Tom Allen

"As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” Sometimes people followed Jesus just to see what he could do for him.  Interestingly enough, Jesus never condemned them or rebuked them or told him their motives were wrong.  In this case, he healed the blind men.  In essence, he was saying, " I'm glad you realized I have the power and capacity to heal blind eyes.  You must have been listening to me and following me for a while.  Now, you actually BELIEVE enough to approach me and ask me to restore your eyesight.  Good for you...I'll do it!"   You may be following Jesus to see what value he can add to your life.  And Jesus says, " Come on.  I can add unbelievable value to your life.  If you're looking for a BMW, I'm not your guy.  But, if you're looking for a better life...come along".   Looking for something....someone who can add value to your life?  Jesus is th...

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’   But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.   “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,   leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift."     Matthew 5:21-24      I'm sure Jesus had their attention when he spoke about the Law.  Especially that part about murder.  No murderers here!  We're good.      Then Jesus threw them a curve.  " But I tell you that anyone who is angry  with a brother or sister  will be s...

Jesus referred to us as "children of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:45),  "sheep and a shepherd" (John 10:14), and "a vine and its branches" (John 15:5).  In other words, it's all about relationship.  It's all about intimacy.  It's all about coming close.   Jesus came to reveal God to man.  The religious of his day thought they knew God and His heart.  He was distant and was simply about rules and reward.  Follow His rules, he throws you a bone.  Fail to keep the rules and He'll slap you down hard, at best, or disown you completely, at worst.   Jesus exploded the myth and broke the mold that God refused to fit into.  God wanted to be a father that was closer than our earthly fathers ever were capable of being.  He wanted to be a shepherd to protect, guide and feed us, His sheep.  He wanted to be the vine out of which we grew, gained our life and sustenance and were able to live a truly fruitful life.   God...