In Acts 1 we have an unusual situation. The apostles have met and are deciding who should replace Judas, the betrayer of Jesus. Clearly, Jesus was the One who had chosen the 12. How should they choose a successor? They do two things: they pray and they cast lots. Hmm. In Proverbs 16:11 we read, … More Dice, prayer and missions
Matthew opens with a promise of salvation through Jesus, Immanuel, God With Us: Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his … More God With Us and Missions
In Acts 1, Luke tells us that, ” In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.” What commands did Jesus give right … More Commands, Power and Missions
In the summer of 2007, I had an accident which required surgery to reattach the hamstring tendons. Following surgery, I was confined in a brace, limited to lying flat on my back orleft side. One mysterious message came in a card: “Then lie on your left side, and place the punishment of the house of Israel … More Weird and wonderful visions of the majesty and mystery of God in Ezekiel
Job 1:6-11 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan [2] also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and … More A Glimpse That Strengthens
C.H.Spurgeon, in a sermon on Ezekiel 1:15-19, “God’s Providence”: When the prophet had seen the “living creatures,” which I take it were angels, he opened his eyes again, and he saw a wonderful illustration of the divine Providence, and this exhibition was in the figure of a wheel. You must know that this is not … More Providence is like a wheel.
The Bible’s purpose is not so much to show you how to live a good life. The Bible’s purpose is to show you how God’s grace breaks into your life against your will and saves you from the sin and brokenness otherwise you would never be able to overcome… religion is ‘if you obey, then … More The Bible’s Purpose
Pastor Kim Riddlebarger comments on Judges 9: The story of Abimelech points us in two directions. On the one hand, we see in Abimelech the sovereign hand of God. In order to remove Gideon’s sham dynasty, YHWH allows Abimelech to do in sixty-nine of Gideon’s sons (save one) and then become the leader over much of Israel. … More Lessons From Abimelech
John Piper, “The Gideon Venture,” a sermon when the church was considering a building project, sending out part of the congregation to plant a new church, and doing all of this without incurring debt…. …we began to meditate on God’s unusual ways of doing things in the Bible. We saw his strange ways everywhere. God … More The Gideon Venture
P.G. Matthew of Grace Valley Christian Center, in a sermon, “The Lord Saves the Weak,”- In Deuteronomy 32:39 God declares, “See now that I myself am he; there is no God besides me.” The word “See” commands us to apply our minds to reading, studying, and understanding God’s revelation so that we can grasp who … More Our Unique God!
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 