The Thief Will Come to Steal Your Joy and Zeal
The enemy is cunning and will exploit your vulnerabilities to shake your faith.
Be vigilant. The enemy may distort God’s truths to plant doubt. When such attacks arise, take heart; these struggles are a normal part of the spiritual journey. Giving your life to Jesus is the most joyful experience a person can have. However, Satan relentlessly targets the regenerated people of God, seeking to disrupt their... Continue Reading
Matthew’s Genealogy Isn’t Missing a Name—It’s Making a Claim
If Matthew’s genealogy is read on its own terms, then reading it rightly reveals a larger theological claim.
The New Testament opens not with a gaffe but with the gospel. Matthew made no miscalculation; he made a theological declaration. The long line of human fathers does not culminate in a miscount but in a miracle: the advent of the God-man. Matthew opens his Gospel with a genealogy whose arithmetic has long been... Continue Reading
Salvation is Three-Dimensional, Part 1: Salvation in the Past
Our salvation is eternally secured in His divine decree and will.
As Christians, we possess a complete salvation with respect to forgiveness of sin and having a personal relationship with God now. That reality is based on our past salvation. But at the same time our salvation is not finalized because there are two other areas God promises to rescue us, at which time our salvation... Continue Reading
Preaching the Parables, Pt 4: Proclaiming the King of Kings and His Kingdom
The parables both attracted and sifted the crowd.
Christ’s parables illustrate the inauguration of His Kingdom at His incarnation calling upon all people to determine whether they are among His citizens before its consummation. “Context is king.” This is the paramount hermeneutic for all Bible texts, each having one exegetical point.[1] The Bible’s entire text, including the parables, has one ultimate homiletical... Continue Reading
Joseph’s Prophetic Dreams and Their Fulfillment
Joseph did not know when, how, or what God would accomplish as a result of his dreams.
Joseph’s steadfastness to God’s plan meant that Joseph believed God would fulfill the prophecy his dreams had indicated. Joseph understood that God had a personal interest in him and had guided him through all those lonely years. Introduction Genesis 37–50 records the incredible account of Joseph, his dysfunctional family, and God’s faithfulness. Joseph’s prophetic... Continue Reading
The Reigning King and the Mission of the Church
The New Testament deals with the fact that the world does not know Jesus is reigning.
Instead of welcoming their King, the Jews cried out, “We will not have this man reign over us!” and they crucified Him. Yet the cross was never the end; it was the means to the proper end: the universal reign of Christ. When Jesus gave the Great Commission, He didn’t launch a new idea.... Continue Reading
What Is Everyone Waiting On?
They could not see Christ in His fullness yet, but they wanted to.
What are you waiting on? Christ has come. He came, He died, and He rose again. He is everything that was promised, and He is everything that He said He is. Trust Him. Worship Him. Before Christ came, men and angels leaned in with eager anticipation. Peter tells us that the prophets were searching... Continue Reading
Mary’s Spiritual Growth at the First Advent
God was patient with her as she grew in grace.
Can you join with Mary and sing, “my soul magnifies the Lord”? If you cannot magnify God, it probably is because you are magnifying yourself. When you sink in your own estimation, then God will rise in your esteem. This is a calling for all people who know the Lord as Mary did. Luke... Continue Reading
The Dragon Slayer
What does He have to do with your anxiety and fear and dread?
Believer, the dragon has been slayed. We don’t have to be riddled with anxiety; we don’t have to be driven to despair and feel hopeless. What’s bogging you down this morning, Christian? Is there something that’s nagging you, that’s getting at you and you can’t stop thinking about it? What is going on in... Continue Reading
The Registrar of Bethlehem
“God had not sent a set of ideas. He had come. Savior. Messiah. Lord.”
Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth. A baby in a manger, and the world’s true census beginning. Not names for an empire, but souls gathered for a kingdom that will not crumble. Luke 2:10–14 My ink froze on the nib before my fingers did. That is what I remember first. The... Continue Reading
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