In Hebrews 6:1 we read “Therefore leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection”. Perfection here means completeness or maturity; it is like moving from first to second grade, not repeating the first over and over again, but building on the foundation that has already been laid. 2 […]
Two little words that pack a powerful punch is “let us” and they are used often throughout scripture, many times in the book in of Hebrews alone. The first of these is in 4:1 where God is reviewing how Israel failed to enter Canaan’s rest because of unbelief and consequently their failure to obey! The […]
Jesus, Himself being the living manifestation of the word of God, John 1:1, said “The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life”, John 6:63. Today we are looking at the characteristics and life giving power of the word of God which is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged […]
The first three chapters of Ephesians leans heavily on what we have received and are in Christ, and the last three on how we should live and walk in Christ. 2:19 brings us to a great ending spot for our series of fifteen things we are in Christ, saying that we are “…fellow citizens with […]
Ephesians 2:1, 5 speak of the time God, “when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ”. The Bible here is not speaking of our physical life, although to be certain this life is attributable to Him since it is He who “gives to all life, breath, and all things” Acts 17:25. […]
“the eyes of your understanding (heart) being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…” Ephesians 1:18-19. This comes either as a part of the Apostles prayer beginning in verse 16, or I think very likely as a […]
The next stop we make here in Ephesians is in 1:6 where we are told that “He made us accepted…” We could say “He has graced us with special honor” or He has highly favored us. Notice that this acceptance which is graced with honor and high favor is in “in the beloved” that is […]
Ephesians 1:4 continues by telling us why we have been chosen; it is not just so we can enter heaven, though that is the end result, neither is it so we can boast that we have been placed in God’s safety net; it is “that we should be holy and without blame (unblemished)…” So what […]
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures” Psalm 23:4. This speaks to us of rest; the shepherd had led the flock to tender green pastures where they had eaten to full satisfaction and now lay resting, chewing their cud. Having been born and raised a country boy I do not recall ever looking […]
Last week we saw Jesus as the life, the restorer of the life of God to mankind because there had been a spiritual death in which we became separated from God and we needed restoration. Today we hear Jesus words “I am the resurrection and the life”, spoken in the face of the death of […]