To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. Titus 1:4 NASB Grace and peace – Paul often uses these words, “grace” and “peace,” in personal letters. We have a tendency to skip right over them, imagining that we know what they mean to his audience simply because they…
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 NASB Grace – “What is grace? The presence of the soul. A person had grace when the throbbing of his heart is audible in his voice; when the longings…
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB Sufficient – Is grace really sufficient for you? Are you content with the…
Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Galatians 5:2 NASB Circumcision – Who am I to tell the former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain that his exegesis of Paul is incorrect? But listen to what Rabbi Jonathan Sacks says: “It was among this…
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Romans 12:6 NIV Gifts – While the Greek heritage provides a rich texture for understanding the idea of gifting as the expression of joyful celebration, an even deeper context can be seen in the Hebrew thought patterns that lie behind Paul’s vocabulary. Charis is typically…
God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NASB It was good – Sometimes the most important thing is what’s missing. Of course, we wouldn’t notice what’s missing…
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10 NASB All – What do you suppose Paul meant when he said “we must all appear”? Do you…
Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;” Exodus 34:6 NASB Gracious – Sing it! Sing it loudly! This is not theology. This is freedom. This is rescue. This is the answer. Now, how do…
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11 NASB Grace and glory – Ah, what we so desperately want! Joy. Joy of life. Joy of relationships. Joy that satisfies our deepest longings for acceptance, recognition,…
“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31 NIV Love – It’s Day 14. What a glorious day! For a dozen sessions, we have examined our true state of self-protection. We found something vitally important. God’s favor (hen) is God’s business. It does not depend…
