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Category Archives: confidence
only Jesus: access to God’s presence
Hebrews 8:1-9:10. God had revealed a pattern in the old Jerusalem temple that predicted what Jesus has now accomplished for us in the heavenly temple. Under the old covenant, access to the presence of God was restricted. Only the priests … Continue reading
Posted in atonement, confidence, deliverance, grace, Jesus Christ, prayer, redemption, worship
Tagged Hebrews 8, Hebrews 9
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only Jesus: guarantor of God’s better covenant
Hebrews 7. The new covenant put into effect by Jesus is so much better than the old instituted by Moses. The author of Hebrews proves this by showing why Jesus has “become a high priest forever after the order of … Continue reading
Posted in confidence, deliverance, forgiveness, grace, Jesus Christ, peace, redemption, relationship with God
Tagged Hebrews 7
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only Jesus: builder of God’s house
Hebrews 3:1-6. The author of Hebrews urges his Jewish brothers not to cling to the traditions associated with Moses and slip away from their confidence in Christ. Just as some were tempted to get sidetracked on worshipping angels (chapters 1-2), … Continue reading
Posted in church, confidence, faithfulness, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God
Tagged Hebrews 3
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revelation about heaven’s king
Matthew 16. Jesus warned his disciples to stay away from the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They seemed like experts in the things of God, but they were not privy to a real understanding of what God was doing … Continue reading
Posted in church, commitment, confidence, gospel, judgment, missions
Tagged Matthew 16
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disappointment and heaven’s king
Matthew 11. The tone of Jesus’ preaching ministry changes a bit in this chapter, as he adjusts to a time of disappointment. John the Baptist had been violently taken by force. Even John was beginning to question whether … Continue reading
Posted in confidence, conflict, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, perseverance, sovereignty of God
Tagged Matthew 11
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trusting heaven’s king
Matthew 6:25-34. This section of our Lord’s sermon on the mount resonates with God’s heart as revealed in the Old Testament. Jesus pleads with his disciples not to make the mistake that Israel did under the Mosaic covenant. The LORD … Continue reading
Posted in confidence, dependence upon God, ethnic Israel, idolatry, kingdom of God, resurrection, trust
Tagged Matthew 6
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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
joy from the Lord
Philippians 3:1-4:1. Our joy is in the Lord, and for that reason our confidence cannot be in our ancestry or our accomplishments. Because our joy is in the Lord, anything we might count in our favor is actually counted as … Continue reading
Posted in confidence, enemies, faith, grace, joy, resurrection, suffering
Tagged Philippians 3, Philippians 4
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joy from confidence
Philippians 1:1-26. Things were getting bleak for the apostle Paul. He had been arrested and imprisoned in Rome with no knowledge of when — or if — he would ever go to trial. Even if he went to trial, the … Continue reading
resurrection or restoration?
Isaiah 26-27. Is Isaiah promising resurrection here, or merely the restoration of Israel? He uses language of physical resurrection: “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew … Continue reading
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