1 Peter 1.5-6 describes, (we) through faith are shielded by God’s power until the
coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” (more…)
James 2.26 observes, just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith
without works is dead.
There is too much faith without works in our churches today. The people of God expect the hirelings to do the work when the Scripture commands the hirelings to equip the people for works of service to God. Why is this to be the case? (more…)
Hosea 11.12 describes, Ephraim surrounds me with lies, the house of Israel, with
deceit. Judah still wanders with God and is faithful to the holy ones.
We hear often that we humans don’t like change. Our prayers reflect this disdain, often asking God for protection and safety instead of faith and courage. (more…)
1 Timothy 1.4 describes, God’s plan, which operates by faith.
God’s plan operates by faith. This means there will always be a tension in doing God’s will with the certainty that the exact thing we are doing, or the specific results we are achieving, are those we should be doing or receiving. (more…)
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…)
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