Category Archives: dependence upon God
the Holy Spirit is the answer
Luke 1:26-56. Mary was amazed to find that she had been chosen of all women to give birth to the Messiah, the Son of God. Her question was not “why me?” because she knew that any time God works among … Continue reading
Posted in confidence, courage, dependence upon God, grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, trust
Tagged Luke 1
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only Jesus: provider of God’s rest
Hebrews 3:7-4:13. Moses offered a promised land and took his people to a place of rest, but they were not able to enter God’s rest because of their disobedience. Now Jesus offers God’s Sabbath rest. This is the rest of … Continue reading
Posted in dependence upon God, grace, Jesus Christ, obedience, works
Tagged Hebrews 3, Hebrews 4
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humility and heaven’s king
Matthew 18. The disciples had just asked a stupid question. They wanted to know who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus called a child, and presented him as an example to the disciples. He told them that … Continue reading
Posted in dependence upon God, fear, forgiveness, humility, kingdom of God, witness
Tagged Matthew 18
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a day in the life of heaven’s king
Matthew 14. Herod celebrated his birthday by murdering John the Baptist. It was a tragedy for the kingdom of heaven brought about by the lust and fear of one of earth’s kings. Later, when Herod learned of the success … Continue reading
Posted in courage, deliverance, dependence upon God, discipleship, faith, grace, ministry
Tagged Matthew 14
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the authority of heaven’s king
Matthew 8. At the conclusion of his sermon on the mount, the crowds were astonished at the authority with which Jesus had taught (7:28-29). Authority is the right to decide things. It is the ability to make commands in a … Continue reading
Posted in dependence upon God, discipleship, faith, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, submission
Tagged Matthew 8
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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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religion and heaven’s king
Matthew 6:1-18. Jesus did not oppose practicing acts of religious piety, but he warned his disciples not to practice them to gain a present “reward” (1,2,4,5,6,16,18). There will be rewards in the future, but disciples should focus their attention on … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, dependence upon God, discipleship, forgiveness, giving, kingdom of God, prayer, witness
Tagged Matthew 6
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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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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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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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Devotions 