THE RIGHT PLACE

Luke 2:41-49 “And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’” (v. 49 ESV) Jesus thought it incredible that Mary and Joseph had not known where to find Him.  “Why is it that you were looking for Me?  Did you not

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION – THE EVENT AND THE EVENTUALITIES – Part 2

1 Thessalonians 5:23; Philippians 2:12, 13; Romans 12:1, 2 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely.  And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thess. 5:23 (HCSB) There is yet one more matter that sums up what this writer

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION – THE EVENT AND THE EVENTUALITIES – Part 1

1 Thessalonians 4:3; Philippians 2:12, 13; Romans 12:1, 2 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification:” (1 Thess. 4:3a) THE EVENT:  According to one of my copies of Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionaries, an event includes the meaning of “that which comes, arrives or happens: . . .”  Now anyone who understands Paul’s prayer that

THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER – Part 3

Ezekiel 36:27 “And I will put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes, and are careful and follow My ordinances.” When Ezekiel prophesied that God would give His Spirit to His people, he also saw a relationship between that gift and obedience: I will cause you to walk

THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER – Part 2

Ezekiel 36:27 “And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Six hundred years before the day of Pentecost, the prophet Ezekiel had caught a glimpse of what God would one day do in the lives of His people.  He would put

THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER – Part 1

Ezekiel 36:27 “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. . .” Little that Jesus had said to His disciples could have been more shocking than His statement to them in the Upper Room just before His arrest: I tell you the truth: it is to your

CLAY IN THE POTTER’S HAND

Jeremiah 18:1-17 “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand. . .” (v. 6b) There are two sides to this story.  In this context, God is simply giving notice that He is in control.  Even as the potter has power over the clay, so also He is omnipotent and

BEYOND THE JORDAN

Joshua 22:1-6; Hebrews 4:1-11 “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.” (Heb. 4:1) After speaking to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh regarding their fulfilling of God’s command and Moses’ instruction to go with

LOVING GOD

Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Mark 12:30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  Mark 12:30 God not only wants us to love Him, but love Him completely, with all that we are and have with which He has blessed us. 

HOW TO BE LIKE THE MASTER – Part 3

Luke 1:74, 75 “. . .that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” (ESV) Like The Master In Piety And Holy Living Jesus gives the unerring rule for holy living: “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the