ALL THINGS ARE FROM, THROUGH, AND TO GOD! Paul’s benediction at the end of Romans 11 is all encompassing. It declares that all things come “from” God, for He is the Creator. All things exist “through” God, for He is the Sustainer. All things are made for God’s glory, for creation displays His “invisible attributes,
GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH ISRAEL The apostle Paul asked the question, “Has God rejected His people?” He immediately answered, “Absolutely not!” (Rom. 11:1). He reminded his readers that he himself was Jewish and so was an elect remnant of Israel that had believed. Yet it was true that the vast majority of Jews had
TEACHING THE WORD TO EVERYONE King Jehoshaphat began his reign well by sending out teachers of God’s Word to teach all the people of Judah. Jehoshaphat took delight in the Lord and led his people to follow Him. And so, the fear of the Lord fell on the surrounding peoples so that they didn’t attack
THE WITNESS OF CREATION When David looked at the sun and blue sky by day or the moon and stars at night, he did not worship them. No, he saw how they bore witness of God’s glory and the wonder of His creation. For David, the sun, moon and stars were not objects to be
DOES GOD WITHHOLD GOOD FROM US? God already gave us His best. Therefore, let us not accuse Him of withholding any good thing from us. If we do not have it, it is because He has something better for us. Or it is because He is training us in righteousness through temporary trouble. Our God
THE SPIRIT OF SLAVERY VS. THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION The former life before receiving Christ is one of slavery to sin. The actions of the slave are motivated by fear. So, the one enslaved to sin leads a life motivated and marked by fear. Among these fears are the fear of man, the fear of
WHO CAN PLEASE GOD? The apostle Paul wrote that only those who live according to the Holy Spirit are able to please God. Without the Spirit, we are left to ourselves and to the control of the sin nature, which the Bible calls the “flesh.” The flesh is always hostile to God. It wants its
WHAT GOOD IS THE LAW? Sin is aroused to further rebellion by God’s law. Does this mean that God’s law is itself sinful? Certainly not! If a mother tells her toddler not to touch the hot stove, she has given the child her law. Yet, the sin nature within the child is immediately activated to
PETER’S FIRST SERMON TEXT This psalm of David was quoted by the apostle Peter (Acts 2:25-36) as a biblical proof that Jesus Christ, Son of David, was prophesied to rise from the dead without seeing “decay.” Peter preached this sermon on the day of Pentecost and 3,000 Jews from all over the Roman world came
DISCIPLINE YOUR CHILD WHILE THERE IS HOPE There is a short window of time for teaching children obedience. During this time there is hope that parental discipline might eventually become the child’s own self-discipline. It may seem a lot of work to discipline a child of ages 2 through 6, but it becomes nearly hopeless