One of the benefits of a Bible reading plans that draws from different sections of the Bible each day is that there are times when you are struck with similarities between passages. Today is one of those days. In Matthew 1 yesterday, we read that Mary was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. … More Promises, the Holy Spirit and new birth
David Mathis, Executive Editor at Desiring God, wrote at Desiring God, and preached a sermon with the title, “We Three Kings of Orient Aren’t” that speaks directly to our text from Matthew 2:1-12 today: When the magi came to Jerusalem asking, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?”, little did they know that … More The baby in the manger was born to die to save sinners like us
But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. —Psalm 3:3 ESV C. H. Spurgeon, from The Treasury of David: The word in the original signifies more than a shield; it means a buckler round about, a protection which shall surround a man entirely, a shield … More What a shield!
According to this song, popularized by the Statler Brothers, Well the Lord looked down from his window in the sky And said I created man but I don’t remember why Nothin’ but fightin’ since creation day I’ll send a little water and I’ll wash’em all away So the Lord came down to look around a … More We all need grace
Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. —Acts 1:16 ESV John Piper, in a sermon, What Judas’s Death Teaches Us About the Spirit, tells of the invincible purpose of the Holy Spirit: God wants … More The invincibility of God’s purpose
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” … More The Great “I Am” is with us!
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. —Psalm 2:11 ESV Does this mean that our joy in the Lord is on shaky ground? Do we have reason to be afraid? This is not the only place in the Bible where we will see seemingly contrary commands. The Bible describes Christ’s … More Rejoice with trembling
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”—Genesis 3:1 ESV Contemplating a resolution for the New Year? Perhaps setting goal to read through your … More “Did God actually SAY…?”
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing … More More than a doctor
J.C. Ryle begins his commentary on Matthew 1: 1-17 this way- The Gospel of Matthew begins with a long list of names. Sixteen verses are taken up with tracing a pedigree from Abraham to David, and from David to the family in which Jesus was born. Let no one think that these verses are useless. … More Ryle: Nothing is useless in the Bible.
