The Context of Faith

Bible students know the importance of context. Context allows us to see a passage of Scripture for what it actually says as opposed to what, at first glance, it might be s-e-e-m to be saying. You can see this illustrated by comparing Satan’s presentation of Psalm 91:11-12 with Jesus’ (Matthew 4; Luke 4). Satan ignoredContinue reading “The Context of Faith”

The Day The Gates Were Carried Off

One of my favorite pictures of the resurrection comes from the Old Testament book of Judges. It is the story where Samson is inside the city of Gaza (Judges 16). His enemies are outside the gates of the city. They are convinced they finally have Samson cornered—they’ll just wait by the gates until he comes out the nextContinue reading “The Day The Gates Were Carried Off”

Resurrecting Jesus

It’s Easter morning and Jesus needs resurrecting. Not from His tomb— He left that three days after His death. I don’t know many people who’ve taken a serious look at the New Testament and remained unconvinced of His rising from the dead. There have been quite a few who have read with doubts and endedContinue reading “Resurrecting Jesus”

Our Sins Were There

When Paul is proclaiming matters of “first importance” in 1 Corinthians 15, he begins with the bedrock truth that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” (v. 3). Jesus’ death was for all sin and that includes ours. Even though our sins were committed centuries after His death, they nonetheless made HisContinue reading “Our Sins Were There”

Thinking Big About The Cross

If you lived in a village in France during either World War, your attention would be riveted on the war as it related to where you were. How close is the fighting? Are you in danger of being bombed or invaded? How is the food supply? If you have to evacuate, where will you go?Continue reading “Thinking Big About The Cross”

Where God is Leading Us

 . . . On the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.  (2 Thessalonians 1:10) We now know that in the first three years of a newborn’s life, their brain is developing at warp speed. Their brain makes over a million neural connections each ____________Continue reading “Where God is Leading Us”

Jesus, John and Mary

“Here is your son” (v. 26), Jesus said to His mother. In contrast to Pilate’s abdication of his responsibility to Jesus and justice (“Here is the man” – v. 5, “Here is your king” – v. 14), Christ took control regarding His mother’s care. It’s an interesting situation we don’t know as much about asContinue reading “Jesus, John and Mary”

How to Eat an Elephant

Do you remember the riddle, “How do you eat an elephant?” In case you don’t, the answer is, “One bite at a time.”  Now I’ve never heard of anyone actually eating elephant, but that’s not really the point of the riddle—it’s aimed at helping us see that the way to tackle any big, daunting project is by breakingContinue reading “How to Eat an Elephant”

This is the Lord We Need!

John has a way of relating staggeringly immense truths in a ridiculously succinct manner. “The word was with God, and The Word was God” (1:1)—the diversity and unity of the Godhead in ten words. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind” (1:4)—the spiritual and moral illumination that Jesus’ lifeContinue reading “This is the Lord We Need!”

Revelation and the Back of the Bible

Have you ever wondered why the books of the Bible are in the order they are?  The location of some books is a no brainer. After all, it would be hard for Genesis to be anywhere other than at the beginning, right? The Gospels being located at the start of the New Testament make similarContinue reading “Revelation and the Back of the Bible”