Resurrection, It’s not Just for Jesus Every year around this time all of Christendom celebrates the highest holiday of all. Most call it Easter. Many call it Resurrection Sunday. Those who are Jewish celebrate Passover at this time of year too. The celebration of Passover is very appropriate because it was at the time of…
We recently sold our house and bought another. Our plan had been to finance the one we were buying, slowly move out of the other one, and then pay off the financing. We expected all this to take at least to mid-May or early June. As it turned out, that was not to be. As…
Believers, Sin, and Salvation Someone recently asked me how I respond when other Christians ask if I believe that one who is in Christ can sin heinously and still go to heaven. Scripture makes it clear that sin is no longer the issue between God and mankind. 2 Corinthians 5:19 (NASB 2020) tells us that…
The Letters to the Churches This is a very brief discussion about the letters to the churches in the early chapters of Revelation. It is not intended as a deep study. It is simply my current way of thinking about the meaning of these letters. The “Letters to the Churches” in Revelation are written to…
In the Flesh or In the Spirit In 1 John 3:9 (NASB 2020) we read that, “No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God.” Notice first that 1 John (in the NASB 2020) says that…
Conscience and the Law We who are in Christ always have a conscience, but as we learn to trust Father and His grace more our mindset is renewed to His truth. I think this shifts our conscience from examining our attitudes and actions based on rules, laws, and traditions to the law of love, which…
Studies in Romans Romans 5:1 Peace with God Romans 5:1 (NASB 2020) “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” When we become a new creation, (see 2 Corinthians 5:17) we get to participate in the divine nature. (see 2 Peter 1:4) We become the righteousness of…
One day those who are in Christ will live in a perfect environment where God rules and there is no evil, but today is not that day. While we sojourn here on earth, we will find that even Christians sometimes do terrible things. The entire system of life on Earth teaches us to use our…
Studies in Romans Romans 3:21-22 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, The death and resurrection of Jesus is the seminal event and crux of history. After this point in history, everything about relating to God changed. I am speaking…
Studies in Romans Romans 3:19–31 Romans 3:19 (NASB 2020) 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; An important point that I overlooked for many years is contained in…
Recently I wrote that over the long term you will think and act like the person you believe you are. Consequently, it’s important to have a firm grasp on your identity. We can’t have the enemy saying that these are things you made up in your head. So, here again is a peek at your…
Romans 1:5 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our…
Romans 1:1-4 1 “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And…
Isaiah 61:1-2 (ESV) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year…
John 1:14 (ESV) says, “…we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Verse 17 goes on to say, “…grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” With those words in mind, consider Titus 2:11-14 (ESV) “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for…
I was taught in my youth that this passage was talking about the way I needed to live my life as a Christian. It was said that I was to give up everything I might want, including life itself, in service to God and if I didn’t, God wasn’t going to be very happy with me.
Nothing in this commentary is meant to imply that your prayers are wrong or that you are not praying correctly. Prayer is talking to Father, and you should pray in exactly the way you like. The purpose of this is to share my own struggles with, and views on, prayer in the hope that it…
When Feelings do not Align with Desire. Father has taken out our hard old heart and given us a soft and loving new heart. That has caused us to deeply desire to walk by faith, to live godly lives, and to do things that reflect His beauty. Sometimes our feelings do not align with…
Who Our Father Is We talk a lot about how loving Father is. We talk a lot about His incredible grace. We talk a lot about being His children. We talk a lot about our close personal relationship with Him All that is great and it’s good and right that we should talk…
To the glorious return of the King, we look forward. Here is what Father has in store for you. Matthew 25:31–34 (NASB 2020) 31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will…
Psalm 23 Made Real in the New Testament The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. John 10:14 (KJV) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: John 10:9 (KJV) I am the door: by me if…
Acts 3 (NASB 2020) 1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called…
The Law is not Abolished Matthew 5:17–20 (NASB 2020) 17“Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. 18For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass…
Studies in Acts No2 Repentance and Baptism Acts 2:36–39 (NASB 2020) 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest…
Recently I read a document entitled, “The Biblical Doctrine of Separation.” In it the writer makes several assertions. Some of them are good solid Biblical truth. For example, the writer posits that God is separate. He is not like us, and He is completely holy. This is the clear teaching of scripture. He also…
