…for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them. You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! Through you we push down our foes; through your … More Spurgeon: Who could not win with such triple help?
Today in our reading plan, we come to Leviticus 18-20. Pastor Coty Pinckney shares some insights that help us understand Leviticus in light of the New Testament: The break in Leviticus between chapters 1-16 and chapters 17-27 is similar to the break in Ephesians between chapters 1-3 and chapters 4-6. Remember, in the first half … More Coty Pinckney: Christian behavior RESULTS from a relationship with God; it is NOT a prerequisite to that relationship.
Bob Deffinbaugh comments on Paul’s testimony before Agrippa: Paul did not describe his conversion as some kind of evolution, but rather as a radical transformation, a change from darkness to light, from death to life, a change from persecuting Christianity to practicing and promoting it. He was actively opposing the church when Jesus stopped him dead … More Paul describes his conversion to Agrippa: darkness to light, death to life
Mark Driscoll, of Mars Hill Church Seattle, talks about Jesus’ sense of humor. Of particular interest to our read-through-the Bible is his reference to Jesus’ comments in Matthew 19 about fitting a camel through the eye of a needle. (you can see that part of this clip at about 8:30) Enjoy! Laugh!
Matthew 19:23-26 “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were … More John Piper: It’s a problem with the human heart.
Psalm 43:3-4 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. John Piper, in a sermon, … More John Piper: Authentic joy in God will overflow with praises.
In a sermon, “As Far as the East is From the West”, a sermon on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), on Leviticus 16 by Coty Pinckney, The Scapegoat This sacrifice, while different and more detailed than the usual sin offerings, nevertheless is similar to that daily ritual. The next act on the Day of Atonement, however, … More The scapegoat takes our sins to the wilderness of forgetfulness.
In our Bible reading passage for today, we come to Paul’s testimony before Agrippa in Acts 26. In a message, “Christ’s Purpose in Evangelism,” Dr. John Piper said: When Jesus looked into the future and predicted what would happen to his disciples, he said something very sobering, but also very encouraging. He said (in Luke 21:12–13), … More John Piper: Imprisonment will interrupt your evangelistic strategy, but it will not interrupt God’s evangelistic strategy.
Jesus and the Children Pondering Children as Pride Detectors By John PiperJune 22, 2005 One thing to watch for when assessing a person’s spiritual fitness for ministry is how he or she relates to children. Put a child in the room and watch. This is what Jesus did to make his point. Children are the … More John Piper: Pondering Children as Pride Detectors
Bob Deffinbaugh, in a sermon on Leviticus 12-15, “Offending God: The Clean and the Unclean” It is at this point that the Israelite of Moses’ day came to a very sobering realization. While the Law could pronounce a person unclean, it made no provision to make him clean. The priest could declare an unclean person … More True cleanness only through Christ
