For what had all Israel been waiting expectantly for so many centuries? The Old Testament is littered with breadcrumbs as to the plan God, and many consist of specific promises from the Father. The following five verses are five anchors I like to keep memorized in my head (I learned this list from Phil Roberts…
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Grace Overflows
Only those who have received grace can give grace to others. Has God given you gifts you did not deserve? Does He continue to forgive you and love you despite constant failings, foibles, and falls? Do you find new mercies every morning? Jesus said the woman who anointed His feet with her tears and ointment…
Walk This Way (Ephesians)
Paul divided his letter to the Ephesians into two main sections, the first focused on what God has done in Christ to save them (chapters 1-3) and the second focused on what that salvation should produce in the Christian’s everyday life (chapters 4-6). Throughout the letter, Paul uses the metaphor of walking, both in negative…
Look into My Eyes, Lord
Hours earlier, Peter had boldly proclaimed, “Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death” (Luke 22.33) and, “If I must die with You, I will not deny You” (Mark 14.31). Now he sat in the courtyard of the high priest’s house, within sight of the men who were mocking…
The Perfect Governmental System Includes Slaves
What king ever took the place of his slave or gave his life in place of those under him? Such a king would be most beloved by his people. Jesus told His disciples on the night of His betrayal: John 15.12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater…
No Shame in the Struggle
I once listened to a sermon in which the preacher stated: “There is no shame in the struggle.” Do you struggle with a certain temptation? Do you wrestle a sin that seems to hook deeply into your flesh? Satan wants you to believe you are alone, that you struggle with something so shameful no one…
You Shall Not Be Partial to a Poor Man
No one seems to know what justice means anymore. “No justice; no peace!” protesters shout, as they hold signs calling for the end of the police departments. We hear a lot about “Social Justice” and “Racial Justice” these days, but what do people mean by those terms? In many cases, covetous and greedy men hijack…
Stick with the Simple Gospel
Sweet, sweet word of God. Are people now so brilliant that we must convince them of God’s existence before we ever show them His word? Where in the Bible does a preacher try to convince a person of God’s existence using philosophical arguments? Yet, today, many Christians first delve into human philosophy to try to…
Are You a True Disciple?
When a person wonders if he is a true child of God, I often point him to John’s first letter because it lists many ways you can KNOW that you love God, that you know God, and that God knows you! I have been recently impressed with what John’s gospel has to say about the…
Thank God for Suffering
We speak of the “comforts” of life, but what is comfortable? Perhaps we can know joy only after misery. Perhaps we can know peace only after the storm. Perhaps we can know comfort only on the other side of suffering. Walking into a delicious fall breeze tingles your senses and fills you with a sense…