February 5, 2016 Deuteronomy 14:1-2 There are people today who feel the need to cut themselves. Some teenage girls feel so insecure that they feel the need to cut themselves. They cut their arms to get attention from people whom they love. They express themselves in this way because it’s a call for help. In the Old Testament, people who cut themselves and put dots on their foreheads did it to mourn the dead. It was an unnatural practice and... Read more
February 4, 2016 Deuteronomy 8:1-20 It’s easier to forget than it is to remember. That’s the lesson that Moses is teaching the people of Israel in his final address as their leader. Moses is getting ready to leave his people and he wants them to remember one thing. What does he tell them? Remember the Lord These were the people whom God delivered out of Egypt. These were the people whom God fed and clothed in the desert. These were... Read more
February 3, 2016 Year C Psalm 56:1-13 People may be against me, just as some people were during David’s reign. They may be arrogant and fight against my efforts (Psalm 56:1-2). During this times, I may feel fear (Psalm 56:3). They may twist my words (Psalm 56:5), stir up strife (Psalm 56:6), and make me feel like they will evade punishment for their sin (Psalm 56:7). Part of me will want vindication. God knows me. He has recorded my steps... Read more
February 2, 2016 Numbers 25:1-18 Have you had anyone betray you? If you do, then you know how it feels upsetting to place your trust in someone, to invest time, energy and resources into someone’s life, only to see the person turn against you and your values. This is the feeling behind the passage. It is easy to look at Phinehas and see his bravery. But more important than his bravery was his loyalty (Numbers 25:6-13). At first glance, it... Read more
February 1, 2016 Luke 5:29-32 Jesus tells a tax collector (Levi) to follow Him. The first act of the tax collector is to invite people to a dinner with him to invite them to Jesus. He arranged a great banquet in his home (Luke 5:29). A large group of other tax collectors – Levi’s buddies – came and invited others as their guests (Luke 5:29). This was a big event. As usual, somebody complains about it. The legalisms come and... Read more
Revelation 2:1-3:22 Seven Tests of a Healthy Church These words in Revelation 2-3 are the last words Jesus speaks to the church. He spoke about the purpose of the mission in Matthew 28:19-20. He spoke about the direction of the mission in Acts 1:8. Here, Jesus evaluates the church. He tells them what they did wrong and what they did right. He points them in a direction to keep them on track, to keep them going. In these special messages... Read more
Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation by Bruce Metzger INTRODUCTION The book of Revelation seems to many people an enigma. The book is laden with symbols and pictures that are hard to define. Many of the ideas and characters take on a form of mystery that intrigues almost all Christians. In this book, the author presents in a verse-by-verse fashion, the meaning of the book of Revelation. It is a well-written summary of the interpretation of Revelation. The... Read more
January 28, 2016 Proverbs 6:16-19 Have you ever seen people paint in shades of grey? Have you seen artist use only the dark colors to highlight people? The Nazi regime used only dark colors in their uniforms and their instruments of power. The Empire in the Star Wars films all use shades of white, black and grey. The communist regime in Eastern Germany never painted their buildings in bright colors. They chose instead to use drab grey. In the same... Read more
John 4:1-26 Ways to Share My FAITH There are reasons that people may not want to make a decision to follow Jesus Christ. Here are a few excuses which the Samaritan woman used, and other people use, that you may hear when you want to share your faith. EXCUSES WHY PEOPLE DON’T COME TO JESUS We want a one-time fix, not work through the process (4:15) We want to deny that we need God by trying to live our life... Read more
January 25, 2016 Colossians 4:2-6 As Christians, we are commanded to share the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20). As we are going everyday in our lives, we are expected to share the Gospel with people around us. The business of winning souls begins with prayer. A soul winner is a person of prayer (Colossians 4:2). S/he takes the time to pray and specifically to pray for an opportunity to share Jesus. Paul asked that people pray for him. He wanted them to... Read more
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