- Salvation, 1 Tim 4.16. Jesus saved man by his death; man saves himself and others by teaching about Jesus.
- Suffering, Col 1.24. Jesus suffered for man, and man suffers for his gospel.
- Sanctification, Jn 17.19. Jesus sanctified himself that he might sanctify his followers.
- Service, Mt 20.25-28. Jesus served man by giving his life as a ransom, and his people serve God and others by giving their lives for the gospel.
- Simplicity, Jn 14.28-31. Jesus gives us his peace, his promise, his power, his proof of love in obedience—this is all we need in order to rise and go.
The only human government that can be just
Lord, the only human government that can be just is one that reflects your truth and wisdom. Many nations, and the world at large, are in turmoil. Wars, protests, violence, oppression, and injustice abound.
On the one hand, O God, we have no solutions, no immediate fixes for such confusion and tumult. Continue reading “The only human government that can be just”
Who controls?
By Ron Thomas, Highway congregation, Sullivan IL
1 Peter 1:13-21
1. Mind (preparation) Control (1:13)
2. Body Control (1:14-16)
3. Time Control (1:17)
4. Mind (education) Control (1:18-21)
Watch videos of MS School of Biblical Studies
The Siwell Road congregation in Jackson MS provides videos as part of their Miss. School of Biblical Studies, apparently. Gary Hampton is one of the teachers, good man.
We saw videos of classes on the General Epistles and Minor Prophets. The site probably has more. Check them out.
The perfect Bible
By using the phrase “perfect Bible” in the title, we do not mean the perfect version or translation. The Bible as the word of God is perfect. Holy Scripture is perfect because it gives us the following: Continue reading “The perfect Bible”
Praying the Psalms: Psalm 1
The book of Psalms is filled with teaching, expressions of praise and thanksgiving, summaries of historical accounts, predictive prophecies regarding the Messiah, and utterances of prayer from David and others. It is a rich book, and we have shared some of its various treasures in past lessons.On this occasion, however, we begin an exercise in reading and praying through the Psalms. Our goal at this time is not commentary or explanation of difficult portions of the text. Our aim is to express our heart, using the sacred text as our basic form and outline. Although I am sharing my prayers through the Psalms, I encourage you to passionately pray through the Scriptures also on your own. It is a rewarding effort.
‘Jesus is Lord.’ But of what?
Introduction
- Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff visited the US recently and tried out Google’s driverless car. Our local newspaper’s editor claimed that Brazil is a driverless car, but without the Google intelligence. So the risk of an accident is great.
- His criticism points up that human governments are variable. They can be good, average, or bad.
- Good government is that of Jesus Christ and God the Father. They are both called “Lord,” indicating their sovereignty and authority.
- In Matthew’s gospel, there are three descriptions of Jesus and the Father that enrich our understanding of his Lordship.
- Jesus received all authority from the Father, Mt 28.18, so what is said of God is also true of Christ.
Yet another sermon site?
Looks like. But here you’ll find no stirring audio or impressive video. And no fancy PowerPoint. Just some points here and there that might suggest some ideas to you.
This site brings you the advantage of a long-term cross-cultural perspective. More than 30 years abroad, living, speaking, breathing the local culture. That may be its greatest claim.
Actually, the greatest claim is to be biblical, by respecting the original intent of the sacred text, and practical, touching on current needs and issues while tying in to the basic need of salvation and sanctification. Continue reading “Yet another sermon site?”
Security in your protection
Lord, be always at my right hand,
close by, always near,
to protect and preserve my life.
Help me to find security
in your protection
and confidence in you
as my protector. Continue reading “Security in your protection”
Alone and Spurned
Rejection, Lord, is painful.
I want to be accepted
by everyone.
But some turn away
with a single look,
And others listen briefly,
then close their ears,
and show their backs.
How far can I go
to win their love?
Does changing to please mean
that I cease to remain myself?
Alone and spurned is a hard
road to walk.
Does Jesus understand?