Archive / October, 2013

Before the Foundation of the World ~ 1 Peter 1:20-21

“He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” 1 Peter 1: 20-21 Before God gave the earth its shape, before He laid the oceans in their place, or hung a star in the sky He had a plan….He knew what He was going to do to rescue the people He was about to create from the futile lives we all would choose over Him. Our sinful passions were not unknown to Him before a single stone was set on the earth, our preference for possessions and earthly things over Him who made all things wasn’t a shock or surprise…. He knew about it before the foundation of the world and […]

Identity Crisis & the Not So Good Man. Luke 18:18-30

Luke 18:18-30 ESV: “And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to […]

The Idol of Liberty ~ 1 Peter 1:17-19

“And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” 1 Peter 1:17-19 In 2008 we visited New York City, and while we were there we took a mini cruise around Liberty Island and got to see some amazing views of the Statue of Liberty. It is an incredible sight and a powerful monument to honour the independence and freedom that is enjoyed in America. I did some minimal research and discovered that Lady Liberty is actually fashioned after Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who was widely worshipped in ancient Rome. Now I realize that no […]

When Will Christ Return? Luke 17:20-37

The Return Of Christ And What We Need To Know Luke 17:20-37 ESV … Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by […]