Category Archives: love
others and heaven’s king
Matthew 7:1-12. The theme that ties together the varied instructions in this section of the sermon on the mount is others. The disciples will be tempted to look around at others and see their need for correction. Jesus warns them … Continue reading
Posted in compassion, discipleship, grace, love, ministry, missions, witness
Tagged Matthew 7
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when Christ comes, will he find us blameless?
1 Thessalonians 5:23-28. Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians here is that God would completely sanctify them by his grace. He prays for a church whose whole body, soul and spirit would be ready for her bride when he comes in … Continue reading
Posted in church, grace, Holy Spirit, integrity, love, prayer, preparation, sanctification, scriptures, second coming, submission
Tagged 1 Thessalonians 5
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when Christ comes: three questions answered
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11. Paul had been instructing the Thessalonians about making Christ come into their city by sharing the gospel and thus building the kingdom. He now answers three questions about the hope of Christ coming again physically and setting … Continue reading
Posted in faith, hope, love, self-control, sleep of death, witness
Tagged 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Thessalonians 5
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when Christ comes: faith , love, and hope
1 Thessalonians 1. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is a celebration of what happens when the Lord Jesus Christ comes. When he first comes into the lives of people in a community… they become people of faith – repenting … Continue reading
Christ, our life
Colossians 3:1-17. The words “if then” which begin this section signify that there are logical consequences to being a Christian. We who have been raised with Christ demonstrate it by… … setting our minds on the ascended Christ who is … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, forgiveness, Jesus Christ, love, peace, self-control, witness
Tagged Colossians 3
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relationships that reflect grace
Ephesians 5:22-6:9. The grace walk requires voluntary submission in all relationships. This is a means of obeying the command in 5:18, being filled with the Spirit. It is accomplished by submitting to one another. So, what follows should not be … Continue reading
Posted in church, equality, family, grace, love, obedience, peace, sanctification, submission, witness
Tagged Ephesians 5, Ephesians 6
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times of threshing
Isaiah 21. The punishment that God’s people would face under the oppressor (in this case, Babylon) for their disobedience was like grain, which is crushed to separate it from its chaff, and then violently thrown to the wind for winnowing. … Continue reading
mission management
1 Corinthians 16. Reading this chapter is like reading the minutes to a business meeting. You get an idea of the things that are high on the agenda for Paul and his missionary team. Benevolence offering for the needy in … Continue reading
loving service
1 Corinthians 13. Paul is still addressing the divisions caused in the Corinthian churches by those who are partial to one or the other minister. They valued those gifted with good communication skills, insight, faith, generosity, sacrificial commitment — and … Continue reading
Posted in church, divisions, love, ministry, spiritual gifts
Tagged 1 Corinthians 13
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preserving our brothers’ faith
Romans 14. The church in Rome consisted of fellowships and families dedicated to Christ, some of which were Gentile in origin, and others Jewish, and others Gentiles who had been associated with Judaism before accepting Jesus as Messiah. While all … Continue reading
Devotions 