I don’t think that people necessarily would say this out loud, but I do believe that we certainly think it. The situation goes something like this: I made a sacrifice for God. I go to the church / mosque / temple every day / week / month / year. I read the Bible every day. […]
Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:14-15 Paul has been writing to Timothy to keep […]
Paul is continuing to charge Timothy with his duties as Timothy continues his work in Ephesus. He reminds Timothy of the great truth about God’s desire to bring all people back to himself: This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one […]
Paul is writing to Timothy, the first leader that he ever began to develop as part of his traveling apostolic team from the churches that he planted. It seems that his intent is to remind Timothy of the work that Paul has sent him to do, but in starting his reminder of the work, Paul […]
As Paul is wrapping up his letter to the Colossians, in the last chapter, he asks the Corinthians: And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Colossians 4:3 Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, the […]
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then […]
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off […]
I noticed something new as I was reading through Mark 6 today, something that I hadn’t seen before. In the early part of the chapter, in verses 7 through 13, Jesus had sent out the 12 disciples 2 by 2 to various villages around to preach and drive out evil spirits. They went out and […]
We have all had something happen that we were amazed by and told other people many times what had happened in that situation. But soon, we’ve told the people around us, and maybe, if we’re forgetful, we’ve even told the story several times to the same people who have either been patient with us or […]
Mark 4 is a significant chapter in the work that I do these days. I am frequently meeting with believing Christians, trying to help them see that God designed their lives to be used for God, not for them. For example, if we look in verses 1-20, Jesus talks about the four different soils and […]