How can faith – even a strong faith – in someone whom we have not seen produce happiness, specifically happiness and joy which is so powerful that the inspired writer calls it “inexpressible and filled with glory”?… Read More 1 Peter: How Never Having Seen Jesus Can Produce Joy That Is Inexpressible And Glorious
“Wait, Peter!” these first readers of his epistle might have been thinking to themselves at this point. “Aren’t you aware of all the persecutions and hardships we are facing because of our Christianity?” The apostle acknowledged this. “…though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials…” (1:6b). He will elaborate further on what those trials were later in this book, as well as how Christians should respond to them. For now, notice that he still expects them to rejoice because of all the great blessings with positive eternal ramifications which the Father had and continued to shower upon them…in spite of the trials they were currently experiencing. The Lord expected the same from His apostles, and He expects the same from us today (John 15:11, 18-25; Phil. 4:4-7). Are our daily lives filled with joy in spite of whatever hardships life throws at us for these reasons…or are we too focused on the bad to see the eternal good?… Read More 1 Peter: Reasons to Rejoice…And Reasons for Trials
The apostle now informs his Christian readers that the power of God guards us (1:5a). This term, also rendered “kept” in some English translations, comes from the Greek term phroureo and is a military term; it refers to being under military guard. During biblical times, soldiers at the gates of a city would stand at post to either keep the hostile invaders from entering the city or keep the citizens within that city from leaving the protection of its walls and falling into enemy hands. Our heavenly Father does the same for us through His awesome power. The gospel is the power God uses to save us (Rom. 1:16), and this same power is used to guard us from Satan. … Read More 1 Peter: Christians Are Guarded By The Power of God
Peter, a professional fisherman, decided to trust a land-loving carpenter/rabbi who had just told him to do something he had spent all night proving wouldn’t work. Do we have this same amount of trust?… Read More How Much Do We Trust Jesus?
God has promised you eternal life, but that promise requires something of you. Do you trust Him? If so, prove it by your obedience. Believe in Jesus, repent of your sins, and be baptized…and receive the promise of salvation.… Read More Real Trust in God
One of the most beautiful hymns sung in many churches on Sunday’s is David Whittle’s I Know Whom I Have Believed. Whittle’s first verse reads, “I know not why God’ wondrous grace to me He hath made known, nor why, unworthy, Christ in love redeemed me for His own.” It then leads into the chorus, which basically quotes what Paul wrote to Timothy above. Each succeeding verse expresses Whittle’s admitted lack of knowledge or understanding about various facets of God’s plan to save us or how He works in our lives, but each time he brings us back to the chorus and agrees with Paul in saying, “But I know Whom I have believed…”… Read More “For I Know Whom I Have Believed”
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days” (Hebrews 11:30). Put yourself in Joshua’s shoes and imagine meeting with your military strategists to lay out the plan God gave to you for taking the city of Jericho: Okay guys, we’re going to basically march around the city blowing trumpets for six days, and on the seventh day march around it seven times doing the same thing, and then give a great big yell. Then Jericho’s walls will fall down. I guarantee it” (Joshua 6:1-5). I don’t think General Eisenhower would have approved of this military strategy for D-Day. No, only deep trust in God’s promises would motivate any soldier to go along with this plan.… Read More Hebrews: They Overcame By Faith
Whether one truly believes that God rewards those who seek him is just as much a foundational building block of the Christian religion as one’s belief in God’s existence. I’ve encountered many professed Christians over the years who, when asked about their faith, claim to believe in God…and yet live lives not much different from those who deny God’s existence and have no motivation to uphold his standards. … Read More Hebrews: Do We Truly Believe That God Means What He Says?
Do you believe that God exists? If yes, why is that so? Do you believe in God only because your parents believed in God and raised you to do the same? Do you believe in God because most of your friends go to church and say they believe in God? If an atheist were to ask you to give thought-out reasons for why you believe God exists, would you be able to answer him?… Read More Hebrews: Why Do We Believe In God?
Pre-Denominational Christianity 
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