Joel 1:1-2:17 Dear RTB’ers, Joel. Locusts! It’s hard to read this passage without wincing at the devastation brought on by these insects. Many months ago we read about the locusts plague in Exodus 10:1-20 and probably smiled at the plight of the Egyptians as Pharoah was refusing Moses’ requests to let the Israelites go. But …
Category Archives: RTB 2026 – Search the Scriptures, Part 3
January 16 / Jonah 3-4
Jonah 3-4 Dear RTB’ers, I’m trying to imagine a real-life scenario for us. Imagine that you are working in an office. You don’t like your job, but you do your best. Then your boss gets an award for work that you’ve done – and never mentions you or your contribution. You sulk. You go back …
January 15 / Jonah 1-2
Jonah 1-2 Dear RTB’ers, Jonah! We leave Matthew for a couple of weeks while we cover six of the twelve “Minor Prophets”, Jonah being the first of these. Jonah is a story with which we are all familiar. It’s a standard in children’s Bible story books – and yes, it also has theological and historical …
January 14 / Matthew 7:13-29
Matthew 7:13-29 Dear RTB’ers, Much of Scripture is deeply personal for me, as it should be (ideally) for anyone reading these Spirit-inspired words. Today there are two items that touch me every time I read them. Surprisingly, the first has a negative connotation: Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom …
January 13 / Matthew 7:1-12
Matthew 7:1-12 Dear RTB’ers, Judging (…don’t) and asking (…do). So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (v. 12) Also known as the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Now you know where that came from …
January 12 / Matthew 6:19-34
Matthew 6:19-34 Dear RTB’ers, Wealth and anxiety. Two separate topics? Or two topics closely tied together…? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (v. 31) It takes wealth (income) for us to buy our food and drink and clothing – and housing, …
January 11 / Matthew 6:1-18
Matthew 6:1-18 Dear RTB’ers, Giving, praying, fasting. Yesterday we saw five sets of “You have heard…But…” teachings from Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount”. Today we have three more pairings, “…they have their reward in full … But… your Father … will reward you.” (vv. 6:2,4; 5,6; 16,18) We have only a few sentences each about …
January 10 / Matthew 5:17-48
Matthew 5:17-48 Dear RTB’ers, “…you have heard that it was said… But…” (Mt. 5:21,27,33,38,43). With each of these phrases Jesus offers a teaching that takes the Law (a commandment) to a new level, replacing the original with a higher standard reflecting a heart attitude different from a physical activity. Although Jesus has a rejoinder for …
January 9 / Matthew 5:1-16
Matthew 5:1-16 Dear RTB’ers, Better than your reading my post…, write your own: Am I poor in spirit…? (v. 3) Am I among those who mourn…? (v. 4) Am I meek…? (v. 5) Etc. Blessings! See also: March 4 (2019) / Matt. 5:1-12.
January 8 / Matthew 4
Matthew 4 Dear RTB’ers, Today’s reading covers Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, His “settling” in Capernaum, and His calling His first disciples. But what struck me was the few verses after these incidents: And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching … and proclaiming the gospel … and healing every disease and every affliction … and …