SCRIPTURE: Luke 3:21-38 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 1. “Jesus was baptized too” (21). This was a baptism of repentance, a sign of humility and submission to God. Though Jesus was sinless, like us He needed to humbly submit to God in all things. 2. “As he was praying, heaven was opened” (21). I’ve not noticed this detail before, but…
Author: Norm
Apr 1 — Luke 3:1-20
SCRIPTURE: Luke 3:1-20 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 1. “In the fifteenth year…” (3:1-2). Luke is very carefuly to demonstrate the historical roots of this biography of Jesus. It is no abstract or philosophical (as the gnostic ‘gospels” were). Jesus is flesh and blood, born in time. 2. “Preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (3:3). It…
Mar 31 — Proverbs 7:1-27
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 7:1-27 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 1. “Guard my teachings as the apple of your eye” (7:2). That is, your eyeball, which is very weak and needs protection. 2. “A youth who lacked judgment… walking along in the direction of her house” (7:7-8). A wise person is aware of their potential weaknesses, and avoids those paths that will…
Mar 30 — Proverbs 6:20-35
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 6:20-35 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 1. “This teaching is a light… the way to life” (6:23). Light helps us to see, to avoid the pitfalls along the way. These words of wisdom come from the heart of a parent who wants their children to find life, true life as God intended it to be. As a parent…
Sennema’s accept call to Ajax
FROM THE SENNEMA’S — After prayerful consideration, Valerie and I have decided that the Lord is calling us to Crossroads Church in Ajax. We feel led by the Spirit to help this young church move forward. Although difficult to explain, there is this deep-down sense that Ajax is the next step in our ministry journey….
Mar 29 — Proverbs 6:1-19
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 6:1-19 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 1. “If you have been trapped by what you said… go and humble yourself”. Good advice from father to son. When your words or actions are starting to get you into trouble, don’t make it worse by digging yourself deeper. Humble yourself. This is the consistent message of the Bible. Be honest,…
Mar 28 — Proverbs 5:1-23
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 5:1-23 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 1. “The adultress” symbolizes all sexual sin. This is not just the problem of immoral women, in fact many who have turned to prostitution have done so because they could not otherwise survive in a male-dominated world, and because men were perversely asking for this kind of pleasure. 2. “Drip honey… bitter…
Mar 27 — Proverbs 4:1-27
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 4:1-27 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 1. “Listen to a father’s instruction”. The father expresses his heart concern for his son, please heed this advice! He then shares how his own father (David) had done the same thing to him (“when I was a boy”). 2. The advice is twofold – seek wisdom with all your heart, and…
Mar 26 — Proverbs 3:21-35
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 3:21-35 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 1. Solomon gives examples of God’s kind of wisdom: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it”; “Do not plot harm against your neighbour”; “Do not envy a violent man”. He follows these observations with reasons against these examples of folly. 2. “My son, preserve…” This suggests that we cannot passively…
Mar 25 — Proverbs 3:1-20
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 3:1-20 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 1. “Bind them around your neck”. Solomon urges us to cling to wisdom and truth, love and faithfulness, to bind ourselves to them, to let nothing get in the way of our living according to them. 2. “They will prolong your years and bring you prosperity.” If we seek wisdom first we…