Galatians 2.16 observes, and yet because we know that a person is not justified
by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.
(more…)
2 Corinthians 12.10 observes, I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For
when I am weak, then I am strong.
I am not a fan of any of these things Paul says he will boast of, for when he is weak then he is strong. Paul says these things because the presence of the Lord within Him becomes increasingly obvious through Him when he is weak. (more…)
Matthew 10.22 promises, you will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures
to the end will be saved.
This section contains one of God’s most stern warnings to us about His expectation from us to serve Him as witnesses of His work in the world through Jesus the Savior. He reminds us that we are to share Him with others but warns that in sharing Him we will suffer for Him, for even those in our own household will reject the Lordship of Jesus. (more…)
2 Samuel 16.11-12 describes, my own son, my flesh and bone, is right now trying to kill me; compared 
to that this Benjaminite is small potatoes. Don’t bother with him; let him curse; he’s preaching GOD ’s word to me. And who knows, maybe GOD will see the trouble I’m in today and exchange the curses for something good.
David was immensely humble before God. He saw life’s circumstances as being part of God’s plan for his life – whether good or bad. David had received many good promises from God and many great evidences of God’s favor toward him. These things always took place in the midst of trouble and difficulty. (more…)
2 Corinthians 2.9-11, reminds us, the focus of my letter wasn’t on punishing the offender but on 
getting you to take responsibility for the health of the church. So if you forgive him, I forgive him. Don’t think I’m carrying around a list of personal grudges. The fact is that I’m joining in with your forgiveness, as Christ is with us, guiding us. After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways!
The health of the church is the responsibility of each of the members. The key to church health is each member seeing themselves as having an ownership interest. How does a church remain, become and develop it’s health? By living according to God’s Word. (more…)
1 Corinthians 9.19-23 records, even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I 
have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!
The purpose of the Christian life, the work we are to do, is to win people to Christ in order for God to accomplish His purpose of not seeing anyone perish but for all to come to eternal life. (more…)
Luke 16.8-9 observes, here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he 
knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right —using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.
This passage has made Christians wonder for centuries. God praises a thief, a liar, an embezzler. What? (more…)
Luke 12.8-9 commands, stand up for Me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God’s angels. But if you pretend you don’t know Me, do you think I’ll defend you 
before God’s angels?
One of the evidences for the truth of Scripture, that the Lord alone is God and that Jesus is the God-Man, the only Savior of the world, is the difficulty we have in identifying with Him before men. (more…)
Judges 13.25 observes, The LORD’s spirit began to control him in Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and
Eshtaol.
We all want the red pill, to know and have the power of the spiritual world in order to better engage this world; from the movie the Matrix.
We who know the frustration and defeat of trying to always please God but falling short, so long for the Holy Spirit to strongly come upon us so that we always do what God desires. The Scriptures record at least three men who were overtaken by the Spirit of God: Sampson in this verse, David who was a friend of God and Solomon who had wisdom greater than all men who have ever lived. (more…)
Hebrews 13.16 observes, God takes particular pleasure in acts of 
worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.
Following Jesus means living where He is, following Him to where He goes, and being with Him where He is active. God is not occupied with or limited to temples, though He may visit on occasion, rather He is a friend of sinners. (more…)
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