Power Failure

Were you not able to watch one hour with me?  Matthew 26:40 Were you not able – Let’s make it crystal clear.  The path to the cross goes through Gethsemane.  If you are going to follow Jesus, if you are going to take up your cross, then you will have to go with Him to…

Empty Words

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ be nullified.  1 Corinthians 1:17 Be Nullified – What an amazing statement.  There is hardly a preacher alive today who would echo Paul’s proclamation.  He did not come to baptize.  Wow!  He…

The Story of Abraham

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those being lost, but to us being saved it is the power of God.  1 Corinthians 1:18 Foolishness – The greatest example of faith in the Old Testament is found in Genesis chapter 22.  It is the story of the sacrifice of Isaac.  When God asks…

The Delivery Plan

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those being lost, but to us being saved it is the power of God.  1 Corinthians 1:18 Being Saved – The grammar matters.  Without the grammar, you might miss the awesome wonder of this verse.  Without the grammar, this great truth could remain hidden.  The verb…

I Am Able

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those being lost, but to us being saved it is the power of God.  1 Corinthians 1:18 Power – Does life come at you in waves?  Sometimes the waves are gentle, comforting, buoying you above the deep.  At other times, life seems like an endless pounding…

The Eighteen Benedictions

O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise  Psalm 51:15 Praise – An ancient text has come down to us from the Pharisees.  It is called, “The Eighteen Benedictions.”  It was read three times a day in the presence of the faithful and much of it is still used…

Common Assumptions

When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem  2 Chronicles 33:13 Prayed – Do you live in the prayer air of the Hebrew worldview?  Yesterday we learned that prayer saturates the common life world of Hebrew thought.  It is part of waking,…

A Mysterious Vocabulary

Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD answered him  Genesis 25:21 Prayed – Prayer is mysterious.  It hardly seems possible to speak to an invisible, perfect and holy God.  But every religion embraces prayer.  For the Hebrews, prayer is so much an integral part of…

Is That Your Final Answer?

keep the commandment without strain or reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time  1 Timothy 6:15 Bring About – Let this sink in:  because Jesus will return and the final answer of life is in His return, you are freed from the necessity of…

It’s Not The Matrix

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”  Revelation 21:5 New – There are two words for “new” in Greek.  One of them is neos.  If you are a movie buff, you will recognize the name “Neo” from the movie, The Matrix.  That movie is filled with Greek…