Exulting in God's Magnificent Love for Us
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-priceless-gift-in-every-trial Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds . . . (James 1:2) In and of themselves, our hardships are emphatically not joyful. That’s part of what makes them hard. What could it mean, then, in circumstances like these, to “count it all joy”? When James charges us to “count Read More …
A Case-Study of Persistence https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-20/commentary-on-matthew-1510-20-21-28-5 Jesus’ response to her second cry for help includes a reiteration of his mission to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He even likens her status as a Gentile to the status of the small, pet dogs who long to be fed from the table (Matt 15:26). The Read More …
Don’t Be Anxious For Anything https://www.gotquestions.org/Philippians-4-6.html What is the meaning of Philippians 4:6? “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” If discouragement over the problems addressed in the letter (or anything else) was robbing the Philippians of joy, then Paul gives Read More …
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/george-muellers-strategy-for-showing-god His father was an unbeliever and George grew up a liar and a thief, by his own testimony. His mother died when he was 14, and he records no impact that this loss had on him except that while she was dying he was roving the streets with his friends “half intoxicated.” He went on living Read More …
A question came up last week, whether the maxim “Once Saved Always Saved” is correct. In other words, if a person is saved, is it possible for them to lose their salvation? We will address this question when we look at Gal 3:3-4. Let me just say this for now. This question has a theoretical Read More …
The Situation (Gal 2:11-13) Part of the life of the early church was that they participated in a communal meal called an “Agape Feast”, or “Love Feast”. Here the whole congregation came together to share a meal prepared from them pooling whatever resources they had. For some slaves, this may have been the only nice Read More …
James 1:2: What does James mean by “trials of various kinds”? Temptations and snares (1 Timothy 6:9, Hebrews 12:4) Difficult circumstances (death, divorce, loss of job, sickness, etc) James 5:14; Social and economic persecution (James 2:6) God’s discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11). Can also be consequences of sin (addiction, jail, etc) Due to choices we make in Read More …
My friend, let us sit quietly and think about this most precious gift of salvation and the promise of eternal life God has so amazingly given to us freely. Salvation – being saved – is a free gift from God! It is not a reward for our good deeds or self-denial. There is absolutely nothing Read More …