(Continuing our study through Wayne Grudem’s Christian Beliefs workbook) This of the greatest rivalry you know… now go beyond that and think of the strongest hatred you know… next try to think of something more (far apart) than a holy God and sinful humans: holy vs sinful, God versus human, one versus billions. As undeserving … Continue reading Lesson 10: What Is the Atonement? →

The acclamation of those who initially proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus featured the third person and the past tense, not the first person and the future tense. Their touchstone wasn’t “God will raise me from the dead” or “God will raise us from the dead.” Rather, it was “God has raised him from the dead.” … Continue reading Christ Rose > I’ll Rise →

Introduction Psalm 8 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible; probably from working 3rd shift and wishing I could make the world work around a night owl schedule. Psalm 8:3–6⠀3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, … Continue reading Lesson 7: What Is Man? →

Introduction About 20 years ago, I drove to CompUSA to spend $100 on an AirPort Extreme Card. Why? So that my laptop could connect to Wi-Fi—yes, there used to be a time when computers and laptops didn’t come with Wi-Fi. demonstrate installing the card In its original factory, it would have been able to connect. … Continue reading Lesson 6: What Are Angels, Satan, and Demons? →

Introduction Praying the Bible Did anyone pray through Psalm 12 this morning? Remember our Praying the Bible series this past fall? So this morning we are going to see the doctrine of prayer. We might think we are already familiar enough with it. But, as someone has said, “The best way to make a Christian … Continue reading Lesson 5: What Is Prayer? →

“But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem us…” Luke 24:21 Follower of Jesus: there was once a time when Jesus’s followers referred to hope as something they used to have—hope had changed from a present reality to something spoken in the past tense. They once were hoping, they used to be … Continue reading Hope’s Not Gone →

After a followup with the heart doctor this morning for an expensive way to be told all the tests say I'm fine, this is just what I needed to read for the first time in PNTC and to be reminded of again in an email from Chuck Fuller: CF: "At some point, Dr. Seifrid noticed … Continue reading The Kingdom Comes Small →

Since nothing in creation can separate the genuine believer from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, then we must conclude that every earthly separation is not meant to separate us from our Savior. Instead, it is intended to draw us nearer. Though earthly separation may be the result of sinful … Continue reading All Things →

Often someone will criticize another for having ‘too tight a hold’ on items. It may be an item of hobby or a material possession that is greatly admired. True, our covetous hearts are bent towards idolatry (and that right quickly, see Exodus 32:8). But, if we possess the item and use it to accomplish a … Continue reading God’s Grip →

If I understand the gospel more today than I did yesterday, does that mean I’m not really saved? How many times have you heard of someone claiming that they finally understand salvation and now are truly saved? How may times have you heard testimonies of people claiming that after years of serving God and knowing … Continue reading Assurance of Salvation →

Christian (who doesn’t seem to fit in), With all of your quirks and oddities, remember that you’re made in the image of God. You may not connect with everyone and may not be understood by everybody. That’s ok—God doesn’t intend for you to carry a burden that heavy anyway. Connecting with everyone you know and … Continue reading Square Pegs →

Came across an old highlight while reading this morning. It’s a wonderful reminder of what biblical balance looks like. “The Paul of Romans 1 who speaks of the sad state of society is still able to love and connect with that society in Acts 17.” In sum, Paul directly engages the current culture. He does … Continue reading Paul’s Biblical Balance →

I made a ChatGPT using the freely available documents of his blog posts (created by Bryan Mistele and found here1). You can try it out at https://chat.openai.com/g/g-urVhrFxWs-the-michael-s-heiser-archive. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/zJHpxvaix4ndbsiX/?mibextid=K35XfP ↩

It’s that time of year again where I read a familiar passage and try to imagine what it must have been like. My Bible reading plan does not always finish with as many checkmarks as I would like, but towards the end of Genesis, chapter 45 gets me every time. (Trying out an English Septuagint … Continue reading Is your family a train wreck? →

At the judgment seat of Christ, little acts of love, kindness, and concern will be manifest for what they truly were—infinite acts of love that flowed from the heart of God through weak human vessels to other eternal souls. So don't discount the importance of closet prayer, personal encouragement, discreet charity, and brief gospel discussions… … Continue reading Little is Much →

December 17, 2023 Adult SS Class Introduction Example from school. Some places have very clear requirements that they may not even follow. Other places may have very vague requirements that do not help. God’s requirements in this passage are very clear… What does God require Verses 1–5 We are servants that belong to God because … Continue reading 1 Corinthians 4: The Service and Servants of God →

What would it look like if one single-focused person gave their entire life for a group of people in a small part of the world, driven by love and God’s glory, not seeking attention, speaking in a way the regular people would listen to, striking up conversations with the forgotten and the outcasts, not caring … Continue reading A nobody in nowhere →

If there are times in your life, Christian, where you cry out to God, "Why, why, why, why, why" and he doesn't answer but only silently listens with love and without judgment… It might be to prepare you for a time years later when another Christian asks you, "why, why, why, why, why" and you'll … Continue reading I Know How You Feel →

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he didn’t jump right on their faults. He didn’t go straight to their fornication or misuse of spiritual gifts. He didn’t run to the cultural offerings of their day, and he didn’t start the letter with the Lord’s Supper or even the future resurrection… When Paul wrote to a … Continue reading Compassion for Corinth →

December 10, 2023Adult SS Class Introduction Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? How many of you have heard those questions before? There’s a good reason and a not so good reason to hear why over and over again. Connection Perhaps you have heard a child or teenager ask why, you answer, and they ask why again. … Continue reading 1 Corinthians 3: A Better Way to Build →

If you saw their eyes dry would you know they’re really crying If you saw them struggling would you say they really weren’t trying If their life was falling apart would you quietly listen Or would you quickly tell them a quick way to fix it If they kept going on and on would you … Continue reading If →

December 3, 2023Adult SS Class Impact Capture their attention. When is the last time you looked at your high school yearbook? What would be the top few things, without even looking, that you know we would find if we were to open one up this morning? Crazy hairstyles? Strange clothing styles? There would be no … Continue reading 1 Corinthians 2: The Wisdom of Christ Crucified →

Paul's Pattern of Thanksgiving: a summary of Paul's introductions. This is a sermon I preached on Sunday night at Gethsemane Baptist Temple on November 26, 2023. I looked at how Paul began each of his church letters, and then I showed that the way he departed from that pattern in Galatians shows what he is … Continue reading Got to Preach this Weekend →

The greatest rivalry is not Carolina vs. Clemson or Ohio St. vs. Michigan. It's not the Lakers vs. the Celtics in the 80s or the Pacers vs. Knicks in the 90s. The greatest rivalry is in the Christian's heart, where there's a daily (who'm I kidding, an hourly and minute by minute) battle of our … Continue reading O wretched man that I am! →