Catch up on Touchpoints by Spirit in the Desert spiritual director, Henry Rojas, as well as archival Touchpoints by former faith mentor, Rev. “Bro. Jim” Hanson.
Worst week, best life
Hebrews 12:1-3 The Message 12 1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we are in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put…
Servant of servants
Isaiah 50:4-9NRSVUE 4 The Lord GOD has given mea trained tongue,[a]that I may know how to sustainthe weary with a word.Morning by morning he wakens,wakens my earto listen as those who are taught.5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear,and I was not rebellious;I did not turn backward.6 I gave my back to those who struck meand my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;I did not hide my facefrom insult and spitting.7 The Lord GOD helps me;therefore I…
Breathe Life
The Breath of Resurrection Ezekiel 37:1-14 37 The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spiritof the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” 4 Then he…
To See and Be Seen
Increase our faith.
Who Knew
Increase our faith.
Scandalous Imagination
3 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus [a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with that person.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” [b] 4 Nicodemus said…
The Power of Good
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” Genesis 3:1-7 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition The Birth of Self-Consciousness 3 Now the serpent was…
Who Cares!
27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died…
When You’re Up A Tree
1Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. 2 There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. 3 He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd. 4 So, he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. 5 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus,…
The Remedy for Cloudy Vision
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13 But…
Jacob’s Main Event
22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24 Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as…
Jesus and the Breakfast Club
11On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he entered a village; ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16He…