... unremarkable, undistinguished, unconsidered. It wasn’t remarkable for being unremarkable. It was what it was. That is, until John’s gospel recorded Nathanael’s dismissal of a “no-good Nazareth.” From the viewpoint of the twenty- ... is coming to an end, everything is really just beginning. That is why what Paul called “the word of the cross” (I Corinthians 1:18) is really the wisdom of God. What the world called “the worst of the cross,” the ultimate tragedy, this is where God did God ...
... life? Which do you think God wants for you? I can tell you what Jesus said. He said in John 10:10, "My purpose is to give life in all its fullness." (John 10:10, NLT) God wants to make a difference in your life, so that you can make a difference ... to give. He wanted more, so he could do more for the Glory of God. The reason why I left a church that I pastored almost 18 years, a good church, a church full of wonderful people, a church that I loved, a church where I could have easily spent the rest ...
... what God is doing, but there are going to be people who will misunderstand, misjudge and criticize you. When I left a church of 18 years to start this church, I had to receive and endure some of the meanest, most vicious criticism I've ever received in ... to prioritize God's Worship. I am going to prove this to you. Jesus said in John 24 - "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth." (John 4:24, NASB ) Do you know what that means? Until you decide to believe the truth ...
... looking at a person for the purpose of deliberately stimulating desire. It is not just appreciating someone's beauty. John Maxwell describes lust as, "Any thought, that if you actually carried it out, would be a sin." Incidentally, if ... study from the Public Health Service of the Department of Health and Human Services showed that nearly 65% of all American females under the age of 18 are still virgins. Even the age 15-19, nearly 50% of the girls had never had sex. [[8]] Here is lie number two. I can handle ...
... Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:3-4, 6, 17-18, NASB) Do you know why the secret place is so important to God? When you give secretly and you pray secretly and you fast secretly ... was "prime-time". They had a "strut your stuff" spiritually. Jesus said about the Pharisees in John 12:43, "For they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God." (John 12:43, NASB) I want you to understand there are certain things we are to do ...
... love to come in under radar. Don't get the idea that there are just a few false prophets out there. The Apostle John said in 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone ... . One thing I know is what determines the fruit of a tree is the root of a tree. That's why Jesus said in Mt. 7:17-18, "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree ...
... age. Later, on the cross, Jesus will repeat a similar act of compassion with his own mother. He will turn to John, the disciple, and make sure that John will look after Mary when he's gone. As the funeral procession passes by, so moved is Jesus that he touches ... me, O Man of God? You have come to bring my sin to remembrance, and cause the death of my son!" (1 Kings 17:18). Upon hearing this, Elijah is confused and bewildered. He takes the son up to a chamber and proceeds to revive him through the power ...
... ' act on the cross is not one of defeat, but rather is the apex of his life, his greatest moment. From the perspective of Saint John in his account of the crucifixion, Jesus begins to reign as king from the cross; the cross becomes his throne. The events of Calvary thus ... 's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:18-19). Yes, Jesus is the new Adam who, as the reading from Hebrews says, vanquishes sin. It is through Jesus' action on ...
... be wiser than you are. [17] Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. [18] If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. [19] Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for ... will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect.... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." That's why John Wesley gave us Three Simple Rules: Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God. Show the world your love affair with God. Let ...
... to your own plans for retirement, a cruise trip, a new car, a college education, when the stock market plummeted? In the past 18 months, the average household in the US has lost 20% of its net worth. This is a huge hit on every family here, ... live not out of our own power alone, but out of the power of the Spirit of life (Rom.8:1), the power of the Spirit of truth (John 16:13), the power of the Spirit of fellowship (2 Cor. 13:13), or most summarily, the power of the Spirit of Christ (Phil.1:19). Don’ ...
... allowed to eat the bread he held in his hand. Much to his chagrin, Peter's portion of bread was barely a mouthful, so John shared some of his bread with Peter. Later that same day, as they were headed down the mountain along the same stoney path, Jesus ... faced everything we face but did not give in. We forget two key verses found in the letter to the Hebrews, specifically Hebrews 2:18 "Because [Jesus] himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested." And Hebrews 4:15-16 " ...
... Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail ... Peter would experience and stand a stone's throw from Heaven. The second time will be in the very near future with James and John on the mount of Transfiguration, when standing side by side with Moses and Elijah, Jesus is seen in all of his heavenly glory, so ...
... the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." [17] When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. [18] Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, [19] and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them ... Well that's a crock. I have no idea how those who espouse this philosophy come up with it but Jesus very clearly states in John 16:33: "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." NIV. I think Jesus is pretty clear. We ...
... is also the day when we celebrate Christ’s Transfiguration. In our lesson from Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is on a mountain with Peter, John and James. As Jesus is praying, Luke tells us, the appearance of his face changes, and his clothes become as bright as a ... E. Conroy, http://www.trinityboston.org/wsp_smn_smnpage.asp?docpage=20050724.html. 4. http://www.clifftemple.org/sermons/2007/2007‑02‑18.html. 5. People magazine, March 22, 2004, p. 90. 6. Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power (London: Profile Books ...
... free. He has placed before us all the benefits and delights of belonging to His family. He has made available His love, His care, His provision in generous measure. Do we trust Him? I think one of the greatest statements of the Bible is John 14:18. Jesus says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Abandonment is an awful feeling. Sometimes parents will abandon children, husbands will abandon wives, families will desert each other in selfish strife, but Jesus says, “I will not abandon ...
... for the journey. He will provide insights in the critical moments of life. He will provide blessings for all time. Verses 17-18 say, “I will surely bless you and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.” Isn’t this an interesting ... Abraham, father. Could Father Abraham still be a blessing in our terror- stricken world that we have inherited together? Jesus said in John 8:56 “Your father, Abraham, rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day, he saw it and was glad.” In America’s ...
... ones so I can accumulate plenty of good things for many years, so I can take life easy, eat, drink and be merry” (verse 18). Jesus calls such thinking foolish. No, he said it stronger than that. He said, “You are a fool for thinking things like that.” It ... gambling and wasting money with hard work, family life and devotion to God. As a result, they climbed the ladder of success. That worried John Wesley a great deal so he gave this advice, “It is the duty of every man to work as hard as he can, to ...
... I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast" (Psalm 139:7-10). “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18). Will Campbell grew up on a Mississippi farm and graduated from Yale Divinity School. He went back to Mississippi engaging himself in the civil rights struggle of the 60's. A devout Christian, Campbell found himself hated by most churches in Mississippi who were determined to keep ...
... pulpits. I agree with that. But Paul didn’t. He says put on the whole armor of God. You better get dressed for battle. John Elderidge in his book Wake Up says, “Maybe it’s time for us to wake up too.” You do not escape spiritual warfare ... of life are raging we can help each other. Never fight a war alone. Keep in the company of those you trust. We can Pray! Verse 18 says, Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying ...
... says, “I do not call you servants any longer; the servant does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends" (John: 15). A friend is that unique person who asks “How are you?" and then stays around long enough to hear the answer. A friend is ... . You told me you were abused by an alcoholic father and lived in fear as a child. You told me that you left home at 18 and found life to be difficult. When everything was dark, you asked God to show you one good person and it was that night you ...
... love” (Psalm 103:8)? Paul wondered at “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:18), the one who was sent by the Father. In Jesus’ prayer, “The Lord’s Prayer,” we are reminded of God’s greatness ... those who ask him!” The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, the Paraclete or Defender, the giver of every good and perfect gift. And as John Calvin warned, “in despising the gift, we insult the giver.” (Institutes, 2/2/15) That is the gift of the Father who loves all ...
On June 18, 1815, the combined forces of Austria, Russia, Great Britain, and Prussia under the leadership of the British General Arthur Wellesly ... lives we shall live also. His victory is our victory. His resurrection is our resurrection. His rising to new life is new life for us as well. In the fifth chapter of the gospel of John, Jesus says it this way, "I tell you the truth whoever hears my word and believes in God who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed over from death ...
... he gives a paean of (to the original readers) familiar scripture passages ending in a benediction. He begins by quoting Psalm 18:49, "Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name." The "therefore" refers to what Paul has ... , UK, 1964), p. 164. 2. Owen Barfield, Worlds Apart: A Dialogue of the 1960s (London: Faber and Faber, UK, 1963), p. 148. 3. John Paul Heil, "The Voices of Scripture and Paul's Rhetorical Strategy of Hope in Romans 15:7-13," Theoforum 33 (2002) 187-211. ( ...
... of the late nineteenth century or the traditional teachings of Darbyism) has given focusing too much on the end and not the journey a bad name. John Wesley had no use for "Quietists," who sat back passively waiting for God to do something, and many of us have appropriately emphasized that what ... is able to help those who are being tested" (Hebrews 2:18). Amen. 1. Gustav Aulén, Christus Victor (London: S.P.C.K., 1931), p. 20. 2. Paul Tillich, The Shaking of the Foundations (New York: Peter Smith Publisher, ...
... , the conviction of things not seen." A similar notion of "faith" is utilized by Saint Paul in today's second reading from Romans (4:18). Paul calls it "hoping against hope." Or as I would like to paraphrase it, "in spite of evidence to the contrary." Paul draws on ... . Jesus' public life begins with the story of his baptism. Jesus, that ordinary carpenter's son from Nazareth in Galilee, comes to John the Baptist and is baptized in the Jordan River. The heavens are torn open, the Holy Spirit in the form of a ...