SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1-2 “The important thing is that in every way… Christ is preached.| (Philippians 1:18) Paul doesn’t mind being imprisoned and mistreated, if Christ is preached. Paul is prepared to live or die, what matters is that Christ is preached. I find the picture that Paul presents of Christ here very inspiring. This is the Jesus…
Author: Norm
All washed up!
SCRIPTURE: Acts 10:44-48 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water.” (Acts 10:47) I have a very simple view on the symbol of baptism. Grace is not tied to the symbol, the symbol points to grace. There’s nothing supernatural about the water, it is not ‘holy water’. It’s like a wedding…
Open or closed to what He says?
SCRIPTURE: Acts 10:23-33 “God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.” (Acts 10:28) Peter is acting on what God has shown him. Cornelius also acted on what God showed him. What has God shown us, and are we acting on it? Do we treat people differently, based on who or how they…
New testament living!
SCRIPTURE: Acts 10:9-23 “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (Acts 10:15) In the Jewish Law, there were long lists of ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’. These were object lessons to teach the lesson of holiness vs. unholiness. But these laws were temporary, put in place until Jesus came. Through His death, Jesus has restored God’s…
On their way to Jesus
SCRIPTURE: Acts 10:1-8 “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.” (Acts 10:2) This man was an ethical monotheist, not a Jew: believing in one God and good morals. This is important; his good religion does not ‘save’ him, but it is valued by God. His good heart opens…
Channels of peace
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 133 “For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” Psalm 133:3) What a joy it is when the family is together, and getting along! I have heard of families where there is tension, even hatred and meanness. Or families where one member hasn’t been heard from or spoken to in years. God’s dream…
The ‘modern’ idea of church
“The ‘modern’ idea of church, or ecclesiology, it seems is that the church exists as a venue to “attract” the lost through dynamic programs, performances and events—the more dynamic the better. What one pastor friend of mine referred to as “theo-tainment.” The problem with emphasizing this approach exclusively is that a disproportionate amount of the…
Be very careful!!!
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4-6 “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” (Ephesians 5:15) God has saved us from the consequences of foolish living, don’t return to it. Don’t let the enemy suck you back into that destructive lifestyle. This is war, the enemy wants to bring you down… BE VERY CAREFUL!!! “Making the…
Immeasurably more!!!!
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1-3 “I keep asking… so that you may know him better.” (Ephesians 1:17) Paul is writing to people who know Jesus Christ, and believe! Yet he keeps on praying that they would know Him better… why? Do you notice how HUGE Paul’s understanding of God’s grace is? These chapters are an extended monologue on God’s…
The goal… and the question!
The fundamental goal and activity of the church should be to – teach and train every believer to become a ‘disciple making disciple’. Biblically and theologically, if we’re to become effective at ‘growing the church’, at strategically achieving ‘true gospel growth’ (both numerically and spiritually), then we’re to implement the scriptures call to build churches…