Father knew there would be days like these. In His inimitable style He had someone prepare some helpful guidance far in advance. Paul spent some time talking about a few things we can do to help us access the peace that Jesus has given us. In Philippians chapter 4 he encourages us to:…
The Holy King of kings, the Righteous Lord of lords, the One who is love is your Daddy. Because of the traits you’ve inherited from Him, your heart’s desire is to build people up. You want to encourage them. You want to speak life. Think about it, more and more you’re finding that you…
The good news is that you are full of the love of God. (see Romans 5:5) The good news is also that you don’t have to work harder at loving in order to remain acceptable to Father. You have complete freedom from condemnation and the Holy Spirit himself is producing His fruit in you. It’s…
Our new heart, our new spirit, and having the Spirit of God living in us, has practical value for our daily lives. Because of Jesus, we are freed from the need to continually examine ourselves. We no longer have to check every choice, every behavior, to see if it’s sinful or not. We no longer…
If anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. (see 2 Corinthians 5:17) A person reborn and having the nature of God rather than the nature of Adam. (see 1 John 3:9) A person born of the Spirit, rather than one born only of the flesh. (see John 3:5-8) Because this is true…
Look for what is good. Count your blessings. Dwell on these things. Spend time thinking about them. Remember who you are in Christ. Remember who He is. Remember all He has done for you. Remember His great love. Remind yourself that it is His good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. You’re a kind…
In Deuteronomy 30:19, God tells Israel He has He has set before them life and death. He counsels them to choose life. Some would have us believe that this applies to us as believers and that it is a choice we must make every day, but that’s incorrect. We chose life when we changed our…
Jesus was talking to the Pharisees. These guys were institutional religion personified. These folks wanted everyone to live by their rules and if they didn’t the Pharisees condemned them. They taught that obedience to the Law was what made people righteous and put them in right standing with God.
Old Testament God New Testament God To many, God appears very different in the Old Testament from the way He is portrayed in the New Testament. This can be a source of doubt for some. It causes a tension that can lead others to eschew the “God is love and the Gospel is good…
Recently someone pointed out that we rightly stress that works (the things we do or refrain from doing) have no part in salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith and not by works. Stressing this is important since many have been misled by poor teaching over the years and need to realize the freedom that…
The role of Women in the Church This is a controversial subject, but I hope this article will simplify the parts that seem complex, clarify what seems confusing, and help us ensure our beliefs are aligned with what scripture teaches. When considering the role of women in the church two primary passages are…
Recently someone asked my thoughts on 2 John verse 8. Since the entire book of Second John is only 13 verses long, I’ve decided to address it as a whole. I love the way John opens this brief note. 2 John 1–13 (NASB 2020) 1 The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom…
I agree with Father when He says that all scripture is God-breathed and useful. Neglecting or ignoring any part of it is unwise since it communicates Truth. Saying that all scripture is God-breathed and useful is not the same thing as saying that all things are essential. That is not the case. For example, it…
Romans 1:16–32 (NASB 2020) 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: “BUT THE…
The enemy loves to tell us that when we behave in ungodly ways (sin) that’s proof that we are sinners no better than those who are not in Christ. If we listen to that lie, we begin to set our attention on ourselves and our behaviors and to forget who we are. In 2 Peter…
I love to teach on passages that people ask about. A while back someone asked me to work on Colossians 2:1-5. I read the passage several times, but nothing was standing out to me—until today. That’s because I was not ready yet to hear what Holy Spirit was really saying. Let’s look at it together….
When there is a big holiday this and similar questions seem to arise. Whether it’s the origin of Halloween, calling the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus “Easter” or the assertion that certain Christmas traditions have roots in Pagan celebrations, some want to know if a true Christian can morally participate in such holidays. Nor…
The short answer is, “No.” It’s important to recognize the difference between who we are and what we do. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, God says that Jesus was made to be sin so that you could be made His righteousness. In Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20, He says that old you died with Jesus at…
Who is Jesus, What Does it Mean to Believe on Him, and What Happens When We Do? Jesus Christ is the man Jesus of Nazareth, Christ the anointed one, God in the flesh. He is both fully God and fully human. He is the Word who was in the beginning with God and who is…
Regarding Galatians 5:17 (KJV 1900) 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Some question whether this passage can mean that, as believers, our human spirit is always fighting against some…
Let’s begin with John 14:23 (NASB 2020) where we read, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him.’” The entire Trinity is in view here. The way God makes His…
Did you know that you smell like Jesus? 2 Corinthians 2:14–15 (NASB 2020) says, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being…
Who is Jesus, What Does it Mean to Believe on Him, and What Happens When We Do? Jesus Christ is the man Jesus of Nazareth, Christ the anointed one, God in the flesh. He is both fully God and fully human. He is the Word who was in the beginning with God and who is…
Do We Benefit from God’s Promises to Israel? Many, myself included, teach that at least some of God’s promises to Israel also apply to those of us who are not ethnic Jews. At the same time, there are many who would disagree. Though there are many promises (and even the book of Hebrews) I could…
The idea for this message came from a statement that my wife made a while back. Father has given her a remarkable mind, and she expressed this perfectly. She said, “There are two kinds of law. One is like a speed limit—you must obey. The other is like gravity—it simply is, and obeying it requires…
