Posts by Michele Crater

January 9, 2021 DAILY READING Luke 5:1-11 [Psalm 40:1-11] FIELD NOTES So often it seems, we give up too soon, weary from our work that bears so little results.  So often, we forget that Jesus, who has called us, is the one who also empowers us.  We forget that Jesus brings forth a bounty of fish so…

January 8, 2021 DAILY READING Acts 1:1-5 [Psalm 40:1-11] FIELD NOTES “When we attribute the Christian life from beginning to end to the Holy Spirit, we are indexing our lives to a divine personal agent who is capable of speaking, confronting, comforting, inspiring, encouraging, empowering, purifying, and the like. Moreover, in referring to the Holy…

January 7, 2021 DAILY READING Galatians 1:6-12 [Psalm 40:1-11] FIELD NOTES “The whole Christian gospel could be summed up in this point: that when the living God looks at us, at every baptized and believing Christian, he says to us what he said to Jesus on the day of his baptism. He sees us, not…

January 6, 2021 DAILY READING Matthew 12:15-21 [Psalm 89:5-37] FIELD NOTES In his modern classic, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense, scholar N.T. Wright says this: “Jesus is, at the moment, present with us, but hidden behind that invisible veil which keeps heaven and earth apart, and which we pierce in those moments, such as prayer, the…

January 5, 2021 DAILY READING Acts 8:4-13 [Psalm 89:5-37] FIELD NOTES Simon the Sorcerer had been captivating the people for some time when Philip rolled into town.  Where Simon offered up a spectacle, Philip offered something different.  Philip came in with healing, miracles, and most of all, the truth of Jesus Christ.   We like to think we…

January 4, 2021 DAILY READING Acts 10:44-48 [Psalm 89:5-37] FIELD NOTES We see in this passage from Acts that the Holy Spirit has been poured out even on the Gentiles.  This came as such a shock to those who had followed Christ, being that they and He were Jewish.  God had allowed those outside of the family…

January 2, 2021 DAILY READING Matthew 5:1-12 [Psalm 33:12-22] FIELD NOTES From The Voice translation: “And He began to teach them. Jesus: Blessed are the spiritually poor—the kingdom of heaven is theirs.     Blessed are those who mourn—they will be comforted.     Blessed are the meek and gentle—they will inherit the earth.     Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for…

January 1, 2021 DAILY READING Matthew 12:46-50 FIELD NOTES Ok, yes, this is a strange passage.  Jesus’ mother and brothers come to him to visit.  His disciples go to Jesus and inform him that his mother and brothers are there to see him.  Rather than going to them, the writer says that Jesus says instead, while pointing at…

December 31, 2020 DAILY READING Psalm 148 FIELD NOTES Praise the Eternal! All you in the heavens, praise the Eternal;     praise Him from the highest places! All you, His messengers and His armies in heaven:     praise Him! Sun, moon, and all you brilliant stars above:     praise Him! Highest heavens and all you waters above the heavens:     praise Him!…