Faithful to the End

Luke offers an account of Jesus instructing his disciples about the motivation believers have for coming to God in prayer. Prayer is an essential element of every believer's walk with God. Prayer is the cry of believers as we understand our need for God and his desire to hear and respond to our cries. We can boldly approach God's throne of grace and receive help in our time of need. Luke w...

As Paul continues to develop his argument here in Romans 9, he now addresses a question that naturally comes from the explanation just given, has God been unjust to Israel? Is God presently being unjust to Israel? The obvious, immediate answer is absolutely not. Paul then offers two Old Testament quotes from Exodus to demonstrate his mercy and his just judgment, both cases involve a stubborn commi...

The message to the churches continues, the focus now turns to heaven and begins with the worship of the one seated on the throne. Our God and our Savior are worthy of worship. Throughout, the focus is on the character and attributes of the one seated on the throne and the events surrounding the throne (around, from, before, in the middle). The scene concludes with two songs or statements of the gl...

As Paul continues his explanation of the gospel and its connection to the Jews, and the implications of their rejection of the gospel as the people of God, he begins a thorough defense of the faithfulness of God. In part, the concern for Paul here is that the word of God appears to fail in relation to the nation of Israel. Due to their rejection of their Jewish Messiah, Paul addresses the certaint...

As Paul brings this section to a conclusion, he offers grounding and foundational truths to support followers of Jesus, no matter what comes into their lives. Paul offers two amazing assurances for believers: God is for you (caring, protecting and vindicating his people) and God loves you. The love of God throughout these verses is described as certain, unchanging, overflowing, all-sufficient, ete...

As John addresses the last two churches, he addresses the faithful church of Philadelphia and the passionless, stale character of Laodicea. Jesus calls the church of Philadelphia to remain faithful, cling to the truths you believe and have been taught about Jesus - persevere. The final church, somewhat well-known among the seven churches because of its passionless response toward Jesus, is called...

As Paul continues his discussion on sufferings in this life and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, he explains that the Spirit comes alongside believers in their weaknesses. The foundation for our confidence is based on our calling and the transforming work of God in our lives. God is actively shaping us into the image of Jesus, through the ministry of the Spirit and this is his design from the begi...

As John continues to address the churches of Asia Minor, he continues by addressing the church of Thyatira. They are confronted for their compromise in accepting the false teaching of one described as "Jezebel". If they do not repent and turn, they will face the judgment of Jesus. John then turns to Sardis and they are not commended. Instead, they are confronted for seeming to be alive....

In this important passage, Paul explains the reality of present sufferings and the hope we cling to as believers. That hope helps sustain us in the daily hardships that arise in our lives. Everyone is dealing with varying struggles of life, including relational, physical or emotional issues. Paul connects our suffering to the suffering of creation as well. Our suffering must cause us to lean in an...

As John continues the messages from Jesus to the churches, he addresses Smyrna, the persecuted church and Pergamum, the tolerant church. The call to both churches is to remain faithful, to Smyrna, they must remain faithful despite coming persecution. For Pergamum, they must repent of their tolerance for false teaching and remain faithful. The tolerance of the church of Pergamum was most likely con...

Paul addresses the importance of gospel transformation in the home, on a daily basis. Paul charges husbands with the responsibility of loving care for their wives. Husbands are called to love their wives as much as they love themselves. The marriage relationship is a wonderful picture of the loving care Jesus provides for his people, the church. May God give us homes that exalt and make much of hi...

In Ephesians 5, as Paul continues to address the implications of gospel transformation, he moves to the home, addressing both men and women and their roles in the home. In this message, Pastor Black addresses the importance of the role of women in the home. Paul addresses the importance of a right response from women in the Christian home. The response of a Christian wife demonstrates the response...

Here, as Paul begins Romans 8, he addresses again our position and the implications of being declared righteous. He explains that through the Holy Spirit, we have power to resist sin. The Spirit dwelling in us is powerful enough to enable us not to give in to the power of sin that dwells in our natural, mortal bodies. Paul addresses the difference between a Spirit mindset and a flesh mindset, reme...

As the letters to the churches, Jesus addresses the church at Ephesus first. John first writes of Jesus holding the church in his hand and walking among them. Then the church is commended their labor, faithfulness, discernment and their endurance in the face of opposition and suffering. But all that they did, all that they were doing right and well, was being done with a heartless sense of duty, r...

Paul continues explaining inability of the law to make anyone right or to free anyone from sin. This is the point throughout this section - the law cannot overcome sin, but Jesus can deliver you from sin. Our fallen sinful bodies are sold under sin and no good dwells in us because of sin. But Jesus is the answer, as Paul demonstrates in his concluding words "But thanks be to God through Jesus...

Hannah, the mother of Samuel, the priest who would lead Israel to their first kings. Samuel faithfully served as priest, but his life began at the request of his mother. Her response to God, after he answers her plea, demonstrates that she understood the character of God. Hannah understood who God was and how God engages with humanity. Hannah rehearses these truths in a prayer, much like a thanksg...

John, in the first vision recorded in the book of Revelation, sees a vision of the risen Messiah Jesus. John is instructed to write down what you sees and send it to the churches in Asia. John sees Jesus in his power, grandeur and majesty. He is overwhelmed and responds in fear, falling at his feet. Jesus encourages John not to fear because of who Jesus is and all he has accomplished. Our hope in...

As Paul continues to develop his argument about our freedom from sin, Paul turns to address the the impact that sin has had on the law. Paul wants to clearly identify that even the law has been perverted by sin. First, Paul wants us to understand that the law is not sin (7), but the law reveals and defines sin (7-8). Despite the perversion of sin, believers are free from sin and through grace we c...

The book of Revelation begins with a greeting after the introduction. John is writing to the 7 churches in Asia. He focuses on Jesus as he offers the greeting to the book. John focuses our attention to our necessity to hear and obey all that Jesus is and all he will do.  The Revelation of Jesus Christ is written to further our understanding about Jesus. It demonstrates throughout his majesty, powe...

As Paul continues to explain the implications of living as one that has been declared righteous by God through faith in Jesus, he explains the freedom that we enjoy from sin. Sin is no longer the master of our lives. Being free from sin, does not however mean that we can live in a haphazard way. Instead, Paul charges believers to live rightly toward God. God is now our master and we must live appr...

John begins this letter, the longest in the New Testament, differently than any other. He begins with an introduction of Jesus and the blessing for those who read, hear and obey the words of this letter. We also consider four presuppositions that will define our study of the book of revelation: the Rapture, the distinction between the Rapture and Second Coming of Christ, the distinction of Israel...

As Paul continues to develop his argument here in Romans, he is going to address a potential misconception - if increased sin yields increased grace, should we sin more to receive more grace? Paul addresses this throughout  Romans 6:1-14  explaining that sin should no longer be in control for followers of Jesus. Sin is no longer in charge, it no longer reigns and because of that, of course, we wou...

In the final two chapters of Daniel, he is given the events of things to come for his people. Events included in both the Persian (v. 2) and Greecian Empires (v. 3-35). The prophecy then moves ahead to future events (11:36-12:3). Daniel struggles with understanding. As he struggles, Daniel is encouraged to wait on God and trust in him, as all of these things will come at the right time. Daniel is...

As Paul continues to develop his explanation and defense of the gospel, he moves here to the reality of sin and death, but the available righteousness and life through Jesus. The sin of Adam brings the reality of sin and death on all humanity. The grace and power of God triumphs over sin and death. The power of sin & death over you are defeated by the super-abounding grace of God in Jesus!   T...

Daniel 10 begins the final vision Daniel records in his prophecy, this is the fourth of the visions recorded. This section of the final vision offers the background to the coming message contained in Chs. 11-12. Here Daniel is greeted and strengthened to receive the message. This message comes as a result of Daniel's prayer to God for his people. His prayers are referenced by the one who comes...