“But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life” (Jude 1:20-21 HCSB).

December 8, 2021

A BEAUTIFUL TRINITARIAN INSTRUCTION Jude gave this beautiful trinitarian instruction to believers, in contrast, to his warning against those who were creating divisions in the church. Notice his instruction begins with “But you, dear friends.” He was talking to those who have the Spirit. Not those troublemakers who did not have the Spirit, evidenced by

“Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we can be coworkers with the truth” (3 John 1:8 HCSB).

December 7, 2021

HOW TO BE A GOSPEL COWORKER The apostle John was one of the last living apostles at the time he wrote this letter to his friend, Gaius. John was probably the youngest of Christ’s Twelve, but now he calls himself “the elder” in his opening address. His sweet demeanor remains, but he has little time

“Jerusalem—the mountains surround her. And the Lord surrounds His people, both now and forever” (Psalm 125:2 HCSB).

December 6, 2021

IMMANUEL, GOD WITH US, SURROUNDING US Psalm 125 is one of the 15 “psalms of ascent,” written to prepare the hearts of worshipers as they climbed up to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Entourages of pilgrims like the one that traveled from Nazareth with young, 12-year-old Jesus, would have sung these songs as they came

“Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14 HCSB).

December 5, 2021

THE CONFIDENCE WE HAVE IN CHRIST Because we are in Christ we now have confidence that the Father will hear and answer our prayers. For this reason Hebrews teaches us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). And

“But as for you, go on your way to the end; you will rest, then rise to your destiny at the end of the days” (Daniel 12:13 HCSB).

December 4, 2021

WHAT WAY ARE YOU FOLLOWING? This is the last verse of the last chapter of Daniel’s prophetic book. It is the final word given to Daniel by the “man clothed in linen,” who appears to be the preincarnate Christ. He had revealed many things to come in the last days, even the time of tribulation.

“Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.” (1 John 3:18 HCSB).

December 3, 2021

TRUE LOVE ACTS When we receive Christ, we receive the love of Christ. This is the love that moved Christ to die in our place, so that we might have eternal life. True love takes action. The evidence that we have received Christ is that the love that goes beyond mere words and takes action

“Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2 HCSB).

December 2, 2021

ARE YOU GROWING MORE LIKE JESUS? Do you ever ask questions of God like, “Why is this happening to me?” The apostle John answers saying not everything has been “revealed” yet, but one thing we can be sure of is that “we are children of God” and we shall “be like” Jesus. That’s God’s goal

“Gabriel, explain the vision to this man” (Daniel 8:16 HCSB).

December 1, 2021

WHAT DID GABRIEL EXPLAIN TO DANIEL? It is interesting to see the angel Gabriel mentioned in our Old Testament reading on this first day of December. For he will also be of great interest to us as we read the gospel accounts of Christ’s birth during this Christmas season. There are only two angels named

“In my vision at night I was watching, and suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea. Four huge beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.” (Daniel 7:2-3 HCSB).

November 30, 2021

DANIEL’S VISION OF THE FOUR BEASTS Moving from Daniel 6 to Daniel 7, is like turning the TV from the History Channel to the SYFY Network–– one has to adjust to understanding images and concepts that are out of this world! Because in this chapter, God pulled back the veil on the world’s kingdoms and

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18 HCSB).

November 29, 2021

ARE YOU GROWING IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS? The apostle Peter closed his second epistle, encouraging believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge” of Jesus. He warned against being led away by the error of the wicked, advising its alternative, namely, to grow in Christ. He understood that in spiritual life, as