“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17, emphasis added). Jesus said this early in his Sermon on the Mount.1 He does this to lead into his reinterpretation of certain moral requirements of both the Law of Moses […]
Abolish the Law… or Nah? Harmonizing Jesus and Paul on Torah Read More »
Continuing through the Sermon on the Mount, we come to possibly the most preached-on section: being Salt and Light. This has to do with the effect believers can have on the world around them when they live well. Coming out of the Beatitudes, Jesus gets into it. He says, “You are the salt of the
Salt and Light: Living the Gospel Changes the World Read More »
The most famous sermon of Jesus is the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7. It starts with a series of statements defining the kind of people he calls “blessed” in the kingdom of God. But he didn’t come up with these categories out of thin air. Here we are going to look at
Blessed Are the Humble: The Beatitudes in Psalms and Proverbs Read More »
“I heard you pray, and I can tell you are a prayer warrior,” an older woman told me. In advance of our upcoming Easter service, my church held a Wednesday night prayer service. We were all full of faith and expectation for what God was going to do among us. I participated, and I prayed
Pray in Desolate Places: Solitude in a World that Surrounds Us Read More »
Have you been thinking about taking your relationship with Jesus more seriously? To help you get started, I have listed below 6 of the best books on prayer for serious Christians. The 6 Best Books on Prayer for the Serious Christian 1. Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools by Tyler Staton “Praying like Monks, Living like
The 6 Best Books on Prayer for Serious Christians Read More »
Listed below are my top 5 best egalitarian books for the average Christian. In America today, it is often assumed that the biblical position on the role of women in the church and in the home is the complementarian perspective. I would disagree. And while I am not alone, it can be difficult for the
The 5 Best Egalitarian Books for the Average Christian Read More »
Have you ever wondered why God heals some people but not others? Is physical healing provided for by Jesus’ blood as a promise to the Christian? Or are the healings of the Bible just meant to illustrate the spiritual healing that comes to us through faith in Christ? Many believers, myself included, contend that the
Healing for Body and Soul: Christ Carries Our Sicknesses Read More »
Each time we see demonic possession in the New Testament, the evil spirits are confronted by Jesus’ authority. No occurrence is quite the same as the last. And one of the most intriguing to me is the one that takes place in a synagogue. The synagogue functioned as a hub for community connection and spiritual
Authority Unveiled: Jesus’ Identity Revealed at Capernaum Read More »
If you have spent any amount of time in church, you have probably heard Matthew 4:19: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus said these words to fishermen, so there is an obvious play on their job title, but what does it mean to be “fishers of men”? To find out
Fishers of Men: Christ Qualifies the Called Read More »
As we study the sayings and teachings of Jesus, we are able to understand more about what he was thinking as he taught, but we also get to know the gospel writers as well. Like any writer, they all (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) told their stories with a unique purpose and personal flare. John
Galilee and the Great Light: A Messianic Prophecy in Matthew Read More »