The man from Ethiopia (present day Sudan) needed help to understand the Scripture! That much is clear. Some say it was because there was no New Testament to aid him in interpreting the Old Testament text (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) he was reading. It is suggested that if he would have had the complete Bible he couldContinue reading ““Excuse me, could you help me with this?””
Category Archives: Opening the Bible
A look at Romans 1:14-17 (1)
Why aren’t more people more enthusiastic about the gospel (i.e., the gloriously good news about what God has done for us through Jesus)? How does this revolutionary message become secondary, peripheral, and even ho-hum? I suppose there are many reasons. I think it’s important to make it clear at the beginning that the gospel isContinue reading “A look at Romans 1:14-17 (1)”
Perplexed By God
Anyone reading through the book of Judges will quickly notice a cycle that is repeated regarding the people of Israel. It goes like this: God delivers them from their enemy, After a period of time, they fall into disobedience, God disciplines them by allowing their enemy to oppress them, They turns from their sin toContinue reading “Perplexed By God”
Approaching Romans
The Louvre in Paris is home to the Mona Lisa—one of the most famous paintings of all time. It was done by Leonardo Da Vinci in the early sixteenth century. If you want to understand what went into the painting and why it is the way it is, the place to start would be with understandingContinue reading “Approaching Romans”
The Genesis Of Jesus
Matthew offers us several beginnings regarding Jesus in the introductory portion of his gospel (1:1-4:16). There’s the beginning of the preaching concerning the kingdom Christ is bringing in the work of John the Baptist (3:1ff). Then there’s the beginning of Jesus’ public life marked by His baptism (3:13ff) and the beginning of His ministry inContinue reading “The Genesis Of Jesus”
Dealing Decisively With Sin
It can be a challenge to see sin for what it is—especially when it’s our sin. Sensitive people fight the tendency to make too much of their sin and see themselves as the chief of sinners while the less sensitive struggle not to trivialize their transgressions. For all of us, there’s the need for aContinue reading “Dealing Decisively With Sin”
Fear, Faith, And Focus
When I was growing up, we had a white Siamese cat named Charlie. I don’t know how much breeding goes into a white Siamese, but I know this—Charlie was thoroughly domesticated. He was a household cat with a capital “H.” Yet every once in a while, Charlie got the itch to see what was onContinue reading “Fear, Faith, And Focus”
Caesarea Philippi
Here’s some verse from Mark 8:27-35. Caesarea Philippi At Caesarea Philippi He asked them one day, how did others see Him—what did the they have to say? A prophet of some kind, a man to revere, but beyond that the people weren’t sure—it just wasn’t clear. He might have paused for a moment (the textContinue reading “Caesarea Philippi”
Working For The Lord
Can you guess what the following statistics (from Karl Thompson) have reference to? It’s something that occupies: 14 % of your total life, 21 % of your total waking hours, 23.3% of your life during the years you’re actually you’re doing this, 35% of your waking hours during those years you’re doing this, 50% ofContinue reading “Working For The Lord”
The Fellowship Of His Sufferings
As we read through the gospels, we come across a number of things that are said to be involved in following Jesus. Here are a few: being born again (John 3:3-5), loving God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34-40), receiving the kingdom like a childContinue reading “The Fellowship Of His Sufferings”
