“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Pph. 4:8-9). Paul’s words are striking because they are something we should all purposely say to anyone we know. But what would the point be if we don’t exemplify what we want
Gal. 2:11-14: “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mat. 16:19). The second part of today’s verse is a particularly mysterious saying that has left many confused. When read casually, it
“…but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater
“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1Pe. 1:22). In this epistle, Peter likely addressed Christians of the diaspora. These were Jewish and Gentile converts living outside of Israel at the time. That they were fully initiated Christians is
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comfortsus in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share
“Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God” (Joh. 12:42-43). Jesus’ public ministry was winding
“And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them” (Num. 13:33). Many people believe that the Nephilim here were the same as those Moses spoke of in Gen. 6:1-4. One of the most common problems in
“When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his
“And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and