Text: Jeremiah 29:11 This verse is a favorite for many people. Yet it is important to note the context – the restoration of the Jews from Babylon after 70 years in captivity (v. 10, 14). But many take this verse, apply it to their lives, and assume that God must have a plan for every detail (jobs, homes, […]
October 28, 2019
Shame: A Biblical Perspective
Text: 2 Thessalonians 3:14 Shame is “a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.” One can also be shamed or put to shame by others, causing him to feel ashamed. Shame has a very negative connotation in our society. But what does the Bible have to say about […]
October 7, 2019
Why It Is Important to Study the Bible
Text: 2 Timothy 2:15 The Bible contains the truth and reveals to us the mind of God. Yet it is not a private diary of God’s thoughts that mankind just happened to discover – it is revelation. Since God has revealed His word FOR us, what are we to do with it? First, we must study it. […]
September 30, 2019
Three Crosses
Text: Luke 23:33, 39-43 When Jesus was crucified, he was between two thieves. To the uninformed observer, there may not have been much of a discernible difference between the three men/crosses. Yet these men were different from each other; therefore, the crosses differed in their significance. We are going to look at these three crosses – what they […]
September 25, 2019
The Temptation of Christ
Text: Matthew 4:1-11 After His baptism, Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted. Satan tried to get Him to sin, but Jesus never once gave in to any temptation. He set an example for us, showing how to handle temptations. The Nature of This Temptation There are two types of temptations – testing […]
September 23, 2019
By Grace You Have Been Saved
Text: Ephesians 2:1-10 Typically when the New Testament talks about grace, it is the grace that was extended from God to man. Grace is “kindness which bestows upon one what he has not deserved” (Thayer), sometimes called “unmerited favor.” As Paul explained in our text, God’s grace saves us. The Need for Grace (v. 1-3) […]
September 9, 2019
Measuring the Love of God
Text: Ephesians 3:14-21 This chapter begins with Paul describing what God has given – His grace in the gospel (v. 2-3), a way to understand His will (v. 4), salvation to the Gentiles (v. 6), His wisdom made known (v. 10), the church (v. 10), His eternal purpose carried out in Christ (v. 11). All of […]
