For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.
Our Mission Is Grounded In The Written Word Of God.
The Way Of The World And The Way Of The Lord
"He Who Has Ears To Hear ... "
God’s Word carries this message: ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says...’ (9; Revelation 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22). We must listen for the voice of the Spirit. Grace has been ‘given’ to us (11). It is God's gift. To God be the glory! Sadly, some refuse to listen. Think about yourwe be ‘visual aids’ to whet people’s appetite - for God! response to God's Word (15-20). Let your light shine (21-23; Matthew 5:16). Use your gifts, or lose them (24-25). We preach the Word. God gives the growth (26-29; 1 Corinthians 3:6-7). A small child can count the seeds in an apple. Only God knows how many apples there are in a single seed! God’s Word is a ‘seed’ which bears much fruit (30-32; 1 Peter 1:23-25). Parables whet the appetite - for more! They were given to people ‘as they were able to hear it’ - ‘a starter’ (33-34)! May we be ‘visual aids’ to whet people’s appetite - for God!
"When Doubts Fill Your Mind ... "
-----
"You May Not Be A Moses Or A Joshua ... "
Worldly people create problems (Exodus 17:3). Moses asks, ‘What shall I do...?’ (Exodus 17:4). Indecision asks, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’ (Exodus 17:7). He gives victory (Exodus 17:8-9, 13). Joshua is being equipped for special service - ‘in the ears of Joshua’ (Exodus 17:14). God’s great concern is that His people move forward together. The work is not to be left to the few (Exodus 18:18). God is looking to faithful servants who will ‘bear the burden’ together (Exodus 18:21-22). There is much to be done, but we must never forget this: ‘prayer and the ministry of the Word’ (Acts 6:1-4). You may not be a Moses or a Joshua, but you can play your part. We rejoice in who God is and what He has done for us. Assured of His presence with us, let us worship Him: ‘Blessed be the Lord...’ (Exodus 18:10-11).
God Speaks To Us, God Speaks Through Us.
Called by God to bring His Word to others, let us draw strength from the Word which He speaks to us: "I have put My words in your mouth" (Jeremiah 1:9).
"There Was A Man Sent From God ... " (John 1:6-7).
"In Him Was Life ... " (John 1:4-5).
What has the Lord Jesus been doing since the very beginning? - "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). Jesus has been constantly at work in the hearts of men and women, calling them out of their spiritual darkness and into His marvellous light, out of spiritual death and into eternal life. How has Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God, been speaking to men and women from the very beginning? He has been speaking to us through the created world (Psalm 19:1-4). Those who get a taste of the Lord soon find that they get hungry for more of Him. Once, we start to become aware of God the Creator, we long to know Him more fully, not only as Creator but also as Saviour. To know His saving power in our lives, we must turn only to the world created but also to the Word inspired by God (Psalm 19:7-10).
"In The Beginning Was The Word ... " (John 1:1-3).
The Inexhaustible Treasure Chest Of God's Precious Word
It is my prayer that these notes will help others to dig more deeply into the inexhaustible treasure chest of God's precious Word and its wonderful message of salvation.
In all of our study of Scripture, may we learn to say, with Jesus, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have ... revealed these things ... " (Matthew 11:25).
Let us always rejoice in this: "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words" (1 Corinthians 2:12-13).
Preaching A Message Which Is Relevant To The Life Of Our Hearers
-----
This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.
If We Seek Relevance At The Expense Of Faithfulness, We Will End Up Being Irrelevant!
-----
This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.
'The Spirit ... Opens Up The Scripture To Us And ‘Opens’ Us To The Scripture.'
-----
This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.
Interpreting The Authoritative Word Of God.
-----
This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.
Let Us Preach God's Word As The Living Word.
-----
This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.
It Is The Holy Spirit Who Binds Faithfulness And Relevance Together.
-----
This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.
The Heart Of The Matter Is The Matter Of The Heart.
The storm is raging: ‘they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them’(48). Jesus draws near, and there is peace: ‘the wind ceased’(51). Another ‘storm’ continues to rage: ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders...?’(5). How did Jesus respond to this ‘storm’ of criticism? - He exposed the hypocrisy of those who made the tradition of men more important than the Word of God (7-9,13). He invited ‘the people’ to come ‘to Him’, to ‘hear’, to ‘understand’. His Word was addressed to ‘all’ of them (14). Jesus emphasizes this point: ‘man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart’(1 Samuel 16:7). The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. Which will it be? - ‘Their hearts were hardened’(52) or ‘Loving the Lord your God with all your heart’(12:30).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God’s Word Is A ‘Seed’ Which Bears Much Fruit.
God’s Word carries this message: ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says...’(9; Revelation 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22). We must listen for the voice of the Spirit. Grace has been ‘given’ to us (11). It is God's gift. To God be the glory! Sadly, some refuse to listen. Think about your response to God's Word (15-20). Let your light shine (21-23; Matthew 5:16). Use your gifts, or lose them (24-25). We preach the Word. God gives the growth (26-29; 1 Corinthians 3:6-7). A small child can count the seeds in an apple. Only God knows how many apples there are in a single seed! God’s Word is a ‘seed’ which bears much fruit (30-32; 1 Peter 1:23-25). Parables whet the appetite - for more! They were given to people ‘as they were able to hear it’- ‘a starter’(33-34)! May we be ‘visual aids’ to whet people’s appetite - for God!
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
We Must Do God’s Work In God’s Way.
Here, we highlight three lessons: (a) The work of God begins with the Word of God:‘The Lord said to Moses...’(1). Before we can do anything for God, we must be taught by God. (b) The work of God must proceed in the way of God: ‘Thus did Moses; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did’(16). If we are to accomplish anything for God, we must do God’s work in God’s way. (c) The work of God must lead to the worship of God: ‘The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle’(34). If we are really seeking to work for God, we must seek to give Him the glory for all that is accomplished. Making these our priorities - the Word, way and worship of God - , we will look for ‘the cloud and fire’, the presence and power of God among us: He will be our Guide ‘throughout all our journeys’(38).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
We May Not Always Be Facing The Rising Sun, But We Should Always Be Facing The Risen Son!
From the outside, it was a ‘tent’. On the inside, the tabernacle was a place of great beauty. Many look at Christ, and see ‘no beauty that we should desire Him’(Isaiah 53:2). The believer looks at Christ, and says, ‘You are beautiful beyond description, too marvellous for words, too wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard’(Mission Praise, 788).The ‘veil’ has been removed (2 Corinthians 4:3-4,6). Our sin had separated us from God, hiding His face from us (Isaiah 59:2). When Christ died, ‘the curtain of the temple was torn in two...’(Mark 15:37-38). He has changed everything (Hebrews 9:7-8,11-12). Once, we were ‘separated... alienated... strangers... far off’. Now, we are ‘in Christ Jesus’- ‘brought near in the blood of Christ’(Ephesians 2:12-13; Hebrews 10:19-22).
Exodus 27:1-19
We highlight two interesting phrases - (a) ‘as you were shown on the mountain’(8); (b) ‘towards the sunrise’(13, New International Version). We need both ‘the Scriptures’ and ‘the power of God’(Mark 12:24). Our faith is based on divine revelation - ‘according to the Scriptures’(1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We are ‘not’ to ‘go beyond what is written’(1 Corinthians 4:6). Face the risen Son - We may not always be facing the rising sun, but we should always be facing the risen Son! The revelation, the resurrection, the Scriptures, the Son - these are the great focal-points of our Christian Faith: God has revealed Himself, Christ has risen. Encouraged by the Scriptures, and empowered by the Son, we face the risen Son and we say, ‘I will proclaim the glory of the risen Lord’(Romans 15:4; Matthew 28:18-20; Mission Praise, 14).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com