, 2018 “When it’s safe to stand alongside those being marginalized, to amplify their voices, to hand them the mic, you will no longer be needed.” “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | May 17, 2018 “Jesus was political. Neither he nor those whom he cared about could afford to ignore the systems of injustice and oppression damaging real human lives.” “After John was put in prison, Jesus … Continue reading
Pyramids, Circles and a Shared Table: Jesus’ Vision for Human Community (Part 2)
Jesus’ shared table community was an expression of voluntary “from each according to their ability, to each according to their need.” by Herb Montgomery | May 10, 2018 “Yet too often, historically, economic reforms have come at the expense of … Continue reading
Pyramids, Circles and a Shared Table: Jesus’ Vision for Human Community (Part 1)
by Herb Montgomery | May 3, 2018 “Politics answers the question of who gets what. So Jesus was not a religious figure as much as he was a political one. He did not fundamentally challenge his Jewish religion, at least … Continue reading
It’s Easier to Build a Religion than to Build a Better World.
by Herb Montgomery | April 20, 2018 “Yet, it is far easier for those with power and privilege to merely worship Jesus, to preach a gospel about Jesus, and build a religion around Jesus, than it is for them to … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | April 12, 2018 Jesus’ gospel was good news to those who were on the margins. If they were able to shape a safer, more compassionate, just society, this would, in the long run, be good for … Continue reading
A Preferential Option for the Vulnerable
by Herb Montgomery | March 30, 2018 “To have a preference is to have a greater liking for one alternative over another or others. This is not exclusive, but rather points to who should first have our solidarity.” Jesus looked … Continue reading
Gun Culture, School Shootings, Racial Disparity, Militarized Police and Jesus
A preferential option for two vulnerable communities in the gun control debate. by Herb Montgomery | March 1, 2018 “There is wisdom in his words, ‘All who draw the sword will die by the sword.’ It’s as true for societies … Continue reading
Peace through Nuclear Threat: A peace that put Jesus and numerous others on a cross
by Herb Montgomery | February 15, 2018 “Yes, we are to engage in the work of justice alongside those working in matters of labor, race, and the developing world. We are to also engage that work in matters of … Continue reading
You Will Judge the Twelve Tribes of Israel
by Herb Montgomery | February 8, 2018 “Our saying this week tells us that another world is possible . . . Our challenge is to shape a society that reflects a set of values that shape our world into a … Continue reading
The Parable of the Entrusted Money
by Herb Montgomery | February 1, 2018 “In the story, this king’s passion was profit. The God Jesus described at the heart of the kingdom was passionate about people, not profit. Jesus’ “kingdom of God” was a community where … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | January 25, 2018 “It’s about compassion. Either we see ourselves in others, or we don’t. And if we don’t learn to do so, we run the risk of destroying life as we know it for everyone … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | January 11, 2018 “This wakefulness means possessing a continuing awareness of issues related to marginalized people and their struggle for justice. It requires an intersectional awareness of racial, gender, economic, LGBT, and other social forms of justice. … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | January 5, 2018 “Jesus was not a Roman citizen, and so when he taught nonviolence, he was not teaching from the social location of the Roman oppressor, but from the perspective of an oppressed Jew. Jesus’ … Continue reading
The Son of Humanity Like Lightning
by Herb Montgomery “Any talk of nonviolence today must include an in-depth understanding of structural and systemic violence and oppression or nonviolence will end up being a violent form of nonviolence. It will place upon oppressed people an additional burden … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Today, Jesus’s ‘Kingdom of God,’ a community that centers and puts first those our present society places as last, is within our ability. We can choose to do life differently. When it comes to the subject of … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “It is these [the marginalized] whom Jesus tells to have hope, that God is not like their oppressors have made them think, that the end of their misfortunes is at hand, that the Kingdom of God is … Continue reading
Forgiving a Sinning Brother or Sister Repeatedly
by Herb Montgomery | November 10, 2017 “Safe spaces” are not spaces where everyone’s opinion is equally valued. Safe spaces are spaces where there is a preferential option practiced for the most vulnerable in the room. Safe spaces are spaces … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | November 3, 2017 “Jesus willfully and intentionally transgressed the community boundaries of his day. We should too. Keep in mind, the more ritually pure you were, the more clean you were, the more included, centered and … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery | October 27, 2017 “This has implications for our justice work today as well. There are two types of justice work. One seeks to give people equal access to a competitive system where there will still be … Continue reading
“Our experiences determine not only the questions we ask, but also the answers we get back. Plain readings are not plain but are read through the lens of our own paradigms and fears. And this is one reason why it … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Christians taking Jesus’ saying on divorce at face value have forced women to stay in untold situations of abuse. I want to argue this week that in the context of the 1st Century’s economic realities for women … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Interpretations are not eternal. They change with time. As we see the harmful fruit of present interpretations, we can make those interpretations give way to new ones, in the hope that new interpretations will bear the fruit … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “It’s one thing to mistake something bad as good. It’s quite another to mistake the Sprit’s work of liberating and re-humanizing those who have been dehumanized and objectified as an evil that should be opposed. This is … Continue reading
“Jesus’s ethic is not capitalist. In a capitalist system, the goal is simply to create capital. The game is won by those who are able to create the most capital and use it to create more . . . Jesus … Continue reading
Insipid Salt: White Christianity in the Wake of Charlottesville
by Herb Montgomery “I do subscribe to nonviolence. I teach it. I uphold it. Yet, to claim a nonviolent neutrality, saying “I’m against violence on both sides,” while you yourself are socially privileged and benefit from violence being used against … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Jesus didn’t die because he was a bigot, standing in solidarity with oppressors and justifying the domination of the vulnerable. He died because he stood in solidarity with the vulnerable against the status quo. It’s time we also … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Taking up one’s cross is not a call to patiently, passively endure, but to take hold of life and stand up against injustice even if there is a cost for doing so.” Featured Text: The one who … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “We don’t have to reject members of our own family. Rather, this week’s saying tells us that when we do take a stand for justice, we may be rejected by mother, father, daughter, son, brother, or sister, … Continue reading
The Parable of the Invited Dinner Guests
by Herb Montgomery Karen Baker-Fletcher writes: “If Jesus is on the side of the least of these, as Matthew 25 suggests and womanist liberation theologians emphasize, then this includes the earth. It too is hungry for nourishment. It too is … Continue reading
The Exalted Humbled and the Humble Exalted
by Herb Montgomery “There is a vast difference between the kind of pride that exalts self over others as if you were the normal or ideal and others were somehow less than, and the kind of pride that rejects the … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Every day we each face the choice of whether to work toward a new inclusive community or not. What can we learn from this week’s saying? It’s not just a lamentation for 1st Century Jerusalem . . … Continue reading
The Reversal of the Last and the First
by Herb Montgomery “Economies that keeps workers desperate are structured that way by design . . . Just this past week it was published that there is not one state in the US where a 40 hours a week (full-time), … Continue reading
Replaced by People from East and West
by Herb Montgomery “When you see who is welcomed and affirmed, when you see how wrong you were about those you thought should be forbidden from sitting at the table with you, it’s going to make you so angry!” Featured … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Why is the path narrow? It’s narrow simply because it’s traversed by so few. Paths are broad or narrow determined by the number of those who travel them. In other words, we too often think of this saying … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “And again‚ with what am I to compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until it was fully fermented.” (Q 13:20-21) Companion … Continue reading
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “What is the kingdom of God like, and with what am I to compare it? It is like a seed of mustard, which a person took and threw into his garden. And it grew and … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: While you go along with your opponent on the way, make an effort to get loose from him, lest the opponent hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the assistant, and the … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “But he said to them, ‘When evening has come, you say: Good weather! For the sky is flame red.” And at dawn: “Today it’s wintry! For the lowering sky is flame red.” The face of … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “Fire have I come to hurl on the earth, and how I wish it had already blazed up! Do you think that I have come to hurl peace on earth? I did not come to … Continue reading
The Faithful or Unfaithful Slave
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “Who then is the faithful and wise slave whom the master put over his household to give them food on time? Blessed is that slave whose master, on coming, will find so doing. Amen‚ I … Continue reading
The Son of Humanity Comes as a Robber
The banner reads: “Capitalism isn’t working: another world is possible.” G20, Meltdown Protest, City of London, Bank of England, 1 April 2009. Credit: Tony Hall. by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “But know this: If the householder had known in which … Continue reading
Free from Anxiety like Ravens and Lilies
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you are to eat, nor about your body, with what you are to clothe yourself. Is not life more than food, and the … Continue reading
Storing up Treasures in Heaven
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “Do not treasure for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and gnawing deface and where robbers dig through and rob, but treasure for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor gnawing defaces and where … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “When they bring you before synagogues, do not be anxious about how or what you are to say; for the holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you are to say.” Q 12:11-12 … Continue reading
Speaking against the holy Spirit
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “And whoever says a word against the son of humanity, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.” Q 12:10 Companion Texts: Matthew 12:32: “Anyone … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “Anyone who may speak out for me in public the son of humanity will also speak out for him before the angels. But whoever may deny me in public will be denied before the angels.” … Continue reading
More Precious than Many Sparrows
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them will fall to earth without your Father’s care. But even the hairs of your head all are numbered. Do not be afraid, … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. But fear the one who is able to destroy both the soul and body in Gehenna.” (Q 12:4-5) Companion … Continue reading
Proclaiming What Was Whispered
by Herb Montgomery #SilenceIsViolence Why We Cannot Be Silent Featured Text: “Nothing is covered up that will not be exposed, and hidden that will not be known. What I say to you in the dark, speak in the light; and what … Continue reading
Wisdom’s Judgment on This Generation
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “Therefore also Wisdom said: I will send them prophets and sages, and some of them they will kill and persecute, so that a settling of accounts for the blood of all the prophets poured out … Continue reading
Woes against the Exegetes of the Law
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “And woe to you exegetes of the Law for you bind burdens and load on the backs of people, but you yourselves do not want to lift your finger to move them. Woe to you, … Continue reading
Making 2017 a year of compassion and justice. by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “Woe for you, Pharisees, for you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and give up justice and mercy and faithfulness. But these one had to do, without … Continue reading
The Jaundiced Eye Darkens the Body’s Light
by Herb Montgomery Featured Text: “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is generous, your whole body is radiant; but if your eye is jaundiced, your whole body is dark. So if the light within you … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hidden place‚ but on the lampstand, and it gives light for everyone in the house.” Q 11:33 Companion Texts: Matthew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the … Continue reading
Something More than Solomon and Jonah
by Herb Montgomery “The queen of the South will be raised at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and look, something more … Continue reading
The Sign of Jonah for This Generation
by Herb Montgomery “But some were demanding from him a sign. But he said‚ ‘This generation is an evil generation; it demands a sign, and a sign will not be given to it — except the sign of Jonah! For … Continue reading
Hearing and Keeping God’s Word
by Herb Montgomery “As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, ‘Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.’ He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and … Continue reading
The Return of the Unclean Spirit
(And standing in solidarity with the Native nations on Standing Rock Indian Reservation in the Dakotas) by Herb Montgomery Photo by Desiree Kane “When the defiling spirit has left the person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery The one not with me is against me, and the one not gathering with me scatters. (Q 11:23) Companion Texts: Matthew 12.30: Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “A strong person’s house cannot be looted, but if someone still stronger overpowers him, he does get looted.” (Q 11:21-22) Matthew 12:29: “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions … Continue reading
Refuting the Beelzebul Accusation and the Finger of God
by Herb Montgomery “And he cast out a demon which made a person mute. And once the demon was cast out, the mute person spoke. And the crowds were amazed. But some said: By Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, … Continue reading
The Certainty of the Answer to Prayer
(Universal or Particular?) by Herb Montgomery “I tell you, ask and it will be given to you, search and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “When you pray, say‚ Father — may your name be kept holy! — let your reign come: Our day’s bread give us today; and cancel our debts for us, as we too have cancelled for those in … Continue reading
The Beatitude for the Eyes that See (God in the Othered)
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you: Many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, but never saw it, and to hear what you hear, but never heard it.” (Q 10:23-24) Companion … Continue reading
Knowing the Father through the Son
by Herb Montgomery “Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and to whomever the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Q … Continue reading
Thanksgiving that God Reveals Only to Children
by Herb Montgomery Learning to listen to the most vulnerable within our societies. “At that time he said: I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for you hid these things from sages and the learned, and disclosed them … Continue reading
Whoever Takes You in Takes Me in
Both the positive and negative implications. by Herb Montgomery “Whoever takes you in takes me in, and whoever takes me in takes in the one who sent me.” (Q 10:16) Companion Texts: Matthew 10:40-42: “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the wonders performed in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, in sackcloth and ashes. Yet for Tyre and Sidon … Continue reading
Response to a Town’s Rejection
by Herb Montgomery “But into whatever town you enter and they do not take you in, on going out from that town‚ shake off the dust from your feet. I tell you: For Sodom it shall be more bearable on … Continue reading
Sayings Gospel Q: What to Do in Houses and Towns
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Into whatever house you enter, first say: ‘Peace to this house!’ And if a son of peace be there, let your peace come upon him; but if not, let‚ your peace return upon you. And at that … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Carry no purse‚ not knapsack, nor sandals, nor stick, and greet no one on the road.” (Q 10:4) Companion Texts: Matthew 10:7-10: “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the … Continue reading
Sayings Gospel Q: Sheep Among Wolves
by Herb Montgomery “Be on your way! Look, I send you like sheep in the midst of wolves” (Q 10:3) . Companion Texts: Matthew 10.16: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes … Continue reading
Sayings Gospel Q: Workers for the Harvest
What do you want the next revolution to look like? by Herb Montgomery “He said to his disciples: The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to dispatch workers into his harvest.” (Q … Continue reading
Hello Everyone, Here is a quick update for you on how the flood recovery efforts are going. (Original Flood Update) First, I could not be more proud of my county. It was announced earlier this week that John Unger & FEMA … Continue reading
July 1, 2016 by Herb Montgomery Hello Everyone, My heart is heavy as I write this. So many of you have been asking for an update of what is happening here in the wake of the flood that ravaged West … Continue reading
Confronting Potential Followers
by Herb Montgomery Before we begin this week, I want to take a moment to pause and remember the forty-nine victims of the Orlando Shooting. This tragic event took place at the gay nightclub Pulse, where our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, … Continue reading
This Generation and the Children of Wisdom
(Being awake to today’s socio-economic, Liberation movements.) by Herb Montgomery “To what am I to compare this generation and what is it like? It is like children seated in the‚ market-places who addressing the others say: ‘We fluted for you, … Continue reading
“For John came to you. The tax collectors responded positively, but the religious authorities rejected him.” (Q 7:29-30) Companion Texts: Luke 7:29-30: “(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, … Continue reading
(And the Inability of Those in “Fine Clothing”) by Herb Montgomery “And when they had left, he began to talk to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by … Continue reading
John’s Inquiry about the One to Come
(Healing versus Destruction) by Herb Montgomery “And John, on hearing about all these things, sending through his disciples, said to him: ‘Are you the one to come, or are we to expect someone else?’ And in reply he said to … Continue reading
The Centurion’s Faith in Jesus’ Word
(Who Are Our Centurions?) by Herb Montgomery “And it came to pass when‚ he ended these sayings, he entered Capernaum. There came to him a centurion exhorting him and saying: ‘My‚ boy is doing badly.’ And he said to him: … Continue reading
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Everyone hearing my words and acting on them is like a person who built one’s house on bedrock; and the rain poured down and the flash-floods came, and the winds blew and pounded that house, and it … Continue reading
Not Just Saying Master, Master
by Herb Montgomery “Why do you call me: Master, Master, and do not do what I say?” (Q 6:46) Companion Texts: Luke 6:46, 47: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for … Continue reading
The Tree Is Known by its Fruit
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “No healthy tree bears rotten fruit, nor, on the other hand‚ does a decayed tree bear healthy fruit. For from the fruit the tree is known. Are figs picked from thorns, or grapes from thistles? The good … Continue reading
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “And why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but the beam in your own eye you overlook? How can you say to your brother: Let me throw out the speck from your eye, and … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “A disciple is not superior to one’s teacher. It is enough for the disciple that he become‚ like his teacher.” (Q 6:40) Luke 6:40: The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Can a blind person show the way to a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? (Q 6:39) Luke 6:39: “He also told them this parable: ‘Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Do not pass judgment, so you are not judged. For with what judgment you pass judgment, you will be judged. And with the measurement you use to measure out, it will be measured out to you.” (Q … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Be full of pity, just as your Father is full of pity.” (Q 6:36) Luke 6:36: Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Matthew 5:48: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. We can … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “If you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what reward do you have? Do … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “And the way you want people to treat you, that is how you treat them.” (Q 6:31) Luke 6:31: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “The one who slaps you on the cheek, offer him the other as well; and to the person wanting to take you to court and get your shirt, turn over to him the coat as well. And … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Love your enemies and‚ pray for those persecuting you so that you may become sons of your Father, for he raises his sun on bad and good and rains on the just and unjust.” (Sayings Gospel Q 6:27-28, … Continue reading
The Beatitude for the Persecuted
by Herb Montgomery Blessed are you when they insult and persecute you, and say every kind of evil against you because of the son of humanity. Be glad and exult‚ for vast is your reward in heaven. For this is … Continue reading
The Beatitudes for the Poor, Hungry, and Mourning
by Herb Montgomery And raising his eyes to his disciples he said: Blessed are you poor, for God’s reign is for you. Blessed are you who hunger, for you will eat your fill. Blessed are you who mourn, for you … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. (Matthew 5.1-2, emphasis added.) From each of us here at … Continue reading
Two Visions [or Versions] of Peace (Part 3 of 3)
The Subversive Narratives of Advent: Part 3 of 3 by Herb Montgomery “The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of … Continue reading
The Subversive Narratives of Advent (Part 2 of 3) BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2) Our … Continue reading
The Subversive Narratives of Advent (Part 1 of 3)
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people.” (Luke 2.10) Advent season has begun! Over the next two weeks I want to look at the birth narratives of Jesus from first century … Continue reading
BY HERB MONTGOMERY A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed … Continue reading
Ethical Teachings Versus Supernatural Claims
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do as I teach? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:6) Tomorrow is Halloween so let’s talk … Continue reading
A Shared Meal and a Vision for the Future
BY HERB MONTGOMERY While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples . . . Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he … Continue reading
Jesus’ Vision for Community, Wealth Redistribution, and Closing the Inequality Gap
By Herb Montgomery Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23) First, I didn’t say the above statement! So don’t be upset with me. But … Continue reading
BY HERB MONTGOMERY While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “‘The Lord said … Continue reading
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life . . . instruct them in the practice of all I have [taught] you” (Matthew 28:17, 18-19, The Message, emphasis added). Last … Continue reading
An End of the World Savior versus Present Liberator
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, ‘What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits [read cosmic forces of evil] and they obey him.’ News about … Continue reading
Is Transformative Justice Enough?
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Those who are well have no need of a physician.” (Mark 2.17) This week, we continue exploring the passage that we looked at last week. Last week we said that the inclusive table of Jesus made room … Continue reading
Jesus—Liberator of the Oppressed, Physician of the Sick
BY HERB MONTGOMERY As Jesus was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in … Continue reading
Jesus, the Meek, and the Golden Rule
Jesus’ non-exclusive, non-homogenous, non-kyriachical, shared table. BY HERB MONTGOMERY Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5) As we look at the “blessings” of Matthew 5 this week, know that they do not say that any state … Continue reading
Women and the Cheek Defiance of Jesus
Self-Affirming, Nonviolent Resistance and the Cheek Defiance of Jesus for Women. BY HERB MONTGOMERY If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. —Matthew 5:39 Over the last few weeks, I’ve been confronted by … Continue reading
Blessed Are Those Who Are Poor . . .
BY HERB MONTGOMERY Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. (Luke 6:20) It’s good to be back home! I truly loved my time in Brazil. It is a … Continue reading
A Liberation For Those Who Mourn
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) (Top to bottom; left to right.): Ethel Lance, 70; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Cynthia Hurd, 54; Depayne Middleton Doctor, 49; The Rev. Clement Pinckney, 41; Susie Jackson, 87; Myra … Continue reading
Jesus’ Words to the Disinherited: Salt, Light, Justice, and Anger
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “You are the light of the world.” — Jesus (Matthew 5.14) Last week we talked about the difference it makes when we place the Sermon on the Mount in the context of Jesus belonging to and speaking among … Continue reading
Letting Go of Three Types of Fear
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) I have recently gone through a paradigm shift in the way I look at Jesus and I believe … Continue reading
No Such Thing As “Dogs and Pigs” . . . Only “Children.”
How “Listening” is the Cure for our Blindspots BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” (Mark 7:28) This week, I want to place some puzzle pieces on the table for you … Continue reading
Baltimore, Black Lives Matter, and Jesus
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34 Before you imagine that Jesus is endorsing taking up a sword here, … Continue reading
The Last Shall Be the Same as the First and the First the Same as the Last
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last … Continue reading
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 9 of 9
Part 9 of 9 by Herb Montgomery The Gospel of an Unstoppable Liberation “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.” (Acts 13:32-33) I want … Continue reading
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 8 of 9
Part 8 of 9 by Herb Montgomery It Is Finished “When Jesus had drank the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30) The parallels between John’s telling … Continue reading
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 7 of 9
Part 7 of 9 by Herb Montgomery I Am Thirsty Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” (John 19.28) As we continue in John’s telling of the … Continue reading
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 6 of 9
Part 6 of 9 Woman, Here Is Your Son BY HERB MONTGOMERY Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and … Continue reading
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 5 of 9
Part 5 of 9 Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit by Herb Montgomery Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last (Luke 23.46). Out … Continue reading
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 4 of 9
Part 4 of 9 You Will Be with Me in Paradise by Herb Montgomery He replied, “Truly I tell you today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43 Today, much is lost when one reads these words … Continue reading
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 3 of 9
Part 3 of 9 Forgive Them; For They Do Not Know What They Are Doing BY HERB MONTGOMERY Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 32:34 Last week we looked at … Continue reading
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 2 of 9
Part 2 of 9 My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? BY HERB MONTGOMERY And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my … Continue reading
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus; Part 1 of 9
Part 1 of 9 Two Definitions of Holiness BY HERB MONTGOMERY This week I want to begin a nine-part series leading up to this year’s Easter season. Beginning next week, we will take a look at each of the last … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mark … Continue reading
Communities of Origin and Internalized Self-Hatred
by Herb Montgomery They went to Capernaum; and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there … Continue reading
Liberation Descending in the Form of a Dove
The Liberation dove and the difference between nonviolence and peace. By Herb Montgomery In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the … Continue reading
The Wisdom of Difference among the Disciples of Christ
Keisha E. McKenzie “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: And Simon he surnamed Peter; And … Continue reading
The Anatomy of an Open Meeting; Part 5 of 5
ANATOMY OF AN OPEN MEETING: What Leaders Do? BY KEITH GILES Part 5: OTHER FUNCTIONS OF A LEADER IN AN ORGANIC CHURCH In this, our final installment, we’ll talk about a variety of things that leaders (or “elders”) in the … Continue reading
The Anatomy of an Open Meeting; Part 4 of 5
Anatomy of an Open Meeting: Creating Experts? BY KEITH GILES Part 4: THE DANGER OF CREATING HEROES AND EXPERTS I’ve written about this before on my blog and shared my concerns about elevating leaders within the House Church/Organic Church movement … Continue reading
Follow Jesus, He’ll Ruin Your Life
by Herb Montgomery And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.—Jesus (Mark 1.17) The Downward Social Mobility of Following Jesus I’ve chosen to begin this new year with a fresh … Continue reading
The Anatomy of an Open Meeting; Part 3 of 5
Anatomy of an Open Meeting: How Do I Lead One? BY KEITH GILES Part 3 - HOW DO I LEAD AN OPEN MEETING? This is probably the hardest thing to write about. As someone who grew up in the traditional … Continue reading
The Anatomy of an Open Meeting; Part 2 of 5
Anatomy of an Open Meeting: What does it look like? BY KEITH GILES Part 2 - WHAT DOES AN OPEN MEETING LOOK LIKE? Essentially, what we try to do is to come together and “take hold of Christ” as a … Continue reading
The Anatomy of an Open Meeting; Part 1 of 5
BY KEITH GILES Part 1 of 5 In this new series I want to answer some questions that several people have asked me after reading my latest book, “This Is My Body:Ekklesia As God Intended” which deals mainly with a … Continue reading
BY HERB MONTGOMERY “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the … Continue reading
by Herb Montgomery “You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.”—Caiaphas (John 11.50) Substitute the word “tortured” in place of the word “die” … Continue reading
Newton’s Amazingly Inaccurate Grace Myth by Herb Montgomery (Title by Keisha McKenzie)
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me…to set the oppressed free.” — Jesus (Luke 4.18) I want to thank all of you for the overwhelmingly positive feedback I received from last week’s eSight. I also want to thank Keisha … Continue reading
Over the last few weeks, I have witnessed a very disturbing pushback from individuals I respect. This pushback is against the Black Lives Matter movement born out of the stories of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and many more. … Continue reading
Immanuel: God in Solidarity with an Oppressed People by Herb Montgomery
“All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’” (Matthew 1.22–23). This week I’d like to continue our … Continue reading
What does the Advent mean if not Liberation? By Herb Montgomery
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according … Continue reading
No More Sacrifice by Herb Montgomery
“‘Abraham is our father,’ they answered. ‘If you were Abraham’s children,’ said Jesus, ‘then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me . . . Abraham did not do such … Continue reading
A God Who Takes Sides by Herb Montgomery
“‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; … Continue reading
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” — Jesus (John 14.26) What many miss in John’s gospel … Continue reading
Orphan-Maker or Advocate by Herb Montgomery
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate. — Jesus (John 14.16) I find it interesting that within John’s version of the Jesus story, the word here used for the One who will be given … Continue reading
Rejected Rejection by Herb Montgomery
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?” (Matthew 21.42) First, I want to say … Continue reading
A Woman, a Ruler and Two Centers
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and to not get discouraged. (Luke 18.1) This week we are looking at the parable referred to by many as the parable of the unjust ruler and the … Continue reading
Jesus, ISIS and The West by Herb Montgomery
For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.—Jesus (Matthew 26.28) What did Jesus mean when he told his disciples that his blood was being poured out for the forgiveness … Continue reading
The Footsteps of the Prophets by Herb Montgomery
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”—Jesus (Matthew 5.11) Luke’s version is even more pointed: “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they … Continue reading
Mercy Seeds by Herb Montgomery
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (Matthew 5.7) It’s back-to-school season for most this time of year. And on our morning drive to drop off the kids this past week (I have three kids of three different … Continue reading
God of the Oppressors Vs. God of the Oppressed and the Sermon on the Mount by Herb Montgomery
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom … Continue reading
His disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is … Continue reading
The Demoniac, the Crowd and the way of Mercy rather than Sacrifice.
Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” (Mark 5:9) I must confess that this is one of the most bizarre and difficult sections of the four Jesus narratives. In … Continue reading
Part 3 of 3 – Jesus and the Living Water
Jesus and the Living Water Part 3 of 3 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” (John 4:16) Stop, and consider. A woman comes for water every day in the middle of the day, instead of … Continue reading
“Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman” (John 4.27). Last week we looked at Jesus and the “Us vs. Them” paradigm of the Jews and the Samaritans. This week, I’d like to … Continue reading
Part 1 of 3 – Jesus and the Samaritans
The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) (John 4.9) This week I want to begin … Continue reading
The Scapegoating/Betraying of Jesus at Bethesda
“Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered … Continue reading
Not If They Are Wearing It Too
“And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless.” (Matthew 22:12) This week, I have to admit that I hate nametags. I’m often invited to an event to speak … Continue reading
We are all Brother and Sisters of the same Divine Parents
“It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12.32) I was caught off guard this past week by the convergence of multiple narratives like many streams meeting to produce a waterfall. In my heart, I was … Continue reading
Jesus Stops A Lynching and the LGBTQ Community
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery . . … Continue reading
Jesus and the Gospel of the Early Church
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) What I’d first like you to focus your attention on this week is that Jesus, in the above statement, does not say that the meek are promised that … Continue reading
Jesus, The Prophets, and Social Justice
“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.” (Matthew 5.13) Salt-less salt. Stop … Continue reading
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be … Continue reading
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and THE TRUTH, and the life.—Jesus (John 14.6) With almost the entire Christian world celebrating the Resurrection this past weekend (this was a year when Easter coincided for both the Latin Catholic … Continue reading
Three Methods Jesus Rejected For Restoring The Kingdom
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they … Continue reading
The End of Systems That Sacrifice Innocents
Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be healed through him.—John 3.17 (emphasis added.) The word placed in Jesus’ mouth by John here is “sozo.” It … Continue reading
Taking the Risk of Enemy Love for the Kingdom
“So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.” (Matthew 25.15) This week, I’m not going to write to you for long. I want to focus on a single parable told by Jesus and then … Continue reading
Doctrinal Unity in the Midst of Doctrinal Ambiguity
The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus … Continue reading
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6.14-15) Hello everyone. This week, you’ve caught me out west, doing … Continue reading
Jesus’ Power Under Vs. Power Over by Clement of Rome
But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the … Continue reading
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and … Continue reading
“If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to … Continue reading
But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, … Continue reading
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies . . .” (Matthew 5.43, 44). This week I want to share with you what I consider to be … Continue reading
The Egalitarian World of the Kingdom
But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called … Continue reading
A Revolution in a Manger: (The Restorative Justice of the King); Part 4 of 4
Today a Savior has been born to you . . . (Luke 2.11)This week, I want to wrap up our four-part series. In Part 1, we discovered that Jesus came to this earth as a new King. In Part 2, … Continue reading
A Revolution in a Manger: (Peace on Earth); Part 3 of 4
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (Luke 2.14)A Revolution in a Manger: (Peace on Earth), Part 3 of 4 “Peace on those whom he favors.” That was the promise Rome … Continue reading
A Revolution Lying in a Manger (Freedom from the Fear of Death); Part 2 of 4
“Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”—Mathew 2.2 A Revolution Lying in a Manger (Freedom from the Fear of Death) Part 2 … Continue reading
A Revolution Lying in a Manger: Freedom, Peace, and Justice; Part 1 of 4
“Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11)The holiday … Continue reading
Thanks, Repentance, and Confession Giving
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied . . . Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. (Luke 6.21-25)We are just a few days away from a time spent in … Continue reading
The Pre-Constantinian Mustard Seed
“It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” (Luke 13.19) The last time I had seen this place was in … Continue reading
Part 9: The Coming of the Son of Man in an Unexpected Way
Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look … Continue reading
Prophecy #8 – A Green Tree verses a Nation of Dry Trees
Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore … Continue reading
Prophecy #7 – The Coming Kingdom, By Two Possible Paths
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be … Continue reading
Prophecy # 6 – The Way of Enemy-Embracing, Nonviolent Love and A God Who Changes His Mind
As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days … Continue reading
Prophecy #5 – Signs That Can Be Observed
Once Jesus was asked by a Pharisee when the kingdom of God was coming. He answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it … Continue reading
Prophecy #4 – Mother God and the Roman Eagle
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! … Continue reading
Prophecy #3 – Two Headlines and a Fig Tree
At that very time, there were some present that told him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners … Continue reading
Prophecy #2 – Clouds on the Horizon
“When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to … Continue reading
Prophecy #1 – The Blood of All the Prophets
“Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ Therefore, this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets … Continue reading
“The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed . . .” —Jesus (Luke 9.22) This week, I’d like to begin with something a little different. Are you … Continue reading
He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And … Continue reading
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads … Continue reading
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. —Jesus, John 14.16I find it interesting that the word Jesus used to refer to the Spirit is Advocate. This is the word … Continue reading
This world IS our home, we are NOT just passing through.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.—Jesus (Matthew 5.5, emphasis added.)This week, I want to look at an emphasis in the teachings of Jesus that many miss today. Today, those who bear Christ’s name (Christians) are known … Continue reading
“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew … Continue reading
The Deeply Obstructed Kingdom Has Come (Part 2)
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. (Matthew 9.35)This week I’d like to finish up our look at Jesus’ … Continue reading
The Deeply Obstructed Kingdom Has Come (Part 1)
Once, Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There … Continue reading
Jesus’ Definition of Salvation
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house . . .” (Luke 19.9).After almost a whole month of being on the road, I’m happy to be sitting in a hotel this morning writing this eSight for next … Continue reading
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.” (Luke 15.28)This week I’d like to look at three events in Luke’s version of the Jesus story that reveal to us … Continue reading
Enemy Love; A New Moral Ethic!
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other also. … Continue reading
White Horse, Red Horse, Black Horse, Pale. Loving your enemies, till Love prevails.
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other also. … Continue reading
“But to you who are listening, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other. … Continue reading
Journal entry, February 14, 2013:The picture we get of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is of an itinerant, going around gathering those who will join him in a revolutionary way of doing life that he calls “the kingdom … Continue reading
The Good News of the Kingdom wasn’t “Good News” to the “Religious”
“He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, … Continue reading
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much … Continue reading
“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (Mark 1.14–15, TNIV).Last week, we … Continue reading
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. … Continue reading
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the … Continue reading
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”—Luke 2.11 This holiday season, as many Christians around the globe celebrate the “virgin birth” of Jesus, I want to embark on … Continue reading
HeartGroups Series; Part 5 of 5
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. — Jesus (Mark 10.45)HeartGroups Series Part 5 This week, I want to conclude our five-part … Continue reading
HeartGroups Series; Part 4 of 5 – Appendix
Matthew 20.25-28—Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must … Continue reading
HeartGroups Series; Part 4 of 5
“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms . . .”— Paul, Ephesians 3.10HeartGroups Series Part 4 Embracing The “Mission” of New … Continue reading
HeartGroups Series; Part 3 of 5
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another . . . – Paul, Colossians 3.16The HeartGroups Series Part 3 The Sufficiency of Christ This week, I want to move even closer to … Continue reading
HeartGroups Series; Part 2 of 5
“What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be … Continue reading
HeartGroups Series; Part 1 of 5
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours . . . I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: Taking Up The Cross (12 of 12)
PART 12 OF 12 Taking Up The Cross BY HERB MONTGOMERY Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: Domestic Violence (11 of 12)
PART 11 OF 12 Domestic Violence BY HERB MONTGOMERY But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. (Matthew 5.39) This week, we discuss … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: The Church Fathers (10 of 12)
Part 10 of 12 The Church Fathers BY HERB MONTGOMERY “When Christ disarmed Peter, He disarmed every soldier.” – Tertullian, Apology I must apologize this week. I’m going to be sharing an appendix to Part 9 of last week. I … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: Nonviolence and Hitler (9 of 12)
PART 9 OF 12 Nonviolence and Hitler BY HERB MONTGOMERY He that leads others into captivity shall go into captivity himself: he that kills with the sword, will be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: Home Security (8 of 12)
PART 8 OF 12 Home Security BY HERB MONTGOMERY “But now I tell you, Love your enemies.” —Jesus, Matthew 5.44Part 8 This week, I want to address the single greatest objection to the peace teachings of Jesus that I get. … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: Old Testament Violence (7 of 12)
PART 7 OF 12 Old Testament Violence BY HERB MONTGOMERY Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various forms by the prophets, but in these last days, he has spoken to us by a Son [Who is] … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: The Church & The Empire (6 of 12)
PART 6 OF 12 The Church & The Empire BY HERB MONTGOMERY Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: Not Peace But A Sword (5 of 12)
PART 5 OF 12 Not Peace, But A Sword! BY HERB MONTGOMERY “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”— Jesus, Matthew 10.34 This week, … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: Go Buy A Sword (4 of 12)
PART 4 OF 12 Go Buy A Sword BY HERB MONTGOMERY Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: Cheek Defiance (3 of 12)
PART 3 OF 12 Cheek Defiance BY HERB MONTGOMERY “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: The Constantinian Shift (2 of 12)
PART 2 OF 12 The Constantinian Shift BY HERB MONTGOMERY “With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. ‘Put your sword back in … Continue reading
The Active Nonviolence of Jesus: The Witness of the Early Church (1 of 12)
PART 1 OF 12 The Witness of the Early Church BY HERB MONTGOMERY “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But now I tell you: do not take revenge on … Continue reading
Where Are You Getting Your Life?
Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.—Jesus (John 5:40)Each one of us is born with a deeply rooted question: Do I matter? It comes in so many varied forms: Who am I? Do I make a difference? … Continue reading
“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word … Continue reading
Christus Victor (The Victory of Christ) – Part 4
At about three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (This means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) Matthew 27.46Part 4 This week I’d like to wrap up our four-part … Continue reading
Christus Victor (The Victory of Christ) – Part 3
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.—Hebrews 2.14.Part 3 This week, I thought … Continue reading
Christus Victor (The Victory of Christ) – Part 2
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.—2 Corinthians 5:19Part 2 This week, I’d like to address what I consider to be the first facet of the Christus Victor paradigm. Remember from last … Continue reading
Christus Victor (The Victory of Christ) – Part 1
“Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” — John 12.31Part 1 I have gotten so much positive feedback from last week’s eSight! I’m so humbled by the encouraging emails that have … Continue reading
Forgiveness versus Payment (Part 2 of 2 – Appendix)
“He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And … Continue reading
Forgiveness versus Payment (Part 2 of 2)
When a strong man, who is fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. Nevertheless, when a stronger individual attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor that the man trusted and divides up his plunder.—Luke 11.21,22 … Continue reading
When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But they … Continue reading
Forgiveness versus Payment (Part 1 of 2)
“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both.” — Luke 7.42, 43This week, … Continue reading
Would You Give Up Being An American for Jesus? Part 2 of 2
The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and they feared the people; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them. So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to … Continue reading
Would You Give Up Being An American for Jesus? Part 1 of 2
The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and they feared the people; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them. So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to … Continue reading
Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a … Continue reading
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was … Continue reading
And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he … Continue reading
“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the … Continue reading
“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of … Continue reading
One of the experts in the law answered Him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.” Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly … Continue reading
“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” (Luke 11:44)This is an interesting word picture. In the first century, if you were a Jew, and you walked on someone’s grave, even if … Continue reading
“Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the respectful greetings in the market places.” — Luke 11.43This week, we are continuing our study of Jesus’ woes to the religious leadership of His day … Continue reading
“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former … Continue reading
“But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.” – Luke 11.41For the past four eSights, we have been looking at the first part of the dialogue here between Jesus and the leadership … Continue reading
Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have lunch with him; and He went in, and reclined at the table. When the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised that He had not first ceremonially washed before the … Continue reading
Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have lunch with him; and He went in, and reclined at the table. When the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised that He had not first ceremonially washed before the … Continue reading
Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have lunch with him; and He went in, and reclined at the table. When the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised that He had not first ceremonially washed before the … Continue reading
Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.” Luke 11:39First, let me say thank you for all of your feedback … Continue reading
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” Matthew 8.10This week I want to conclude our two-part series on the … Continue reading
“Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.” Luke 8.12This week, I want to begin a two-part series … Continue reading
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12)This past week, while speaking at Lake Junaluska Camp Meeting, I had the privilege of meeting a certain young person who brought the above text to my … Continue reading
When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But they … Continue reading
“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before … Continue reading
And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” … Continue reading
BY THIS EVERYONE WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER” (JOHN 13:35, TNIV).This week, I’d like to simply string a few texts together and let them do the talking (or, ahem, the writing). Here goes: … Continue reading
Or those nineteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? (Luke 13.4)As I look at the devastation left in the wake of last week’s … Continue reading
“When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” Luke 18:22Throughout Jesus’ ministry, contrary to modern … Continue reading
What about those eighteen people in Siloam who were killed when the tower fell on them? Do you suppose this proves that they were worse than all the other people living in Jerusalem (Luke 13:4)?Here is my warning. I’m a … Continue reading
“We are ruled by the love of Christ, now that we recognize that one man died for everyone, which means that they all share in his death. He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live … Continue reading
“But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion.” – Luke 10.33I have been on a beautiful journey of rediscovering Jesus through the Gospel of Luke since last August, and … Continue reading
“If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot From doing your own pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, And honor it, desisting from your own ways, From … Continue reading
John answered and said, Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us. But Jesus said to him, Do not hinder him; for he who … Continue reading
I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength, Forsaken among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom You remember no more, and they are cut … Continue reading
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.—James 5.16This last weekend I was in Wheeling, WV conducting our Awakening weekend … Continue reading
“Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16.14).This week I received an email expressing concern that we as a ministry have an unhealthy overemphasis on “love.” “There is a lot more to the Christian life than love,” the email stated. I … Continue reading
“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).Doing … Continue reading
Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the sunrise from on high will visit us . . . Zacharias, filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:78)From all of us here at Renewed Heart Ministries, to each and … Continue reading
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that … Continue reading
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the … Continue reading
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”—Jesus (John 10.10)Hello to all of you. I pray this finds each of you well. This week, rather than sending … Continue reading
But Jesus was saying, ” Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. (Luke 23.34)Have you every truly stopped and thought about that prayer? You see, … Continue reading
But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound … Continue reading
He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us.—Ephesians 5:2, The Message(Part 2 of 3) Okay, before we finish up on the different types of Grace, let’s pick up where we … Continue reading
And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son (1John 5.11).(Part 1 of 3) I am convinced that the judgment will reveal that salvation full and free was given to … Continue reading
I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from them . . . Hosea 14.4-7Recently, I received an email thanking me for the affect the presentations online had made on the their … Continue reading
“You who are far away, hear what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might. Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us … Continue reading
There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the … Continue reading
In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved … Continue reading
“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this: that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and … Continue reading
“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”—Matthew 5.48Wow, Its good to be back!!! After being sick, then traveling to Southern Louisiana for a camp meeting, (which was the first time I have ever had to … Continue reading
noneWe are sorry to announce that there will be no weekly E-sight this week, due to Herb being out of the office sick. He thanks everyone for your prayers and your emails, and he looks forward to resuming the weekly … Continue reading
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water . . … Continue reading
Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in … Continue reading
” . . . and through them is my glory revealed.” —John 17:10Over and over again, Jesus sought to teach us that the way we relate to others will directly affect what others think God is like. It becomes too … Continue reading
The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand—John 3:35.”In the light of the Saviour’s life, the hearts of all, even from the Creator to the prince of darkness, are revealed. Satan has represented God as … Continue reading
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of … Continue reading
Two days later there was a wedding at Cana-in-Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, as were Jesus and his disciples. They ran out of wine at the party following the wedding, so Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine … Continue reading
And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (John 1:51).I have a quick thought for you this week. … Continue reading
. . . And the one who comes to Me, I will certainly not cast out.—John 6:37Or as Peterson paraphrased it, “Once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go” (John 6:37, The Message). I remember … Continue reading
“You know that He appeared in order to take away sins . . .”—John 3.5Just a short thought this week. John tells us repeatedly that one of the primary purposes for God appearing to us “in the flesh” was to … Continue reading
The Pharisees objected, “All we have is your word on this. We need more than this to go on.” Jesus replied, “You’re right that you only have my word. But you can depend on it being true. I know where … Continue reading
” Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15.13).Years ago, while doing a weekend series in New Jersey, I believe, I was asked whether or not this verse was actually … Continue reading
Have you ever felt haunted by a deep heart longing for something more fulfilling, more meaningful, or simply more satisfying? Yet, if someone asked you what it was you actually wanted, would you be able to discern what it was … Continue reading
“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” … Continue reading
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.— Micah … Continue reading
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. —Micah … Continue reading
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit … Continue reading
They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” … Continue reading
Jesus said unto him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.”—Mark 9.23I have spent countless weekends emphasizing to audiences that what many consider as behavioral problems are truly the fruit of a much deeper issue … Continue reading
“. . . May your heart live forever!”— Psalms 22.26 NASB”Inspired speech will be over some day . . . tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say … Continue reading
“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love . . . ” — Ephesians 3:17I don’t plan to write a lot this week. A friend of mine that I’ve known since high school sent me three quotations on … Continue reading
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. — Luke 6.32I am continually asked, “Herb, how do we reach our post-modern, North American culture with this message … Continue reading
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? (Luke 7.42)This week I thought I would share an excerpt from my upcoming book Finding the Father, to … Continue reading
But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.— 1Corinthians 12.31This week, I’d like you to go through a simple exercise with me. John gives us the sublime statement that “God is love.” (I … Continue reading
“It will come about in that day,” declares the LORD, “That you will call Me Ishi [My Husband] And will no longer call Me Baali. [My Lord]” – Hosea 2:16Is there a difference between the relationship of a husband and … Continue reading
“. . . godliness is profitable for all things . . .” —1 Timothy 4:8 NASB “Sin pays a wage, and the wage is death . . .” — Romans 6:23 REBWe are in the midst of a four-part E-sight … Continue reading
Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father … Continue reading
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11)Over the next few weeks, I want … Continue reading
Mrs. E. G. WhiteHuman beings belong to one great family,–the family of God. The Creator designed that they should respect and love one another, ever manifesting a pure, unselfish interest in one another’s welfare. But Satan’s aim has been to … Continue reading
Matthew 5:45 So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Luke 6:35 But … Continue reading
I find myself running on two hours of sleep this morning, having just gotten off an international flight where I will be spending the next ten days sharing the precious Gospel of our Heavenly Father’s love. In the early morning … Continue reading
For I have a strong desire to see you, and to give you some grace of the spirit, so that you may be made strong. (BBE Romans 1:11)Grace doesn’t make us soft—it makes us strong; it strengthens, builds up, and … Continue reading
Herb MontgomeryMay they be blotted out of the book of life; And may they not be recorded with the righteous (Psalms 69:28). At Renewed Heart Ministries we offer a series of presentations on the book of Revelation that we present … Continue reading
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:27–28)This week, … Continue reading
“All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, “Speak to … Continue reading
Announcing a new book by Herb Montgomery from Autumn House Publishers, release date: December 15, 2009. Thought we’d share the introduction to the book with you this week:We are commissioned by the apostle Paul himself in his letter to the … Continue reading
Herb MontgomeryEphesians 5:1-2: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” In 1 … Continue reading
Ellen G. WhiteRighteousness is holiness, likeness to God, and “God is love.” 1 John 4:16. It is conformity to the law of God, for “all Thy commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:172), and “love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans … Continue reading
May they be blotted out of the book of life; And may they not be recorded with the righteous.Psalms 69:28This weekend I will be doing a series of presentations on the book of Revelation, and there are two verses that … Continue reading
Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a … Continue reading
This is God’s message to Hosea, son of Beeri. It came to him during the royal reigns of Judah’s kings, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. This was also the time that Jeroboam, son of Joash, was king of Israel. The … Continue reading
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6)Certainly we are in the age of the iPhone (although I personally am a Blackberry fan). This last weekend, I was speaking in a … Continue reading
2 Corinthians 3:7-18 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading … Continue reading
E.J. Waggoner”For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren.” The word “predestinate” is the same as “foreordain,” which is found in … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery “Thus, Esau despised his birthright.” —Genesis 25:34 A “birthright” is a right or privilege that one is entitled to at birth. I would like you to ponder a few texts this week, in light of the concept of … Continue reading
Ephesians 5:1-2: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”Last week we focused … Continue reading
1 Peter 4:7-11 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. … Continue reading
“They will walk after the LORD, He will roar like a lion; Indeed He will roar And His sons will come trembling from the west” (Hosea 11.10) The image of a Lion in the above verse is a fitting symbol … Continue reading
Then he will set the two goats before GOD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and cast lots over the two goats, one lot for GOD and the other lot for Azazel. He will offer the goat on … Continue reading
“This is what you are to offer on the Altar: two year-old lambs each and every day, one lamb in the morning and the second lamb at evening. With the sacrifice of the first lamb offer two quarts of fine … Continue reading
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5.10)I want you to ponder for a moment the Bible’s … Continue reading
“Thus, Esau despised his birthright.” —Genesis 25.34 A “birthright” is a right or privilege that one is entitled to at birth. I would like you to ponder a few texts this week, in light of the concept of a birthright. … Continue reading
Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus— Romans 15.5, NASB.This week, I would like to share with you the above verse as interpreted … Continue reading
“Far better not to vow in the first place…” (Ecclesiastes 5:5)Are you tired of making New Year’s resolutions only to watch them vanish like smoke as the following weeks ensue? I’d like you to consider two very opposite things as … Continue reading
Herb MontgomeryAre you tired of making New Year’s resolutions only to watch them vanish like smoke as the following weeks ensue? I’d like you to consider two very opposite things as this new year begins. First, what does it really … Continue reading
“These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.”— Psalms 50.21 I was awakened this morning by my one-year-old … Continue reading
Let me say at the beginning of this week, that if you are enjoying this holiday season with all your romantic soul . . . this weeks esight is not for you. (There’s nothing wrong with that by the way, … Continue reading
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”—Mark 8.36Since we began in the spring of 2007, we are quickly coming to the end of the first full year of Renewed Heart Ministries … Continue reading
So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to … Continue reading
“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” -Hebrews 9:14I would like you to consider things differently for … Continue reading
“Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat?’ But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me … Continue reading
“I am free and own no master; but I have made myself everyone’s servant, to win over as many as possible. To Jews I behaved like a Jew, to win Jews; that is, to win those under the law I … Continue reading
He has told you, O man, O woman, what is good and right, and what is the most important thing to Him: Always do what you believe is right! Love showing mercy and kindness to those around you who may … Continue reading
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.” -Romans 1.17Confidence inspires confidence. Courage rouses courage. Love awakens love. Respect begets respect. Faith enables faith! You can … Continue reading
“He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in his own heart, but he who does not believe God makes him out to be a liar by refusing to accept God’s testimony of his Son. This is … Continue reading
PRAISE THE Lord! (Hallelujah!) O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! (Psalms 106.1, AMP)This week, I would like you to consider the context of the above declaration of God’s eternal, … Continue reading
The great ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard what the queen has said, will quote this day to all the king’s officers, and there will be no end to the disrespect and discord! If it please your majesty, … Continue reading
When Jacob had worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like a few days because he loved her.—Genesis 29:20First let me apologize for being absent the last two weeks. We have received many emails from those who missed getting … Continue reading
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet without your Father’s knowledge not one of them can fall to the ground.” (Matthew 10:29 REB)I would like to contrast the above words of Jesus with the words of demonically inspired … Continue reading
“This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth.” Jesus—John 18:37 AMP Truth is more than that which stimulates the intellect and it’s more than mere doctrinal apologetics. … Continue reading
A Message from GOD of-the-Angel-Armies: “Don’t listen to the sermons of the prophets. It’s all hot air. Lies, lies, and more lies. They make it all up. Not a word they speak comes from me. They preach their ‘Everything Will … Continue reading
What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? (Luke 15:4, emphasis … Continue reading
In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, ‘He saved others; He cannot save Himself. Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so … Continue reading
For the grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men has appeared.” (Titus 2:11 DBY)Recently, we received a very good question here at Renewed Heart Ministries. I have noticed throughout the years that this question is usually … Continue reading
“For I have a strong desire to see you, and to give you some grace of the spirit, so that you may be made strong.”— Romans 1:11 BBEGrace doesn’t make us soft. It doesn’t make us weak. It makes us … Continue reading
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.”—Hebrews 5:12Recently, I … Continue reading
“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” —Psalm 119:32 NIVWhat does it mean to run? What does it meant to have had your heart set free? The answer to these questions lies … Continue reading
“Love is patient, love is kind . . . it does not seek its own.” —1 Corinthians 13:4-5I would like to ask you a very serious question this week and I would like you to ponder it honestly. If there … Continue reading
This is what the Lord says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more.”—Jeremiah 31:15I would like to ask you to pray … Continue reading
“For you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Exodus 34:14I received an email recently from a friend of mine in Australia. He was excited about a study that he … Continue reading
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.— Psalm 51:12There are three words that I would like you to ponder this week: Restoration, Joy and Salvation. The word Restore is defined as “to bring something back to an earlier and … Continue reading
Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, invited to be an apostle . . . among whom you also are invited . . . to all who are loved of God in Rome, you are invited into the other-centeredness of love: … Continue reading
“For the love of Christ compels us, having concluded this, that one died for all, then all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for … Continue reading
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever “— … Continue reading
“…Jesus Christ, through whom we have caught grace and apostleship ushering us into obedience to faith in the midst of all the Gentiles for His name’s sake.” (Romans 1:4,5; personal translation)There are three things I would like to point out … Continue reading
In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.—Psalm 16:11With so many demands on our busy schedules today, it is extremely easy for our time with God to become just another item on our … Continue reading
And the Word was God…—John 1:1The church that I belong to provides a Bible study guideline for the study time that takes place during their weekly service. It seems as though the subject of last week’s lesson was the Divinity … Continue reading
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no changing or shadow of turning.—James 1:17Do you know what one of my favorite things about God is? … Continue reading
Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.—1 John 2:28Thank you, most sincerely, for your patience over the last two weeks. We … Continue reading
noneThere will be no weekly E-sight this week due to filming.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.—Matthew 6:10The Bible clearly states that God is an omnipotent1 and sovereign2 Creator who is confidently guiding the world toward his desired end. Yet, because of this … Continue reading
“Whom God set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in His blood . . .” (Romans 3:25, Geneva).Please forgive my tardiness with delivering this week’s e-sight devotional. I was on my way out of town for two weeks, and … Continue reading
When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was … Continue reading
“…Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day…”—Colossians 2:13-23Let the full impact of the following statement rest upon your … Continue reading
“And I said, ‘I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it . . . also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other … Continue reading
For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. — 1 Corinthians 4:9In the above, Paul chose to … Continue reading
Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.—Revelation 14:1Do you long to know God more … Continue reading
“For Christ’s love compels us . . .”—2 Corinthians 5:14″It is no part of Christ’s mission to compel men to receive Him. It is Satan and men actuated by his spirit that seek to compel the conscience. Under a pretense … Continue reading
“Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’”— … Continue reading
“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes” (John 5:21).The tense of the Greek word for “raises,” in the above verse, is present active! It … Continue reading
When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”—Psalms 27:8Every person “moved to seek the Savior” does so only because “Christ is drawing the soul by His love” first (Christ Object … Continue reading
“. . . To the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”—Luke 2:35Christmas is just around the corner! This week will be filled with distant family, old friends, wanted and unwanted gifts as well as holiday foods and … Continue reading
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT—Romans 4:7-8Before I share this week’s devotional, I would like to thank so … Continue reading
Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body, they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of the dawn, and the earth shall cast out her dead—Isaiah 26:19.This past … Continue reading
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.—Isaiah 9:6 This holiday season, I find that I truly resonate with the words in the verse above as never before. Yet this week I’d like you to … Continue reading
Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years. —Genesis 5:21-22Last Monday at 1:00 p.m. (give or take a few minutes), my wife gave birth to a beautiful baby son, Christian … Continue reading
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. —Matthew 5:48. Thank you so much for your patience this past week. We have received so many emails wondering where their daily and weekly emails were, … Continue reading
May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, ‘THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.’—Romans 3:4 As I travel this … Continue reading
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.—Galatians 5:6Oftentimes, in religious circles, there are two ideas hotly debated by separate groups. Are we saved by faith or by works as well? Some focus … Continue reading
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”—Genesis 1:26What is God like and what does it mean to have been made originally in His image? Godliness is God-like-ness but what is God like? In short, … Continue reading
“So through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all.” (Romans 5:18, New American Bible)This week is Part 2 of our two-part devotional. I’d like you to first get a grasp on some very specific words Paul uses in … Continue reading
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men—Romans 5:12.Or as Paul states a few verses later, “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to … Continue reading
In the next few weeks I will be conducting once again our Life Unlimited series which is a gospel centered evangelistic series offered by RHM. I would like to share with you this week some thoughts that are currently on … Continue reading
Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation through faith in His blood.—Romans 3:24-25The term “propitiation” has caused much consternation throughout the years of Christian … Continue reading
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. — Ephesians 4:32Recently, I met a dear soul struggling to forgive someone who had wronged them. They were quite bothered, feeling quite … Continue reading
You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD Your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but … Continue reading
By the opening of your hand, every living thing has its desire in full measure.—Psalms 145:16C.S. Lewis is reported to have said, “If I find in myself longings and desire for which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only … Continue reading
. . . where sin abounds, Grace much more abounds.—Romans 5:20Jesus stated that when He, the Comforter, would come, the first thing He would do is convict the world of sin (John 16:8). I don’t know whether this has ever … Continue reading
“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”—Matthew 11:30Last week I had the privilege of speaking each evening at the Redwood Campmeeting in the Northern California Conference. Each night we pursued a deeply intimate encounter with God and … Continue reading
The heavens are the heavens of Jehovah; but the earth hath he given to the children of men.—Psalm 115:16 This past week, as our country celebrated our freedoms, I was contemplating what freedom really is and how we believe as … Continue reading
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” —Isaiah 43:2, … Continue reading
Herb MontgomeryWhat’s in a word? The specific word I’m referring to is the tiny three-letter word “let.” Moses records this word as being the very first word God spoke in this earth’s history. “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; … Continue reading
E.J. Waggoner. . . All this deliverance is “according to the will of our God and Father.” The will of God is our sanctification (1Thess.4:3). He willeth that all men should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the … Continue reading
Ellen G. White At the first advent of Christ, darkness, covered the earth, and gross darkness the people. Light and truth seemed to have departed from among men, and Satan appeared to reign in undisputed power. Rival sects existed, and … Continue reading
For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.—Romans 10:10Here at Renewed Heart Ministries we have recently received many inquiries concerning Faith. “What is it?” “How do I exercise it?” … Continue reading
A.T. Jones”I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me … Continue reading
A.T. Jones”Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Eph. 4:7. The measure of the gift of Christ is “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” This is true whether viewed … Continue reading
Herb Montgomery Have you ever tried to define for someone what a paradigm is? Our paradigms are not the world around us, but the way we see the world. They are our personal maps of our life surroundings. When … Continue reading
“For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.” John 17:19 The Greek word for “sanctify” here is hagiazo. It means, “To set apart for a holy purpose.” Did you catch that? It says … Continue reading
Therefore, Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also … Continue reading
“As I passed by again, I saw that the time had come for you to fall in love. I promised to love you. Yes, I made a marriage covenant with you, and you became mine.” This is what the Sovereign … Continue reading