Spiritual gifts series

Elders series

Edification series

2 John 4-6 Translation
My translation: I was so happy that I found some of your children living in that truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. Now I have a request, dear lady, not by writing a new command but a command that we’ve known from the beginning: We should love one another! This is that love that I’m writing about: We should live according to his command. Love is the command, just like you heard from the beginning, so live a life of love. (2 John 4-6) Greek Text: Ἐχάρην λίαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σου περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, καθὼς ἐντολὴ

Can We Talk?
Two years ago, after watching a Kleenex commercial (of all things), I started thinking about talking and listening. I wrote a blog post called “Can We Talk?” recognizing that people like to talk about themselves and their interests. But, the “one anothers” of Scripture demonstrate that we should listen at least as much as we talk. ————————— Can We Talk? Have you seen the Kleenex c

Love is the command; the command is love
Dave Black makes the following statement (concerning 1 John) on his blog (Tuesday, November 24, 8:17 am): The study of love and its ethics of obedience remains very much on my personal agenda, and I have not yet slaked my thirst for the brilliant analysis offered by John. Love, for John, is the transference of one’s loyalties from the present kingdom of man to the coming kingdom of God. Love binds us to Jesus Christ and then thrusts out into the world for whom Christ died, back into the darkness, back into real relationships with real pain. Love is not fully Christian unless it is love for the

When Jesus was Thankful
He [Jesus] took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (Matthew 15:36 ESV; see also Mark 8:6; John 6:11) And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you…” (Matthew 26:27 ESV; see also Mark 14:23; Luke 22:17, 19) So they took away the stone [from Lazarus' tomb]. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.” (John 11:41 ESV) Related Posts:Disciples

A Modernized Parable of the Ten Virgins
We’re studying through the Gospel of Matthew on Sunday mornings. For the last few weeks, we’ve been studying Matthew 24, where Jesus answers the apostles’ questions about the destruction of the temple and Jesus’ return. Next Sunday, we begin chapter 25. Although I’m not scheduled to teach, I’m continuing to study and read. This is the first section from Matthew 25: Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lam