By Rejecting This
This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to …
Grand Sinner
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith …
Swerving Off Course
As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love …
Sensuous
Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, (Colossians 2:18 ESV) On Wednesday I talked about finding what we need in Jesus and not a position or obscure doctrinal stance. But today I want to talk about …
The Dividing Point
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of …
Chill Out
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things …
Fruit comes from Grace
…Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth… (Colossians 1:5-6 ESV) This has …
Philippians 4:14-20
Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that …
Philippians 3:1-11
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and …
Philippians 2:14-16
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud …
Philippians 2:1-4
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more …
Philippians 1:23-26
I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, …
Philippians 1:6-11
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both …
Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. (Ephesians 6:10 ESV) On this Friday, let me encourage you to find strength in the Lord. If can be exhausting trying to do and be and become and belong and become and accomplish and sow and… and… and… the list goes on. …
Ephesians 4:17-19
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous …
Ephesians 4:1-7
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk …
Ephesians 2:14-16
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both …
Archives: Why We Accept You in our Ministry
This entry was originally posted on October 21, 2011 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters …
Mature in Doctrine
He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the …
He Became Sin
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV) This is such an important passage of scripture. I like to rephrase it’s cadence like this… “Committing no sin, Jesus became sin… So that we committing no …
Being Called Israel
So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. Israeljourneyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. (Genesis 35:19-21 ESV) I was reading this a few weeks …
The Grace of Obedience 3/3
If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. (1 Corinthians 3:14 ESV) The foundation Paul is speaking of here is Christ (1 Cor 3:11). The foundation is the finished work, the wonderful grace of God that freely gives us righteousness in Christ… not in our works. However, this …
The Grace of Obedience 2/3
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart …
The Grace of Obedience 1/3
This week we are continuing the discussion of works vs grace. Even as I use that phrase I feel strange. The fact is works cannot gain the grace of God, because it’s free and it stands alone with no help from man. Yet, grace that cannot be earned seems to produce more fruit (works) than …
Basic Human Theology
Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:3-4 ESV) For the most …
When WORKS Work
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone …
Today is our anniversary!
Ashleigh and I have been married four years today! I love her so much! I wanted to share some of Proverbs 31 that really exemplifies my wife. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. (Proverbs 31:11 ESV) She does him good, and not harm, all the …
Gazing in Silence
The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not. (Genesis 24:21 ESV) The above passage, speaking of Abraham’s servant, caught my attention the other day. To see the Lord’s will he simply stopped and looked. We are often moving at lightning-fast speeds. We move so fast …
What Example Do You Set?
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. (Genesis 20:2 ESV) When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should …
Aftermath
Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. (Genesis 19:30 ESV) The above passage occurs right after the destruction of Sodem. Originally, the angel that rescued Lot told him …
Gen 17:1-5
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is …
Grace for Doubting
And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” (Genesis …
Genesis 9:20-27
Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it …
What I Think Happened at Pentecost
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed …
First Thessalonians 2 – Ministry 101 pt5
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches …
First Thessalonians 2 – Ministry 101 pt4
You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom …
First Thessalonians 2 – Ministry 101 pt3
Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the …
First Thessalonians 2 – Ministry 101 pt2
For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery, as you …
First Thessalonians 2 – Ministry 101 pt1
This week, I’m going to be walking through 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. After reading this a few weeks ago, I saw the obvious lessons for ministers. So we’re going to take it a few lines at a time this week. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, …
Cross Offense
But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. (Galatians 5:11 ESV) Paul says here that is he preaches circumcision (the law) it will remove the offense of the cross. Why is the cross offensive? Because it’s offensive to tell someone …
Flesh Perfection
Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:2-3 ESV, bold mine) The unspoken doctrine of the church seems to be, “you’re saved by grace …
There is a MORE accurately
Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began …
Green Encouragement
Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 4:36-37 ESV) Barnabas, the son of encouragement. We’ve just come out of Pastor Appreciation Month …
Prayer and the Word
“…But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4 ESV) I must make a confession… the life a music/creative/worship/whatever you call it pastor is very full. I spend an entire week developing, managing and executing. It can be exhausting. It’s very full… and I love what I do. …
Work and More Work
Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was …