Faithful to the End

As Paul begins his conclusion, he sends numerous greetings to the believers in the church in Rome. The emphasis throughout his greetings is on the community of believers, the friends that are formed through ministry together. Paul also offers the proper response to those who cause divisions or put a stumbling block before fellow believers. This emphasis on companions and friends, as well as a warn...

As Mark continues his gospel, he offers three accounts that all point to the inability of religion and the religious establishment to save. Religion cannot accomplish what Jesus can accomplish - it cannot redeem you. First, Mark addresses the confusion over fasting and gives the clarifications by Jesus. Mark then offers two accounts about the Sabbath and the wrong emphasis on it. Together these th...

As Paul begins to come to a conclusion in this letter to the Romans, he offers here specific plans and motivations or ministry. Paul gives us specifics here about his mission. Paul here encourages the believers in Rome that they possess the necessary tools to admonish or instruct one another. He has instructed them because of the truth given to him by God for Gentile believers, in particular. This...

As Mark continues to tell the story of Jesus, he demonstrates that only Jesus can forgive sin. The first account in chapter 2 is of a paralyzed man, who is brought to Jesus on his cot by his four friends. Jesus sees their faith and tells the paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven.” The religious lawyers know that a man cannot forgive sin, only God can forgive sin. They question Jesus, among themse...

In a concluding exhortation, Paul calls for the believers in Rome to love one another - to welcome one another and please one another in their responses to one another. These concluding statements come from Paul as a call to appropriately respond to one another. Paul returns to his call to welcome one another. He reminds believers that our motivation for welcoming and acception one another is the...

As Mark continues to introduce Jesus to unbelievers and remind believers of all Jesus did, he shows us throughout this section the humble service of Jesus. Jesus gently cares for Peter's mother-in-law and has compassion on a leper, in the middle of the synogogue. Jesus remains committed to the mission given by the Father. As followers of Jesus, we must emulate him by humbly serving others and stay...

As Paul continues to address the issue of the weak brother, he calls for believers to love one another in a selfless manner. He calls believers to prioritize peace and edifying one another. As believers, we must carefully obey God while we enjoy his good gifts and care for others. This kind of genuine love for one another demonstrates the transformation Paul calls for as a response to the gospel. ...

As Mark continues his gospel account of Jesus, the Son of God, he offers a brief description of his temptation, initial message, calling of his disciples and preaching in the synagogue. Throughout each account the authority of Jesus is clearly on display. Jesus message and preaching are given with authority, an authority that was evident to his audience. Each individual must personally acknowledge...

As Paul continues to exhort the believers in Rome to live lives that are transformed by the gospel, he addresses the response of believers to their fellow believers with differing views, differing convictions. How do you view fellow believers that think differently than you? That may even worship differently than you?  What is your view of them? How do you respond to them? This is what Paul addres...

As Mark begins his gospel account of Jesus, he begins with a prophecy and the ministry of John the Baptist. John the Baptist served as a forerunner, the one that announced the arrival of Messiah, the promised One, to the people. John declares that one is coming after him and he will be much greater than John. John confidently announced Jesus to the world. As believers, we can also confidently poin...

Each New Year brings challenges and joys that are often unexpected to us. How do we engage these struggles? How do we respond to challenges? How do you celebrate? Each of these questions can be addressed first with a confident trust in God. Here in Isaiah 40, Isaiah is speaking to the Jewish people as they anticipate captivity and exile. He writes to offer comfort and consolation. Isaiah is writin...

As the Psalmist writes Psalm 119, this Heth stanza focuses on commitment. How committed are you to the Word of God, to the God of these words? The Psalmist reflects on his personal commitment to God, beginning with the statement that Yahweh is his portion. The Lord is enough for him, his life is centered on the Lord. What is your commitment to the Lord? What will it be in 2025? What is your commit...

Love Came Down at Christmas, a hymn written by Christina Rosetti, reflects the message of love in the Advent of Jesus. The coming of Jesus reflects the love of God for humanity, the love of God demonstrated in a very tangible way for mankind. God so loved the world that he sent Jesus. The love of God shown through Jesus should motivate each of us that know him to love him and joyfully serve him. A...

As Luke relays the details of the birth account of Jesus, he introduces us to significant characters in the story. The shepherds, the angels, Simeon, Anna, Elizabeth, Zechariah and John the Baptist are all introduced in this incredible account. The human story of these very real people, who were initially introduced to the newborn baby Jesus, calls each of us to contemplate the meaning of his comi...

One of the most wonderful truths of the Advent of Jesus is the peace that is offered to humanity through him. At the announcement of his birth, the angels told the shepherds, "Glory to God in the highest and Peace on earth." Real peace with God became possible for all through the coming of Jesus. By faith in Jesus, you can be at peace with God. Through his life, death and resurrection - you can ha...

As the message of Revelation comes to a close, John concludes these visions and prophecies with a final vision of heaven - the New Jerusalem. He addresses the glories of dwelling with God and the Lamb forever in this magnificent, grand place - the New Jerusalem. This city is 1400 miles square and 1400 miles high! Its beauty is unparalleled, we have never seen anything like it and cannot fathom it,...

As we continue to consider Advent and the Advent season, it is important for us as believers to understand how we can effectively prepare, anticipate the second Advent of Jesus. A beautiful feature of Advent each year is the consideration that Jesus is coming again. One of the essential elements of Advent is preparation and anticipation. Considering  Romans 15:13 , how can we, as believers, be fil...

As John continues to show us heaven and explain the details and dynamics of heaven, he gives a description of the city, its brillance and glory. He explains the walls, gates and foundations of the city. The New Jerusalem is represented as "both a place and a people." Therefore, the people that inhabit the New Jerusalem are described by John as, the bride of the Lamb (21:2, 9). Revelation 21 is the...

Hope is an essential element for human existence and flourishing. Hope has kept P.O.W.'s alive through horrific circumstances. Hope is also an essential element of Advent and the advent season. Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets especially foretold of a coming deliverer, a promised one sent from God to rescue his people. Though they did not have specifics, they had expectations - they had...

When you think of heaven, what comes to mind? What is your impression of heaven? Here, John describes to us the beginning of the eternal state. He begins with the new heaven and new earth and moves to the New Jerusalem. The holy city, the New Jerusalem is coming down out of heaven. This is the where God and the Lamb dwell, this is the place where the throne of God is located. The only description...

Thanks-giving and thankfulness should uniquely characterize believers. The Old Testament offers a foundation for offering thanks to God. Offering praise, confessing the goodness of God can and should characterize the people of God. Even in the sacrificial system, one of the fellowship sacrifices was called the thank offering ( Lev. 7:12-13 , 15 ). This offering was part of the fellowship sacrifice...

Jeremiah writes the book of Lamentations as a tangible expression of his grief and sorrow over the sin and rejection of Judah. Judah and Jerusalem have rejected the message of God given by Jeremiah. They have chosen their own way, they have chosen their sin and rejected the offers of hopeful deliverance from God. Jeremiah now records his grief in the book of Lamentations. In the middle of a book a...

Paul continues to challenge the believers in Rome to be transformed, here calling them to be alert, to the return of Jesus. Paul begins with a call to wake up and understand the time and because of the time to be increasingly transformed into the image of Jesus. He calls believers to put off "the work of darkness" and to put on "the weapons of light." This call to put off sin and evil and the call...

Here John records the second coming of Jesus, the Millennium, the first and second resurrection, the second death and the Great White Throne Judgment. This passage begins with Satan being bound for 1000 years, as saints and martyrs from the tribulation rule with Jesus. After this 1000 years, Satan is released and once again leads a rebellion against Jesus. Again, his efforts fail and he is cast fo...

As Paul continues to exhort these believers in Rome to be transformed in the way that they live, he returns to this subject of love and loving one another. This is a mark of genuine followers of Jesus. If you do not love one another, do you really love God ( 1 John 4:8 )? Often believers can prioritize many other aspects of being a follower of Jesus, but Jesus, John and Paul - actually every singl...