Allowing the Teachings of Jesus to Go Deep

I’ve been spending some time reading the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). It’s more than a high moral code, it’s a search light that is truly penetrating if we’ll allow it to be. Here are some questions I will be dwelling on during my study the next few weeks:

Am I hungry and thirsty for [...]

“the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah” – Jonah 1:17

This Sunday, we will begin a series of messages at our church on the Old Testament book of Jonah. We will not be covering the science of how a man can live in the belly of a whale or fish for three days. If you are one that must have scenarios here are a few [...]

Groaning (Thru the Bible, part 7)

The Exodus story is a favorite of mine. God’s people are slaves to a King in Egypt who has forgotten about, or intentionally and conveniently overlooked, Joseph and his God. The people are suffering, being used, being held captive (just as sin and circumstances can do to us) but “God heard their groaning…” (Exodus 2:24). [...]

Unmoved: The Life of Joseph (Thru the Bible, part 6)

The deceptive hearts of Jacob’s sons eventually bit their own when in a group-fit of hatred and jealousy, they sold their little brother Joseph to some traveling slave traders. But God brought Joseph through family violence, slavery, false accusation, imprisonment, and possible bitterness of heart and vengeful thinking toward all those he could have easily [...]

Like Father, like sons (Thru the Bible, part 5)

Like Abraham, Isaac had a heart to respond to Yahweh. He obeyed by moving when God said go, worshiped by building altars everywhere he went, believed God’s promise/blessing just like his Father had. Abraham’s obedience impacted his next generation. Abraham’s deceit also was passed along. Just like his Father, Isaac lied about his marital status [...]

the Lord Said to Abram, ‘Go…’ So Abram went…” (Thru the Bible, part 4)

The next man with a heart to obey was Abram in Genesis 12. God said GO, so he went. Even when he wasn’t sure where he was going. God said I will bless you, so he believed (Genesis 15:6). God spoke, he worshipped by building an altar (Genesis 12:7; 13:4,18; 22:9). He was a friend [...]

“he did all that God commanded” (Thru the Bible, part 3)

Genesis 6 and 7 tells the story of Noah and the Ark. God “saw that the wickedness of man was great and that every intention of the thought of his heart was only evil continually” (verse 5). So, He decided that it was time to hit restart. The earth would be devastated by a flood, [...]

“Did God really say…?” (Thru the Bible, part 2)

Genesis 3:1 and 3:4 records the Grandfather of all lies. “Did God really say…?” and “You will not surely die…” It was the serpents successful attempt to persuade Adam (see 3:6 to view Adam, like most men today, standing “with her” saying nothing) and Eve to doubt God’s Word and then disobey God’s Word. These [...]

And God Said (Thru the Bible, pt. 1)

Once again, started in Genesis 1 Today. Goal – Through the Bible in a year. Hopefully it’s yours too. Here’s a few thoughts from this morning.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was WITHOUT FORM AND VOID AND DARKNESS WAS OVER the face of the deep. And THE SPIRIT [...]