And he (Jesus) sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, ‘Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he […]
Seating Arrangements at the Last Supper Read More »
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8a, NASB1995). My 2026 New Year’s resolution, rather short and simple: to draw near to God, so that He will draw near to me. It’s not easy, as I’m experiencing “the drawing near to Him and Him to me” as one of the most
Three Lessons on Drawing Near to God Read More »
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8, ESV). I’ve listened to believers repeat the prayer of Isaiah in a moment of passion and emotional conviction, “Here I am, Lord! Send me.” A great prayer,
Burning Lips of Isaiah’s Prophecies Read More »
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:8, ESV, emphasis mine). Why did Paul write so many lists in his epistles? Anyone who reads Paul
Why Paul Writes So Many Lists Read More »
The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1a, NASB, my emphasis). I entered the classroom on the first day of a seminary course entitled Understanding the Book of Revelation, to find the professor sitting behind a table with three stacks of commentaries on the Book of Revelation. After the 20 or so students settled into our
Saturday’s Revelations on Revelation #2 Read More »
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person (Colossians 4:6, ESV). “Theology” is a term used to describe and define differing topics in the Bible. Jesus, Paul, John, or Peter (or any other author of the New Testament) didn’t systematically list important Biblical themes with
Developing A Personal Theology Read More »
Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all! (2 Thessalonians 3:16, NASB) In 2016, my anxiety hit critical mass. I was (and still am) intense, too often introspective, and worry too much. But the anxiety that started in 2016, which I now believe was an attack
Anxiety vs. the Presence of God Read More »
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers (Ephesians 4:29, NKJV). Some talk too much and others too little. I fall into the “too much” category, and since I talk five times as much as other people, I have more opportunities for
Let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out (Ecclesiastes 12:12, NLT). Below are ten things that you know (or should know) and ten deeper facts (that you might not know) about the same topic. So, 20 facts. How many do you know? Bonus
Ten Things You Did and Didn’t Know About the Bible Read More »
The word “transformed” is found in the New Testament four times. “Transformed” comes from the Greek word “metamorpho,” and it doesn’t take a Greek scholar to realize, “Hey, this word ‘metamorpho’ must be the root word for our English word ‘metamorphosis.’” And if you said that, you would be correct. An image that quickly comes