Dave's Blog - Entries written by DDThe king and the King7/1/10 Matthew 1-2 The king and the King (Mt 2:8) 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” Herod the Great was the king of... More Temporary DelayBecause I am at the SBC with a very busy schedule I will not be able to post daily. I will continue to read and if I have some spare momments I may be able to write some. Yesterday, we heard five messages and today we will hear ten messages. It is a... More To Do Your Will6/11/10 Hebrews 10 To Do Your Will (Heb 10:7) 7 “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of Me) To do Your will, O God.’ ” Many Christians are consumed with knowing the will of God for their lives. What they really... More Sufficient Sacrifice6/10/10 Hebrews 9 Sufficient Sacrifice (Heb 9:26b) 26b but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. The writer of the book of Hebrews is methodically showing his first readers, Jews... More Able To SaveAble To Save (Heb 7:25) 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. In Chapter 7 the author gives an argument to the question; Why Jesus Christ is a priest... More Rest6/8/10 Hebrews 4-6 Rest Chapter 4 is a continuation on the subject of rest which began in chapter 3. God has given a promise of rest in the past and his promise of rest remains true today. The author uses an example of the Israelites who did not... More Superior6/7/10 Hebrews 1-3 Superior (Heb 1:3-4) 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the... More The Appeal6/6/10 Titus 3 & Philemon The Appeal (Phm 9) 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you —since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— Philemon is a short letter with just 25 verse to a wealthy man named... More Protect the Church6/5/10 2 Timothy 4, Titus 1-2 Protect the Church (Tit 1:5) 5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, Paul in Titus 1 and 2 addresses Titus another younger man... More Entanglements6/4/10 2 Timothy 2-3 Entanglements (2 Ti 2:4) 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. In this second chapter of 2 Timothy Paul is encouraging the... More Power, Love, Discipline6/3/10 1 Timothy 6 & 2 Timothy 1 Power, Love, Discipline (2 Ti 1:7) 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Paul gives exhortation and encouragement here in this first chapter of the second letter to... More Discipline6/2/10 1 Timothy 4-5 Discipline (1 Ti 4:7b-8) 7b On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the... More Pray for Who?6/1/10 1 Timothy 1-3 Pray for Who? (1 Ti 2:1) 1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, When we come to prayer we often think of praying for those whom we love the most. It... More The Lord is Faithful5/31/10 2 Thess 2-3 The Lord is Faithful (2 Th 3:3) 3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. The Thessalonian church was experiencing increased persecutions and sufferings. This second letter followed... More Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks5/30/10 1 Thess 5 & 2 Thess 1 Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks (1 Th 5:16-18) 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. This is God’s will for a believer’s life. A believer is... More Excel Still More5/29/10 1 Thess 3 & 4 Excel Still More Paul has a great deal of love and affection toward the church at Thessalonica. They had been suffering hardship and affliction so Paul sent Timothy to go and visit the church at Thessalonica. Paul had feared... More A Gospel Response5/28/10 Colossians 4 & 1 Thess 1 &2 (1 Th 1:3) 3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, A Gospel Response The church at Thessalonica... More Set your Mind5/27/10 Colossians 2-3 Set your Mind (Col 3:2) 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Most scholars agree that the book of Colossians was written to combat heresy which was evident in and around the church at... More Thinking Like Christ5/26/10 Philippians 4 & Colossians 1 Thinking Like Christ (Php 4:8) 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if... More The Mind of Christ5/25/10 Philippians 2-3 The Mind of Christ (Php 2:5) 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, Tomorrow we will begin our 12 week study “The Mind of Christ” which comes from Philippians 2:5. The Greek word can be translated... More One Step Backward Three Forward5/24/10 Philippians 1 One Step Backward Three Forward Philippians is a letter to the Philippian church from Paul who is imprisoned at Rome. Paul and Silas founded the church on Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 16). The Phillipian church heard... More Imitate God5/23/10 Ephesians 5 and 6 Imitate God (Eph 5:1) 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; The church which is intended to be group of individuals who have repented and declared their submission and loyalty to Jesus Christ and are viewed... More Our Mission5/22/10 Ephesians 4 Our Mission (Eph 4:12) 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; We have stated that our mission at Birchwood Baptist Church is “equipping individuals to be effective... More Our Purpose5/21/10 Ephesians 2-3 Our Purpose (Eph 3:10) 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. We have stated that our purpose at Birchwood Baptist Church is... More Reach Out5/20/10 Galatians 6 & Ephesians 1 Reach Out In Galatians 6 Paul gives the churches of Galatian some exhortation and final reminders. In the first five verses we find that Paul is stressing to them to reach out to one another. In the end of chapter... More Free from the Flesh by the Spirit5/19/10 Galatians 4 &5 Free from the Flesh by the Spirit (Ga 5:13) 13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. In chapter 4 Paul highlights those... More The Test / A Different Gospel5/17/10 2 Corinthians 13 & Galatians 1 2 Corinthians 13 – The Test Paul is has come to the close of this letter to the Corinthian church where he has defended his ministry, gave instructions concerning giving, and emphasized his authority as an... More Paul is Afraid5/16/10 2 Corinthians 11-12 Paul is Afraid (2 Co 12:20) 20 For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers,... More Only One Opinion Matters5/15/10 2 Corinthians 9-10 I did not comment on either chapter 8 or 9 because they companion chapters and our reading schedule had divided them. Only One Opinion Matters (2 Co 10:18) 18 For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he... More Two Promises5/14/10 2 Corinthians 7 -8 Two Promises (2 Co 7:1) 1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Sometimes the chapters divisions are not... More Who are You Living For?5/13/10 2 Corinthians 5-6 Who are You Living For? (2 Co 5:15) 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. More that we would like to admit many of the things... More How does your Life Read?5/12/10 2 Corinthians 3-4 How does your Life Read? (2 Co 3:2) 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; Paul is sharing with the Corinthians that there is no need for him to bring letters of commendation concerning his... More The Fragrance of Christ5/11/10 2 Corinthians 1-2 The Fragrance of Christ Different aromas have the power to set our minds at ease or to cause our feet to move us rapidly in another direction. They can even remind us of a particular place or time that has host of positive... More Looking Ahead5/10/10 1 Corinthians 15-16 Looking Ahead In chapter 15 Paul addresses the final difficulty the Corinthian church was having within their fellowship, the teaching on the resurrection from the dead. The gospel is centered on the resurrection of Jesus... More Love is Not Provoked5/9/10 1 Corinthians 13-14 Love is Not Provoked Chapter 13 is the famous chapter on Love. There is so much in this passages that helps us understand if we truly love or our love is a superficial façade. When love is absent there is a deficiency in... More Different but not Divided5/8/10 1 Corinthians 12 Different but not Divided Paul now addresses a misunderstanding the Corinthians had in relation to the spiritual (gifts). The Corinthians had put a wrong emphasis on the more spectacular gifts particularly the gift of... More Consider Others5/7/10 1 Corinthians 10-11 Consider Others In these two chapters there are a host of verses that tell us that we need to consider others before ourselves. Are my actions profitable toward others? Are my actions edifying others? 1 Corinthians 10:23... More Love puts Others First5/6/10 1 Corinthians 8 & 9 Love puts Others First In chapter 8 Paul addresses a doctrinal issue that arose about eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. During Paul’s day animals were sacrificed to idols and there were some in the Corinthian... More Examine5/5/10 1 Corinthians 6 & 7 Examine The beginning of chapter 6 Paul addresses lawsuits that were being brought before worldly courts. There was a Roman law that allowed differing ethnic or social groups to settle their own disputes among themselves.... More Arrogance5/4/10 1 Corinthians 4 & 5 Arrogance Here Paul continues his strong determination of pointing out to the Corinthian church their sin of arrogance. In chapters 1-3 Paul has called them to repent of their divisive issues over the following certain... More Wisdom5/3/10 1 Corinthians 1, 2, 3 - Errors may abound did not have time to proof. Wisdom There seems to be an issue of pride associated with wisdom that Paul is rebuking the Corinthian church for in the first three chapters of 1 Corinthians. The word... More The Strong5/2/10 Romans 14, 15, & 16 The Strong (Ro 14:1) 1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. (Ro 15:1) 1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not... More The Lowly5/1/10 Romans 12-13 The Lowly About half way through Romans 12 Paul introduces several things that are associated with love. In fact Romans 12:9-18 are a great manifesto for a family. These verses are packed with what we should desire for ourselves... More Zeal, But4/30/10 – Scheduling Error Well I guess not too many people are following our schedule. A week has gone by since there has been a mistake in our guide and no one has notified me. I have just been following what I believed was a chapter day through... More The Passion of Paul4/29/10 Romans 9 The Passion of Paul (Ro 9:3) 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, Paul here demonstrates for us all a passion for people that is only... More In Christ Jesus4/28/10 Romans 8 In Christ Jesus (Ro 8:1) 1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8 instructs believers how to live a life of righteousness in face of the Law which we are unable to keep. No longer is our... More Joined to Another4/27/10 Romans 7 Joined to Another (Ro 7:4) 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another , to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit... More Slaves4/26/10 Romans 6 Slaves There are two people in the world; slaves and slaves. Let me explain… since the father of the human race Adam sinned, were all are born sinners. Have you noticed how you never have to instruct a child on how to do wrong? They... More The Free Gift4/25/10 Romans 5 The Free Gift If we are human we love to receive gifts. When we receive a gift is raises different emotions attached to different levels. Sometimes the gift itself is so astounding that it simply overwhelms us, but other times it is... More Faith from the Old Testament4/24/10 Romans 4 Faith from the Old Testament From time to time people will ask how were people saved in the Old Testament? The short answer is the same as we are today, by faith. Here in Romans 4 Paul gives us the example of Abraham’s faith where... More All Under Sin4/23/10 Romans 3 - very tired writing this so I am sure their are mistakes. All Under Sin (Ro 3:9) 9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; Verse 9 is the summary... More Think Heavily4/22/10 Romans 2 Think Heavily (Ro 2:4) 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Most of us are so caught up with our jobs, schooling, families,... More Step 1: Creation 4/21/10 Romans 1 - Due to sickness I was a day late uploading this one. Step 1: Creation (Ro 1:20) 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through... More Wrong Conclusions4/20/10 Acts 28 Wrong Conclusions Has there ever been a time in your life that you observed a particular action or event and made a conclusion from what you had witnessed? Did that conclusion prove to be true? There are certain people that are... More God’s Word Gives Courage4/19/10 Acts 27 God’s Word Gives Courage Luke here details for us the voyage that was to take Paul and some other prisoners to Italy and then on to Rome. The first part of their voyage was slow and difficult not make very much progress, so much so,... More My Hope4/18/10 Acts 26 My Hope Again Paul gives his defense this time in the auditorium at Caesarea before a great number of prominent and leading men of the city. His primary defense will be to King Agrippa who was of Jewish royalty and an expert in... More Paul’s Defense4/17/10 Act 24-25 Paul’s Defense In chapter 23 the commander had learned of the plot to kill Paul and arranged for Paul to be transferred to Caesarea and commits Paul’s case to the governor Felix. Five days later the high priest and other leaders... More What’s Next?4/16/10 Acts 23 - Still tired so the last three post probably have many errors. What’s Next? Paul at this point must have been wondering what God was going to do next. Leading up to his arrival in Jerusalem the Spirit was testifying that he would... More Not Allowed to Live4/15/10 Acts 22 - Was exhausted when I got home from Louisville, Ky on 4/15/10 Not Allowed to Live (Ac 22:22) 22 They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he... More Ready to Die4/14/10 Acts 21 - Did not have internet access on the 14th. Ready to Die (Ac 21:13) 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord... More Afflictions AwaitAfflictions Await (Ac 20:23) 23 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. Paul is on mission. He is on mission to visit more cities and declare to them the Lord Jesus and the... More Great Artemis?4/12/10 Acts 19 Great Artemis? (Ac 19:28) 28 When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Acts 19 describes Paul coming to the city of Ephesus. Ephesus was a large city and the... More Persuading4/11/10 Acts 18 Persuading (Ac 18:4) 4 And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. After Paul leaves Athens he then makes his way to the city of Corinth. He quickly meets a Jewish business man and wife... More Resurrection? Ha Ha4/10/10 Acts 17 Resurrection? Ha Ha (Ac 17:32) 32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” During Paul’s missionary journeys to the west He encountered the... More A Place of Prayer4/9/10 Acts 16 A Place of Prayer (Ac 16:13) 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer ; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. Paul... More By Faith4/8/10 Acts 15 By Faith (Ac 15:9) 9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. In this chapter there some, probably of the Pharisees, who had believed that came to the church at Antioch (Syria) from Jerusalem... More Tribulations4/7/10 Acts 14 Tribulations (Ac 14:22) 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Faithfulness in preaching the gospel and living... More Continually Filled with Joy4/6/10 Act 13 Continually Filled with Joy Acts 13 recounts for us the first missionary journey that Barnabas and Paul took. They visited many towns during this journey, but the bulk of Acts 13 describes what took place in the town of Pisidian... More Fervent Prayer & Bonus Material4/5/10 Acts 11 & 12 Fervent Prayer I will not make any significant comments on Acts 11 at this time as it would be better to comment on Acts 11 with Acts 10 on the same day. In Acts 11 Peter returns with six others from Caesarea to Jerusalem and... More God Raise Him Up4/4/10 Acts 10 God Raise Him Up (Ac 10:40) 40 “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, Today is Easter a day that followers of Jesus Christ celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Here near the end of... More Persecution to Peace4/3/10 Acts 9 Persecution to Peace At the beginning of Acts 8 Luke tells us there was a great persecution that broke out against the church. The church is all those who have believed and placed their faith in Jesus Christ. The church in Jerusalem... More The Ethiopian Eunuch & Good Friday4/2/10 Acts 8 The Ethiopian Eunuch & Good Friday Philip was one of the seven men chosen in Acts 6 to serve (deacon) tables. He plays an instrumental role in the spread of the gospel described here in Acts 8. After the execution of Stephen this... More The God of Glory4/1/10 Acts 7 - Due to a one of our children being sick and being very tired I was a bit late on this post. The God of Glory As we read Acts 7 which is a continuation of Acts 6 Stephen has been charged with blaspheme (extreme slander) against Moses... More Disciples were Increasing3/31/10 Acts 6 Disciples were Increasing Acts 6:1 “Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number,” Those are wonderful words that we read about the early church experiencing astounding success after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit... More Keep Right On3/30/10 Acts 5 Keep Right On The apostles faced opposition from the religious establishment as they continued to proclaim the name of Jesus. They were put into public jail, but the Father did not want them in the jail at this time because He wanted... More Been with Jesus?3/29/10 Acts 4 Been with Jesus? (Ac 4:13) 13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. Peter and John... More The Name of Jesus3/28/10 Acts 3 The Name of Jesus Peter and John are headed to the temple during the hour of prayer when they are interrupted by a beggar who is lame. Peter and John both focus their attention on him and Peter speaks to the beggar and gives the lame... More His Witnesses3/27/10 Acts 1 & 2 His Witnesses (Ac 1:8) 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Today we will... More Spiritual Discernment3/26/10 John 21 – I have decided to read Acts 1 tomorrow along with Acts 2 Spiritual Discernment (Jn 21:7) 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer... More Believe3/25/10 John 20 Believe (Jn 20:8) 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. What do you believe in, or in other words, what have you committed your trust to. Some people may say I do not trust... More Behold the Man!3/24/10 John 19 Behold the Man! (Jn 19:5) 5 Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the Man!” Isn’t it interesting how we only hear half of the story many times? Most of us have dealt with... More Do you Have a Place?3/23/10 John 18 Do you Have a Place? (Jn 18:2) 2 Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples. This scripture indicates that Judas knew exactly where He would find Jesus and the disciples... More Jesus Prayed for You3/22/10 John 17 Jesus Prayed for You John 17:20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;” In John 17 Jesus is praying for His disciples. He knows that His hour has come and He has been... More Many More Things to Say3/21/10 John 16 Last night our power went off therefore this post was delayed. Many More Things to Say John 16:12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” As I reflect on John 16:12 my pride says that I can bear more... More Do you have Joy?3/20/10 John 15 Do you Have Joy? I have noticed recently that there is a lot of anger in the world. There is anger nearly at every intersection of two or more individuals. This anger is exposed in marriages, siblings, the work place, the school... More If you love Me3/19/20 John 14 If you love Me (John 14:15) If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. At the end of chapter 13 and near the end of the Lord Supper Jesus tells His disciples He is leaving and where He is going they cannot come now, but will... More You will Follow Later3/18/10 John 13 You will Follow Later (Jn 13:36) 36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” We are reminded again in this chapter to look to heaven as... More The Hour Has Come3/17/10 John 12 - I was late with the post and had a connection issue. The Hour Has Come (Jn 12:23) 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. John presents his gospel account with one thing very much... More Ready to Die for the Glory of God3/16/10 John 11 Ready to Die for the Glory of God (Jn 11:4) 4 But when Jesus heard this , He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” Jesus gets word from Mary and Marta... More The Good Shepherd3/15/10 John 10 The Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11) 11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. We do not think to highly of shepherds in our day and age, probably because we do not know any. They are certainly not... More The Blind Man3/14/10 John 9 The Blind Man Have you ever experience temporary blindness? It could have been a result in being in a place that was draped with darkness or it could have been you pupils took in more light than is allowable in a moment. Blindness... More Jesus is Truth3/13/10 John 8 Jesus is Truth (Jn 8:32) 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32 is certainly a popular verse that people quote, but to know what it means takes more than memorization. Notice that this verse... More For or Against3/12/10 John 7 For or Against (Jn 7:12) 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” John 7 has much to say about people who... More The Bread of Life3/11/10 John 6 The Bread of Life (Jn 6:35) 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. The beginning of John 6 recalls Jesus feeding five thousand with five loaves... More Life In Him3/10/10 John 5 Life In Him (Jn 5:26) 26 “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; Yesterday I wrote about the living water that Jesus offered the woman at the well. We understood that water... More Living Water3/9/10 John 4 Living Water (Jn 4:10) 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” There is one thing that is... More Moving Away from Timidity3/8/10 John 3 Moving Away from Timidity (Jn 3:2) 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Nicodemus whose names... More Just Do It3/7/10 John 2 Just Do It (Jn 2:5) 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” In John 2 we read about the wedding in Cana. Whoever was getting married seems to have been close to the family of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The... More Who is He?3/6/10 John 1 Who is He? John begins his gospel speaking about the Word and the Light. What are they or who are they? Are they refereeing to the same thing or person? In verse 2 John links the Word to a “He” and in verse 9 & 10 John links the Light... More Remember His Words3/5/10 Luke 24 Remember His Words Luke 24:8 And they remembered His words, On the first day of the week there were some women that came to the tomb and found it empty. This perplexed them and suddenly two angels appeared. The angels state “Why do... More No Guilt3/4/10 Luke 23 No Guilt (Lk 23:4) 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” Jesus has been betrayed and is now brought before Pilate the ruling Roman governor in Jerusalem. Pilate hears the charges and... More But I have Prayed for You3/3/10 Luke 22 But I have prayed for you (Lk 22:32) 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” The disciples were in a dispute over who was regarded as the... More Beware & Be Alert3/2/10 Luke 21 Beware & Be Alert The end of Luke 20 Jesus warns his disciples about following the scribes teaching and stress that they may look good on the outside, but inwardly they are unclean. Their personal appearance is an inward desire that... More Are you worthy?3/1/10 Luke 20 Are you worthy? (Lk 20:35) 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; Jesus is speaking to the Sadducees in this passage; they are... More Greed Stopped2/28/10 Luke 19 Greed Stopped Here we meet a chief tax collector named Zaccheus. Tax collectors were hated and despised by their fellow countrymen. They were looked at as traitors. They gained wealth rapidly and were often very rich. The obtained... More The Grip of Greed2/27/10 Luke 18 The Grip of Greed In this passage we read about a ruler who was extremely rich, but has an internal need. We can presume that this ruler had most of what money could buy. He was even sincere about his faith, but there was an... More Instructions for Disciples2/26/10 Luke 17 Instructions for Disciples In the first 10 verse of Luke chapter 17 there are four different instructions given to the Lord’s disciple and those are passed down to anyone who pursues discipleship. First, a disciple should live a life... More Riches do not equal Righteousness2/25/10 Luke 16 Riches do not equal Righteousness The Pharisees assumed that a person’s wealth was an indication of God’s blessing because of righteous living. Jesus states that they were justifying themselves in the sight of men, but God knew their... More Where is the Rejoicing?2/24/10 Luke 15 Where is the Rejoicing? Luke 15:6 “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!” Luke 15:9 “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!” Luke 15:23b,24c “let us eat and celebrate” “And they began to... More The Parable of Excuses2/23/10 Luke 14 The Parable of Excuses Jesus has been warning and challenging the religious leaders of his day. In Luke 14:1 Jesus was invited to have a meal on the Sabbath with a leader from the Pharisees. He had been invited as a test to see if He... More Turn Before it is too Late2/22/10 Luke 13 Turn Before it is too Late In Luke 12 Jesus has been teaching a huge crowd of people some commentators estimate the crowd over ten thousand (Lk 12:1). Chapter thirteen is liked because of the words “Now on the same occasion” in verse... More Nothing to Hide2/21/10 Luke 12 Nothing to Hide (Lk 12:2-3) 2 “But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 3 “Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered... More Persistent PrayerSee Update at bottom of 2/19/10 Luke 10 http://www.birchwoodbaptist.org/10116/blogentry/entry_id/199896/Rejecting_the_Wrong_Person 2/20/10 Luke 11 Persistent Prayer (Lk 11:8) 8 “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything... More Rejecting the Wrong Person2/19/10 Luke 10 Rejecting the Wrong Person (Lk 10:16) 16c and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.” Chapter 10 is filled with many things for me today. I really enjoyed reading and meditating on this passage this morning. Although there... More Profit2/18/10 Luke 9 Profit (Lk 9:25) 25 “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? Are you seeking to gain the whole world? You may think that is a strange question to ask, but the truth is that there are many... More The Seed2/17/10 Luke 8 The Seed (Lk 8:11) 11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. There is a direct connection between the word of God and a fruitful life. What is largely missing in the lives of church attendees is the seed. A large... More God has Visited2/16/10 Luke 7 God has Visited (Lk 7:16) 16 Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!” Has anyone of great importance every visited your home or town? You... More Moving On in our Love2/14/10 Luke 6 Moving On in our Love With Valentine’s Day behind us, where we have loved all of those who return their love to us, let us move on in our Love. (Lk 6:32) 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners... More Believe, Trust, and Obey2/14/10 Luke 5 Believe, Trust, and Obey In the beginning paragraph of Luke 5 Jesus is teaching the word of God and there was a great crowd pressing in and trying to hear Jesus. Probably, because as the last chapter stated that his speech was... More The devil2/13/10 Luke 4 The devil I often hear Christian’s blame the devil for things that occur in their lives, from the devil is really attacking me, to the devil does not wanting me to go here or there. As I reflect on the beginning portion of Luke 4... More What shall we Do?2/12/10 Luke 3 What shall we Do? Luke 3 describes John the Baptist preaching at a certain time in the area around Jordan. Many were wondering if John was the Christ (Lk 3:15). This was because John was speaking the Word of God and with authority.... More Treasuring2/11/10 Luke 2 Treasuring (Lk 2:19) 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Lk 2:51) 51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things... More Living Righteously2/10/10 Luke 1 Living Righteously (Lk 1:6) 6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. Zacharias and Elizabeth were childless and they were living righteous lives despite... More What do you Expect?2/9/10 Mark 16 What do you Expect? In Mark 16 we read that women came to the tomb on the first day of the week expecting to anoint the body of Jesus. This is seen as an act of love and devotion, just the same way as people visit the graves of loved... More What will you do with Jesus?2/8/10 Mark 15 What will you do with Jesus? (Mk 15:12) 12 Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” In Mark 15 we read that Jesus was brought before Pilate, and then He was mocked, and... More The Lord’s Supper2/7/10 Mark 14 The Lord’s Supper (Mk 14:22) 22 While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it , and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” The Lord’s Supper is one of two ordinances of the church. The... More False Christs2/6/10 Mark 13 False Christs Here is the Mark’s account of Jesus teaching known as the Olivet Discourse. This simply means that Jesus delivered this teaching on the Mt. of Olives which is just outside the old city of Jerusalem. Again, this chapter... More Understanding the Scriptures2/5/10 Mark 12 Understanding the Scriptures (Mk 12:24) 24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? Hopefully, we are each learning the scriptures as we faithfully... More Fig Tree – Judgment & Faith2/4/10 Mark 11 Fig Tree – Judgment & Faith In this section we read about the miracle Jesus performs on the fig tree. It strikes many as odd and even cruel, but upon further study it is really a theological lesson on judgment and faith. This is the... More Service2/3/10 Mark 10 Service (Mk 10:45) 45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served , but to serve , and to give His life a ransom for many.” The beauty of reading through books of the bible is that you begin to recognize certain themes that are... More Take Pity and Help2/2/10 Mark 9 Take Pity and Help (Mk 9:22b) 22 “But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” This was the cry of a man that was desperate for his son to be healed from demon possession. In the next verse Jesus draws attention to the... More Setting your Mind2/1/10 Mark 8 Setting your Mind (Mk 8:33) 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” How do we set our mind upon God’s interests... More Invalidating the Word of God1/31/10 Mark 7 Invalidating the Word of God (Mk 7:13) 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.” Unfortunately, this is charge sticks to many who are in churches today.... More Rest a While1/30/10 Mark 6 Rest a While Mk 6:31 Jesus tells his disciples that it is time to go to a secluded place and rest a while. Ministry can be exhausting and it is important to take time to get away. This can be a hard thing to do unless getting away is... More Jesus the Great Healer1/29/10 Mark 5 Jesus the Great Healer In Mark 5 we read about three different occasions where Jesus heals individuals. One of the great lessons that we can all learn from these healings is that Jesus handles each one personally. Jesus does not give... More Sometimes We are Slow1/28/10 Mark 4 Sometimes We are Slow Jesus shows a great deal of patience with His disciples with respect to his teaching and personhood. In Mk 4:10 His disciples and followers ask Jesus about the parables that He was teaching. He responds with a... More Doing the Will of God1/27/10 Mark 3 Doing the Will of God Mark 3:35 (NASB95) 35 “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.” Today, a small group will meet to discuss the first week of the Experiencing God bible study. The study focuses on... More Mark 1-21/26/10 Mark 1-2 Fast Moving I know that our schedule had Mt 28 and Mk 1 together yesterday, but I decided to begin Mark today and to combine Mk 1 & 2. Mark’s gospel is the shortest of all the gospels with only 16 chapters. Some have referred to it... More The Sin Continues1/25/10 Matthew 28 The Sin Continues In the face of all the miraculous events surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection the chief priests and elders remain in their sin. This is how paralyzing sin can be in anyone’s life. When a person does not... More The Blindness1/24/10 Matthew 27 The Blindness I saw today the blinding effect of sin again that can be in an individual’s life. It is really easy to see the sin of others, but much more difficult to see our own sin. Here the chief priests in verse 6 say; “It is... More The Betrayal1/23/10 Matthew 26 The Betrayal As I read this portion of scripture today I was captivated by the betrayal of Judas. It astounds those of us who know Jesus that such a thing could happen. The betrayal is clear evidence of the hardening and blinding... More The Olivet Discourse Part 21/22/10 Matthew 25 The Olivet Discourse Part 2 In chapter 25 we read two parables and a third passage that is not technically a parable. This first parable stresses the point for everyone to be ready for the return of Jesus. We know from chapter 24... More The Olivet Discourse1/21/10 Matthew 24 The Olivet Discourse Matthew 24 and 25 are referred to as the Olivet Discourse, because Mt 24:3 states that Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives when he gives his discourse (speech, talk, sermon) on the two questions the... More Exalting Oneself1/20/10 Matthew 23 Exalting Oneself (Mt 23:12) 12 “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. In this chapter eight woes are spoken against the scribes and Pharisees. The woes in this section are used as... More Another Question1/19/10 Matthew 22 Another Question (Mt 22:42) 42 “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” We have noticed that Jesus asked Peter specifically and those who were present in Mt 16:13, “Who do people... More The King is Rejected1/18/10 Matthew 21 The King is Rejected Matthew 21 is referred to as the Triumphal entry when Matthew records for us the events that surrounded Jesus entering Jerusalem as the rightful King. He instructs two of his disciples to go and get a donkey... More What do you want me to do?1/17/09 Matthew 20 What do you want me to do? (Mt 20:32) 32 And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” This is a question that Jesus asked two blind men upon leaving Jericho. Now I find myself asking Jesus the... More One Thing1/16/09 Matthew 19 One Thing (Mt 19:16) 16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” This verse and those that follow remind believers and declare to unbelievers that there is nothing... More The Greatest People I Know1/15/09 Matthew 18 The Greatest People I Know Today our world idolizes people who are strong and independent. We can look on individuals who possess these characteristics and desire that our children would become like them. Many times these... More Do Not Look for Miracles1/14/09 Matthew 16 & 17 Do not Look for Miracles From Mt 16:1-4 we can be at rest in our souls that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. There is no reason for further evidence or miracles to authenticate who Jesus is. The sign of Jonah... More Discerning Sin vs Tradition1/13/09 Matthew 15 Discerning Sin vs Tradition Mt 15:11 “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” Some sincerely religious people show up in the beginning of chapter 15 and... More Jesus is God’s Son1/12/09 Matthew 14 Jesus is God’s Son Mt 14:22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. There are times in our lives that when we are following Jesus it appears that... More Parables1/11/10 Matthew 13 Parables As we read Mt 13 we noticed that it is this chapter that Matthew groups 8 different parables. A parable is an extended, metaphor, aphorism, or simile. Some ground rules for interpreting parables are; · They are designed... More Matthew 12:30-32 BONUS BLOG1/10/19 Matthew 12:30-32 BONUS BLOG There have been many Christians that have struggled with what actually is the sin “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” Many have even feared that they may have committed this sin. If you or someone you know is... More Something Greater1/10/10 Matthew 12 – Something Greater I relish in the fact that the “something greater” in Mt 12:6, 41, 42 is Jesus. The Pharisees questioned Jesus and the disciples for not doing what is lawful on the Sabbath. What they were saying is that you and... More Different Methods - Same Message1/9/10 Matthew 11 – Different Methods - Same Message In this chapter Jesus teaches us the significance of John the Baptist ministry. I would like to focus particularly on Mt 11:18-19. Today, there are numerous discussions, debates, and even damaging... More Do not Fear1/8/10 Matthew 10 – Do not Fear There are a number of things that cause us to fear. The greatest of all fears is probably the fear of death. Without an assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ there is nothing but fear. That assurance is not based on... More Slight Mix-up1/7/09 I will not be posting anything new today, because I posted chapters 8 and 9 together yesterday, since chapter 8 and 9 are a better match than 7 and 8. I commented on 8 and 9 together although the computer schedule I was following had Jan 5 th... More His Authority is One Reason I am His Disciple1/6/10 Matthew 9 I did not make any comments on chapter 8 yesterday because there is a distinct division from chapter 7 to chapter 8. Chapter 8 and 9 are a better match. In chapter 8 I noticed again that Jesus has “all authority on earth” Mt 28:18.... More Hearts turned toward HeavenMatthew 6 As I read this chapter my heart was turned toward heaven. Let me show you why as we move through this chapter. The first item addressed is that we do not practice our righteousness before men. In other words, we should not just be... More Grace & Mercy are PerfectMatthew 5 Chapter 5 is certainly filled with a ton of good stuff and there is week’s worth of items to meditate upon. Mattthew 5:45b is what caused me to consider grace and mercy that should be shown toward any enemy. The Lord makes the sun rise and... More The Importance of PreachingMatthew 3-4 In chapters 3 and 4 of Matthew the childhood narratives are left and we are introduced to John the Baptist and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Something of interest that stood out to me as I read through and thought on this portion of... More Obedience amidst FearMatthew 1-2 Good Morning and Happy New Year! I am going to be doing my devotions in the ESV as I continue to analyze and pray about using this version in the future, so if I quote something it may be a bit different from the NASB or a version that... More Reading & Meditation on the NT in 2010Tomorrow we will begin reading through the NT twice in 2010. It is my desire that we don't just read through it and say that we accomplished another religious task, but that we would take time to meet with the living God through His Word, which is... More |
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