Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Matthew 18:21 NASB Seven times – So how many? Don’t be so quick to answer with the mistaken “seventy times seven” or the spiritualized “forever.” Taken out of context, such quick…
The mind of the hasty will discern the truth, and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak clearly. Isaiah 32:4 NASB Hasty – First we need to clear up the footnotes. If you read this verse in the NASB, you will see footnotes for the words “mind” and “truth.” There should probably be…
… And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” Luke 5:10 NASB Do not fear – How many times have you heard someone refer to this verse as the basis of evangelism? “If you follow Jesus, you will be a fisher of men.” Perhaps that’s true, but…
But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” Luke 5:8 NASB Go away – Peter’s reaction to being in the presence of a holy man is Hebraic. “Depart from me for I am a sinner.” Peter doesn’t flee. That…
not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Ephesians 6:6 NASB Will of God – Doing God’s will is doing exactly what I would do if I had all the facts. God’s will is the most reasonable choice I could ever make since…
When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. Exodus 19:19 NASB Thunder – At least the translators were kind enough to add a footnote explaining that the word for “thunder” is really the word for “voice.” The KJV and NIV get it right, but the…
“They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we entreat Him?’” Job 21:14-15 NASB Do not even desire – Job suffers. So do you. If God is so good, why should…
“You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride; and You dissolve me in a storm.” Job 30:22 NASB Dissolve – Ever heard the expression, “God is my co-pilot”? The truth is that God is the pilot and I am just along for the ride. That means sometimes He flies where I…
No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:4 NASB Entangles – Don’t be empleko, says Paul. The verb paints an important picture. It means to be braided into. Imagine you are vacationing on a…
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2 NASB Entrust – How do rabbis educate? They choose students and teach the students to copy them. For what purpose? Not for creating a storehouse…
