Monthly Archives: June 2011
testing heaven’s king
Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus responded rightly to each of the devil’s temptations in this narrative. He used the word of God to combat the challenges the tempter brought to him. Yet it is equally clear that there are fundamental flaws in … Continue reading
Posted in dependence upon God, faith, genuineness, Jesus Christ, prayer, scriptures
Tagged Matthew 4
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preparing for heaven’s king
Matthew 3. The life of John the Baptist was consumed with one task: preparing Israel for heaven’s king. His call for repentance was directed not toward the pagan masses, but toward a nation whose heart had forgotten that their God … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, destruction in hell, discernment, ethnic Israel, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, preparation, second coming
Tagged Matthew 3
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the destiny of heaven’s king
Matthew 2:13-23. Who you are right now is the result of a thousand decisions – some large and some small – and those decisions shaped your destiny. The catalysts for those decisions are various. In Jesus’ early life, his parents … Continue reading
Posted in dependence upon God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, scriptures, second coming
Tagged Matthew 2
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the virgin birth of heaven’s king
Jesus’ birth was completely natural; there was nothing supernatural about it. His conception was the miracle. The human DNA that would have come from Joseph in a natural conception came from the Holy Spirit instead. Matthew tells the story by … Continue reading
the earthly family of heaven’s king
Matthew 1:1-17. The Gospel of Matthew is a great adventure story by which readers are confronted with the reality that they have been visited by an extra-terrestrial: heaven’s king, Jesus Christ. Matthew first encountered the king when he was called … Continue reading
Posted in ethnic Israel, family, gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, plan of God
Tagged Matthew 1
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it’s who you know
Philemon 23-25. Paul concludes his letter to Philemon with a short list of associates who were probably well-known by the believers in Colossae, or at least by Philemon himself. Epaphras had been a messenger for Paul, bringing his letters to … Continue reading
Posted in church, commitment, courage, friends, gospel, ministry, missions
Tagged Philemon
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taking back the prodigal
Philemon 8-22. Onesimus had not been kidnapped and sold as a slave to Philemon. He was a bondservant. He had found himself in a poor state financially, probably having incurred a debt he could not repay. He needed the help … Continue reading
growing in our areas of strength
Philemon 4-7. The Holy Spirit’s counsel through the scriptures reaches down and touches us, encouraging growth in every facet of our lives, not just our weaknesses. Philemon was well-known for two things: He had great faith in the LORD and … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, dependence upon God, Holy Spirit, sanctification, scriptures
Tagged Philemon
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deeply committed, deeply hurt
Philemon 1-3. Philemon was a good man. He was not just a pew-sitter in Colossae. He hosted a fellowship in his own house. Paul described him as a “beloved fellow worker.” The picture we get from Paul’s words in this … Continue reading
Posted in conflict, courage, deliverance, dependence upon God, forgiveness, grace, trust
Tagged Philemon
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mission: send, support, serve
Titus 3:12-15. Paul’s final instructions to Titus give a job description for the church and explain how each local church can continue to be involved in the mission of reaching the lost world for Jesus Christ. He instructs Titus that … Continue reading
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