John Piper, in a sermon “Spreading Power Through Persecution” I want to encourage you this morning from Acts 8:1–8 that God rules over the sufferings of the church and causes them to spread spiritual power and the joy of faith in a lost world. It is not his only way. But it does seem to … More Don’t judge suffering too quickly
John Piper, in a sermon from Acts 7, The Story of a Stiff-Necked People: So in Acts 7:1 the high priest gives Stephen a chance to defend himself, “Is this so?” he asks. And Stephen does a very strange thing. He tells a story—a condensed version of the history of Israel. He starts with Abraham … More Stephen’s defense: a history lesson
God is sovereign and His Spirit leads us to the right opportunities for ministry. We see this in Acts 16:6-10…. Pastor Steven J. Cole comments: Opportunities come to those who are already serving, not to those who are doing nothing…..Sometimes people don’t serve the Lord because they’ve never experienced a dramatic “call” to ministry. But this … More Get Moving
John Piper, in a sermon on Job 38-42 What we have seen so far, then, is that Job’s suffering has a twofold explanation: its purpose at the outset was to demonstrate God’s value and glory, and its ongoing purpose was to refine Job’s righteousness. His suffering is not punishment. It is not a sign of … More God in the Thunderstorm
As we hear Christmas carols this year, keep a focus on the words. Our newborn King Jesus, who we celebrate, who died in our place (as we have been reading in John this month) is King of kings and Lord of lords who will reign over all the nations. Today we see another great missions … More Glory to the newborn King!
Hampton Keathley comments on the book of Nahum: The name “Nahum“ means comfort or consolation. His book is a message of destruction for Nineveh, and that would have been a message of consolation for the nations she had oppressed…. ….This judgment is coming because of the character of God. This means we need to look … More Look at circumstances in the light of who God is
When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify … More Ultimate Power vs Pilates “power”
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped … More And he shall reign forever and ever
I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out … More Trust our unstoppable Deliverer
Dr. Kim Riddlebarger comments on the first half of Job 34 Since Job has been insisting that he is righteous, how about considering God’s righteousness first? That will put Job’s situation, as well as the false understanding of God’s retributive justice on the part of his friends, in their proper perspectives. In verse 10, Elihu … More Consider God’s Righteousness
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 