Here is a summary of the main point of Acts 12, the passage in our read-through-the-Bible plan today. It is taken from the introduction of a sermon by John Piper, “Execution, Escape and Eaten by Worms”: The chapter begins with Herod killing James the apostle of the Lord Jesus (v. 2), and ends with the … More Acts 12: If You Oppose Jesus, You Lose
A few comments on Matthew 8:18-20 “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go”: After witnessing the miracles of Jesus, many folks thought following Him might be more “glamorous” than it really was. I imagine that Jesus may have received many spontaneous offers like this. We, too, tend to buy in to the prosperity gospel … More Prosperity Gospel?
Today we read Genesis 34-35. “Does obedience lead to reward?” asks Coty Pinckney in a sermon, “Obedience and Tragedy” Last week we saw the dangers of putting off obedience. When Jacob returned to the land of Canaan after 20 years away, he should have returned to Bethel, the place where God had first met him. … More God’s goal is not to bribe us into obedience
Today we read Matthew 5:33–48. Here are verses 43-48: You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for … More Treasuring the reward of heaven empowers you to love your enemy.
As we read through the Sermon on the Mounts over the next several days, here are encouraging words from D. Martin Lloyd-Jones in “Studies in the Sermon on the Mount”– He [Jesus] came, I say, and lived and died and rose again and sent the Holy Spirit in order that you and I might live … More God give us grace to face the Sermon on the Mount
Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy … More God pursues with amazing mercy
In our Bible reading we finish Acts 2 today. Verse 23 says, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” John Piper, in a sermon,“Did You Kill the Lord of Glory?” I can hear a superficial cynic respond to this … More God’s Plan vs Pilate’s Plan
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
Here are the opening words of the Bible: “In the beginning, God…” and then repeatedly, “And God said….” Here we are at the beginning of another year….. We are blessed with another year of God’s grace! God is at the beginning of it all. He is at the beginning of this year, too. And He speaks! He is … More Learning about a God who speaks
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 