Whenever I preach a sermon that includes the account of James’ and John’s mother asking Jesus for preferential treatment of her sons, I chuckle, as does the congregation. It’s a ‘roll your eyes’ type scenario, where a mother’s partiality is on full display and her children are completely onboard. It makes me think about how
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OUTLINE: Fear and FaithBlog: 9/11/20 Fear and Faith – Blog: 9/11/20I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that a person who doesn’t fear the Lord cannot possibly have genuine faith in Him; and, the greater the fear the greater the faith (we have our greatest faith in the things we fear the most).Origins
Part 27 – Proverbs 17 Wisdom Read More »
OUTLINE: Fear and FaithBlog: 9/11/20 Origins of FearIf we believe others have power over us, we fear them and when they issue commands, we obey. Likewise, if we believe God has power over us, we fear Him and obey His commands. “If God is for us, who can be against us?”Also translated, “Since God is for us…” We find our sense
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Over time, I’ve learned to really enjoy the Gospel of Mark. I think it’s because it was written to Gentiles, which gives us contemporary Gentiles a perspective that seems more “natural,” for lack of a better word. The Gospel of Matthew was written to the Jews, implying a different bent. In fact, one of the challenges with Matthew’s
OUTLINE: Commands require faith for obedience to have its intended result.Heb 11:8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Gen 12:1,4Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and
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OUTLINE: Commands require faith for obedience to have its intended result.Lk 16:10One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.Mt 25:21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a
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Unlike the blissful ease during unchallenged living, times of pressure have a habit of forcing you to ponder your faith. Even as a well-intentioned believer in Christ, you may not fully understand the extent of it. When faith is tested, fear erupts from within you, always. What is the nature of this fear? That is
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OUTLINE: Commands require faith for obedience to have its intended result.God’s View On Religion“The end goal is blessing for you; how you get there matters to Me because it is by My grace that you are able to accomplish such a thing! Your faith is on full display, My child.” 1Jo 4:18bThere is no fear
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OUTLINE: Php 4:6-7do not be anxious [imperative mood = command]about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.1Pe 5:7casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares
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Please don your philosophical cap for a moment while I dissect the concept of obedience with you. First, let me begin with a fair enough definition: Obedience, in human behavior, is a form of “social influence in which a person yields to explicit instructions or orders from an authority figure”. Obedience is generally distinguished from