Text: 2 Timothy 4:16-18 As Paul tells of his experience in making a defense of the truth, he warns Timothy (and us) what to be prepared for and to keep his trust in the Lord. “At My First Defense” Denoting this as the “first” defense implies that there were others Our stand for the truth […]
July 22, 2013
“My People Who are Called by My Name”
Text: 2 Chronicles 7:14 After the construction of the temple was completed, God appeared to Solomon and warned him that His blessings were conditional. If the people wanted to experience God’s kindness and not His wrath, they needed to do certain things. We live under a different law today (Colossians 2:14), but the basic expectations God has […]
June 3, 2013
Praising the Lord Around the Throne
Text: Revelation 4-5 Revelation 4-5 describes a scene around the throne in heaven in which the Lord is receiving praise. With everything that He is and that He has done that is worthy of praise, the vision that John saw emphasized three reasons why the Lord was worthy of the praise He was receiving. Creation […]
April 15, 2013
The Chief of Sinners
Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-16 Due to his past, Paul would have seemed to be an unlikely candidate for salvation, let alone apostleship. But in our text, he explains to Timothy why the Lord chose him and how he was able to be saved. Paul’s Past It is easy to see why Paul would describe himself […]
September 3, 2012
Why Should Any Man Complain in View of His Sin?
Text: Lamentations 3:39-40 The book of Lamentations is a lament over the condition of God’s people on account of God’s dealings with them for their sins. Jeremiah warns them that they have no right to complain, despite their great suffering, because they had no one else to blame for their condition. God’s People Were Suffering […]
August 13, 2012
Steps of Salvation for the Christian
Text: Revelation 2:5 We regularly teach the “steps of salvation” for non-Christians (hear, believe, repent, confess, be baptized). After baptism, we must live faithfully (Revelation 2:10). How do we live faithfully? The same steps that led to one getting into Christ provide an outline for the steps we must take in our Christian walk. Hear […]
August 6, 2012
God Helps Those Who Help Themselves
Text: 2 Chronicles 32:1-8 We sometimes hear the phrase: ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ This phrase is not in the Bible, but the principle exists. In order to take full advantage of what God offers, we must do what we are able to do. Example: Hezekiah Defending Jerusalem Against the Assyrians (2 Chronicles 32:1-8) […]
