"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ... Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:24,28). In God's way of salvation, there's no room for boasting from us. Salvation is God's gift. It's given to us "by His grace." …
Continue reading Let us rejoice – Jesus Christ “loved us and gave Himself for us.”
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch (Isaiah 62:1). “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a …
Continue reading Lord, help us to keep on telling people what you have done for us.
We begin with a quotation from Carl Henry - "the gospel is NEWS - big news, good news, true news" (God, Revelation and Authority, Volume I, 28). Big news Why is the gospel big news? It's for "every person in every nation in each succeeding generation." It's for the whole world. It's big news because …
"When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” …
Continue reading Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son. God did sacrifice his only Son.
"You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, 'Here is your God!'" (Isaiah 40:9). Good news: this is what we are to bring to …
Continue reading In a world of bad news, there is good news.
"I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). What is God's Word saying to us here? …
Continue reading We may stop loving God, but he will never stop loving us.
"I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”" (Psalm 91:2). When the going gets tough, what are we to do? Are we to say that we are tough? Are we to say, "I'll not let this get to me"? or Are we to say that we're …
"We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him" (Romans 8:28). Is everything that happens to us good? How are we to answer this question? Should we answer a question with another question? Will the final outcome be good? When we look on to the final outcome, everything changes. …
Continue reading It’s not the beginning of the end. It’s the end of the beginning.
"Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). When we're suffering, it's not easy to lift up our eyes and catch a glimpse of the glory of God. Our thoughts are taken up with the things that are happening to us right now. What is …
"Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:1). By the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are led from strength to strengh, from faith to faith, and from glory to glory. (1) From strength to strength The phrase, "from strength to strength" is taken from the hymn, "Soldiers of …
Continue reading From strength to strength, from faith to faith, from glory to glory
Romans 11:1-36 'You stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe' (20). In 9:32, Paul contrasted 'faith' and 'works'. Here, he contrasts 'grace' and 'works' (6). Grace and faith belong together. 'Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy Cross I cling' (Church Hymnary, 83) - This is …
Continue reading When we bow at the foot of the Cross, we say, “To God be the glory.”
“However much any theology will bear the imprint of its environment, it must be remembered that, when it is really living and sensitive, Christian theology does not only submit to the cultural and conceptual framework of its time and place, but also regenerates and reforms it sometimes very drastically.” (E. L. Mascall, Theology and the …
Continue reading “Do not be conformed … Be transformed … ” (Romans 12:2).
Through faith in Jesus Christ, we come to God, our loving, heavenly Father. In Christ, we see God's Fatherly love. Enjoying God's Fatherly love - This is more than our entrance into God's family through faith in Christ. It's living as a member of God's family. It's discovering how much we are loved by God. …
Continue reading It’s God’s Love For Us That Creates, In Us, Our Love For Him.
"May the glory of the Lord endure forever... I will sing to the Lord as long as I live" (Psalm 104:30,32). "Forever ... as long as I live" - what a difference there is between ourselves and God. We are for "as long as I live." He is "forever." Our life on earth will come …
"I'll tell you what I think." "I'll give you my opinion." In today's world, people will listen to all sorts of opinions. They may disagree with what's being said, but they will listen, and they will say, "You're entitled to your opinion." What happens when someone says, "This is what the Word of the Lord …
Continue reading Are there some things that are more than “just your own opinion”?
"Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." (Hebrews 12:1-2). Not conformed to the world, transformed by the Lord: how are we to live this kind of …
Continue reading Jesus is more than our teacher and example. He’s our Saviour and Lord.
Does it make any sense to speak of Jesus' resurrection from the dead? Many people will tell us that we're talking nonsense when we speak about a dead man, coming back to life. The Gospels tell us that Jesus did rise from the dead. We may ask ourselves, "How can this be?" Where do we …
1 Chronicles 4:9-5:26; Romans 11:11-32; Psalm 89:19-29 When we speak of “Israel”, as Paul does in Romans 22, we must not think of a nameless and faceless crowd of people. Behind the word “Israel”, there are many names and many faces to whom the Lord shows His mercy (Romans 11:31-32). The best name is the Name of …
"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” 36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever!" (Romans 11:35-36). "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). Where do …
Romans 4:1-25 Salvation is not a 'reward' to be 'earned'. It is God's 'gift' (4-5). Salvation comes from the Lord. 'God so loved the world that He gave His only Son' (John 3:16): Without the love of God, the gift of God, the Son of God, there can be no salvation. The way of salvation …
Continue reading Salvation is not a reward, to be earned. It is God’s gift.
The Word of God calls us to worship God, to walk in his way and do his work. Worshipping the Lord, walking in his way and working for him: Here, we have a description of our whole life response to the Word of the Lord. When we read God's Word, it is so important that …
Continue reading The Word of God, the worship of God, the way of God and the work of God
Romans 9:1-33 We read about 'Jews' and 'Gentiles'. We learn about salvation. The Jews are not saved because of their nationality. It is 'not because of works'. The Gentiles are not excluded because of their nationality. It is 'because of His call'. Salvation comes from God's grace, not from our good works. It is received …
Gen 3:10–15, Isa 64:6, Rom 10:11, 2 Cor 5:21, 1 John 1:9 Through Christ's Death On The Cross, God Has Provided For Us A Full Salvation! Having chosen the way of sin, we are ‘naked’ and ashamed (Genesis 3:10). The Gospel teaches us that ‘there’s a way back to God from the dark paths of …
This is the tenth post in a series of ten posts. You may be wondering why this spiritual journey is ending in Job 38. If you read the post, you will see that this spiritual journey isn't ending in Job 38. It's ending in Romans 8:38-39, "Nothing will be able to separate us from the …
Romans 10:1-21 To 'Jew and Gentile', God says, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved' (12-13). The Jews had praised the Lord Jesus: 'Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!'. Before long, they were shouting, 'Crucify Him, crucify Him!' (John …
Continue reading Pray that faith will come, as the Word of Christ is heard.
This message was preached as part of a series in which we looked at what the books of the New Testament say about "the Kingdom of God." Since the focus is really on Martin Luther, I've given "Learning from Martin Luther" as the main title, with "The Kingdom of God: Romans and Galatians" being given …
Continue reading Learning from Martin Luther (The Kingdom Of God: Romans and Galatians)
Romans 1:1-32 'I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith' (16). Do you think it was easy for Paul to maintain such commitment to Christ, such confidence in Christ? What kind of world did he live in?: a world of 'ungodliness and …
Continue reading God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The proclamation of peace with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1) must be carefully dissociated from a proclamation which says, "'Peace, peace', when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 8:11).
Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; Galatians 6:14 Paul was no silent disciple, no half-hearted follower of Jesus. He was not ashamed of his Lord. He was glad to say, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith" (Romans …
"We do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord" (2 Corinthians 4:5). This post is, really, a continuation of an earlier post, "When we preach Christ crucified, let us, also, preach that he is the risen Lord." If you want to read that post before starting to read this one, here's the link for …
Continue reading Jesus Christ our Lord: crucified for us and risen for us
"We preach Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23). In his preaching. Paul "reasoned with people from the Scriptures" (Acts 17:2), but he did not say, "We preach Isaiah", "We preach Jeremiah" or "We preach... ." He said, "We preach Christ crucified." When Paul spoke about the death of Christ, he spoke about the love of God: …
Continue reading When we preach Christ crucified, let us, also, preach that he is the risen Lord.
"God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" was "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:3-4). This post is a continuation of my earlier post, "This is my Son. This is your Saviour." You should, really, read that post before reading …
Continue reading Let us rejoice in Jesus, God’s Son. Let us rejoice in Jesus, our Saviour.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will …
Romans 11:1-36 - ‘You stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe’ (20). In 9:32, Paul contrasted ‘faith’ and ‘works’. Here, he contrasts ‘grace’ and ‘works’ (6). Grace and faith belong together. ‘Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy Cross I cling’ (Church Hymnary, 83) – This …
"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received" (Ephesians 4:1). How are we to live a life worthy of our high calling? Let's go back from Ephesians 4:1, back to Ephesians 2:8-10. There, we learn about grace, faith and works - in that order. We begin with grace. We …
In chapter 14, Paul speaks about problems which arise in relationships between Christians. In chapter 15, he emphasizes that the Gospel is for all, both Jews and Gentiles. Chapter 16 is, mainly, a series of personal greetings which Paul sends to indvidual Christians at Rome.
In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul expounds the Gospel: what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. In chapters 12-16, he speaks to us about our response to the Gospel. This shift of direction is particularly noticeable in the opening verses of chapter 12. In chapter 12, the main emphasis is on …
These are difficult chapters. Paul speaks about the place of Jews and Gentiles in God's work of salvation. Above all else, this great theme stands out: Salvation is the work of God's grace; it is His gift of grace which is received through faith in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of both Jews and Gentiles.
There's a striking contrast between these two chapters: "What a wretched man I am!" (chapter 7); "With God on our side, who can be against us?" (chapter 8). These are two sides of the one coin. The Holy Spirit has come to lives within us, yet we are still sinners. Our life on this earth …
Here, Paul speaks about God's way of salvation. He emphasizes that we receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ: we are justified by faith (chapter 4). This is just the beginning of our salvation. God has given us new life (chapter 6) and, now, He's leading us on to eternal glory (chapter 5).
In these chapters, Paul exposes sin and begins to direct the sinner's attention to God's solution to the problem of sin. The message of salvation is summed up in 3:23-24, "Both Jew and pagab sinned and forfeited God's glory, and both are justified through the free gift of His grace by being redeemed in Christ …
"For many times, also, your own heart has known that even you have cursed others" (Ecclesiastes 7:22). "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things" (Romans 2:1). The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector "Also …
Continue reading God sees us as we really are – and he keeps on loving us.
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b or 1 Kings 19:9-18; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33 Strengthened by the Lord, we are led in the way of victory. In the story of Joseph, we see human sin and divine grace. We see jealousy (Genesis 37:11) and its effects: ‘where jealousy …
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 105:1-11, 45b (or Psalm 128) or 1 Kings 3:5-12; Psalm 119:129-136; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Trust in the Lord. He is working in us to do us good. The tables are turned on Jacob. The trickster is tricked! The ‘trick’ was according to the ‘custom’ that the …
Continue reading Trust in the Lord. He is working in us to do us good.
How amazing is the love of the Lord! - "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Here's a great hymn of praise, which will turn your thoughts to Jesus Christ, your Saviour and offer to him your heartfelt worship. https://youtu.be/Tu2uA6U4Fxg
"I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). "We preach Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23). Here, Paul speaks to us about knowing Christ crucified and preaching Christ crucified, Before we can preach him, we must know him. God speaks to us before we speak for him. What …
Continue reading Knowing Jesus and preaching him: it’s all about loving him.
"I can't take any more of this." What are we to do when we feel like this? What about listening to what God's Word has to say to us? "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else …
Continue reading Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
"I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:11-12). We read the words of Paul - and we look beyond him to Jesus …
Continue reading We are sinners. We’re called to be servants. Jesus is our Saviour.
"Salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed" (Romans 13:11). We read these great words, and we are encouraged. The Lord is leading us on the most wonderful journey. At the end of this journey, there is the most glorious destination. As we travel towards this glorious destination, we must keep our eyes …
Continue reading Our feelings are changeable. God’s love is unchangeable.
'He has blinded their eyes... I would heal them.' (John 12:40). What are we to say about these words? Are we to say, "It is God who blinds their eyes"? or Is there a difference between He - "He has blinded their eyes" - and I - "I would heal them"? Could "He" be understood as a reference to "the …
"This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him" (1 John 4:9). As I read these words, my thoughts went to the words of John 3:16 - "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only …
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does …
Why do we look back to the past? We look. We learn. We remember what our Saviour has done for us. We have hope for the future. When the going gets tough, we must remember this: "everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement …
Jesus Christ is the Saviour of sinners. We are not asked to make ourselves worthy before coming to the Saviour. If we could make ourselves worthy of God's love, there would be no need for a Saviour. Jesus Christ does not merely help us to save ourselves. He is the Saviour of sinners. Jesus did …
"When people work, their pay is not regarded as a gift but something they have earned" (Romans 4:4). When God is at work in us, bringing us to faith in His Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, everything is very different. His salvation is His gift to us. It's not our reward from Him. Grace gives …
Continue reading Think, often, of what Jesus has done for you. Thank Him for dying for you.
God's purpose was moving on. He had begun with Israel. Their deliverance from bondage in Egypt was a mighty demonstration of His saving power. This was only the beginning. God was moving on to Jesus - "the Saviour of the world" (John 4:42). In Jesus Christ, crucified for us, God was reaching out, in love, …
Continue reading "His dominion shall be… to the ends of the earth" (Zechariah 9:10).
1 Chronicles 1:1-2:17; Romans 9:22-10:4; Psalm 89:14-18 So many names! We have names. We are called by name. God calls us His people, “sons of the living God” (Romans 9:25-26). He gives us His own Name. We are in Christ. We “rejoice In His Name all day long” (Psalm 89:1 6). From my One Year Bible
"In him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28) - This is what Paul says to us about ourselves and the Lord. There is, here, an echo of the words of Ecclesiastes 3:11 - "God has planted eternity in the human heart." God is speaking to our hearts. He's calling out to …
"All that I know now is partial and incomplete ... " (1 Corinthians 13:12). We have come to know the Lord. This is the work of his grace. We must never forget this. Without his grace, we are nothing. All the glory belongs to him. When we give our testimony - telling the story of …
Continue reading Knowing the Lord – and giving all the glory to him
"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:5). Let us keep on encouraging one another - to keep on worshipping the Lord. Where …
Continue reading Lord, help us to keep on going – with you and for you.
the seed is the word of God,,,Luke 8:11
Pouring
One prayer could save millions of lives!
shared perspectives of Orthodox Christian beliefs - www.alphaomegaportal.org
Letters of Love, Joy and Peace
Encouragement for living life that THRIVES
Learning to follow Christ one day at a time
Relationship with God through Jesus Christ
Words, reflections and thoughts to encourage, challenge and motivate from a Christian's perspective.
Our hearts are home, secured in God's Love. Find Hope and Encouragement in The LORD, The HOLY BELOVED.
thoughts and sermons from Jeff Voegtlin
Meditations of Thomas N Kirkpatrick
"All of life is business with God..." John Calvin
Scattering the Seeds of God's Word
Mary Ellen Wright - Writer, Teacher, Speaker
...your daily dose of wisdom from the word
Love. Honor. Respect.
Stories to Inspire, Encourage, and Give Hope
An extra page for Rowley Church's Magazine
Encouraging Grandfathers & Future Grandfathers
Living Spiritually Alive in a Mortal Body
Systematic Philosophy & Theology. Logic. Faith. Scripture. Jesus Christ.
A Christian author helping people come to Jesus, helping people understand the Bible, ministering to a lost and hurting world, and speaking truth to power.
Every day is a gift!
a voice crying in the wilderness ....."Hear The Word Of The Lord"
Wisdom Seeker
"Share the goodness of God every moment you get"
Seek the Kingdom & His Righteousness
Lift Up A Banner – Revealing The Truth
'Because Souls Are Like Gardens' is a collection of fictional and non-fictional musings—anywhere from life's quirky moments and general happenings, to thoughts and experiences around Jesus, the Kingdom, and truth. Much like a garden, what is planted here today, will be different to what is planted here tomorrow. Happy Pickin's!
"Let Us Live Lives Extraordinarily"
Blog for poet and singer-songwriter Malcolm Guite
JESUS IS LORD!!
Exploring Who God is
An embellished memoir, in short spurts.
Bible verse promises to cultivate hearts of love and inspiration
sow kindness
A foodie running a cattle feedyard in Nebraska
Psalms 18:2 (KJV) The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
The incredible story of God's upside-down grace to us in Jesus Christ.
This is a Ministry of Oasis Bible Ministry, a Fundamental Full-Gospel Bible Teaching Ministry
Devotional nuggets for inspiration and spiritual growth
Jesus-Yeshua Saves!!
Love, Truth, Consciousness, Christ
"© Christian National Church Of Christ"
Exploring a Potpourri of Biblical Ideas and Godly Living
Exhortations from Psalms and other books of the Bible! Paraphrases, information, etc!
