The Bible Standard - Discover the Truth. (By Christadelphianvideo.org)

Our Matthew reading (ch. 26) recounts the agonies of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and his prayers.  “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as you will.” [v.39]. Jesus made his “will” conform to his Father’s will.  And what of our “will”? Peter was to later write of how Christ, in his commitment to his Father’s will “suffered for you, leaving...

Genesis 39 tells of the Midianites selling Joseph to Potiphar, who was the captain – or “chief” of Pharaoh’s body guard. He was probably a eunuch and therefore although his wife had a high social status in Egyptian society, nevertheless some of her desires could not be met by her husband. Being an intelligent and diligent young man Joseph soon rose to chief servant in the household. He was also an...

Today we have 3 parables in our chapter (25) in Matthew which all convey fundamentally the same lesson. The fact that there are three shows how extremely important the message is. Those who read the Bible regularly will know them well; we must beware of knowing them too well, lest the message loses its power to stir our conscience. The first one is of the 10 virgins; half are called “wise.”  What...

Thoughts on the readings for January 23rd (Genesis 38; Psalms 41, 42, 43; Matthew 25 Genesis 38 speaks of a very unsavoury set of circumstances surrounding Judah and his daughter-in-law, Tamar. The chapter commenced with a visit from Judah to a prostitute, who bore him a son, Er. The prostitute bare Judah two further sons Onan and Shelah. As the two eldest reached marriageable age he took a wife,...

All of our 4 chapters today are really thought provoking; David’s emotional Psalm 40 captured our attention, it starts, “I waited patiently for the LORD” – and isn’t that what we are trying to do!   But we cannot wait, standing still, as if to catch a bus!  David has many things to rejoice about because of the relationship he has established with God. “He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of...

Genesis 37 tells us about Joseph, Israel’s (Jacob’s) favourite son of his old age. Joseph’s mother was Rachel, Israel’s favoured wife. Joseph’s half brothers were envious of their brother, who was deeply loved. The other brothers were ill disciplined and wicked in their behaviour. Joseph reported this to Israel. To show the love Israel had for Joseph he gave him “a coat of many colours” AV (the He...

As his ministry was reaching its climax, our Lord most bluntly confronted the religious leaders in Jerusalem.  In today’s reading [Matt.23] he calls them “hypocrites”  “blind guides” and “children of hell”.  He says they concentrate on outward appearances “but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” [23 v.25]  His words stirred up their hatred of him, which had increased when they saw t...

Thoughts on the readings for January 21st (Genesis 36; Psalm 38; Matthew 23) Genesis 36 contains yet another genealogy – this time Esau’s who settled in the mountains around Petra. This territory is sometimes called Mount Seir (meaning “hairy”. So named because of Esau’s hairy appearance). Esau through his 4 wives produced 12 sons just as his twin brother Jacob had done. However these boys all bec...

The world today puts a great lot of effort and money into marketing goods and services.  The internet, radio, TV, newspapers magazines and sign boards are full of promotions of one kind of thing or another.  A fundamental aim of the majority of this promotion is to make us envious of what other people have or experience – the aim is to make us want it ourselves! Now David’s Psalm (No. 37) today is...

Genesis 34 records an incident which is extremely instructive for us. Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, went out to see the daughters of the land; the result of which is she is defiled by a Hivite, named Shechem. She is trapped into a marriage out of covenant with the LORD. Her brothers deceive the Hivites and insist that every male Hivite in the town be circumcised, as a condition for allowing the marriag...

Thoughts on the readings for January 19th (Genesis 32, 33; Psalm 36; Matthew 21). Jacob in Genesis 32 journeyed to Bethel. As he did so he noticed that journeying alongside Jacob’s was a troop of angels. Jacob named the place Mahanaim (meaning “two companies”). It was a reassurance to Jacob that the God of Bethel was always with him, as He promised in Genesis 28. Jacob next hears the disturbing ne...

We read today of the triumphant arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem and the adulation that the ordinary people gave him, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” [Matt. 21 v.9] “The whole city was stirred up …” [v.10]      We pondered the comparison of this with his return to earth. What is, we wondered, the answer to the question Jesus posed at the end of another...

Thoughts on the readings for January 18th (Genesis 31, Psalm 35, Matthew 20). In Genesis 31 Jacob feels the antagonism towards him from Laban’s sons. So he determines to return home. Jacob plans to do so secretly so that he might protect his family from Laban’s hostility. Jacob tells his wives that their father is a dishonest man, who has shown no love for his family. He is, says Jacob, a material...

 Why did people follow Jesus? We know his disciples did, because he called them to do so, but others?  We had an example in today’s chapter 20 in Matthew, “there were two blind men sitting by the roadside” [v.30] who cried out when they were told Jesus was passing by, “Lord, have mercy on us, ‘Son of David’”  To call him ‘Son of David’ meant they acknowledged him as the Messiah.      “Jesus called...

A @Christadelphians Video: Description: The Bible begins in Genesis with the creation of the earth, and of the first two humans. After Israel’s existence in Egypt, they departed for the long journey to settle in another land. Israel’s history, their succession of Kings is outlined until the appearance of Christ. Commitment to Christ involves baptism and the living of a moral life. God’s love and o...

A @Christadelphians Video: Description: The lame man believed, and was healed – he had his life changed and now had hope through his belief in Jesus. Are we “stuck in a cycle” of no way out, with no certainty of anything better in life? Belief in God promises certainty in an uncertain world. The discussion focusses on the promises in the Bible, when Christ returns. We can make the choice now to al...

A @Christadelphians Video: Description: As we look back in scripture to Abraham and the promises God made to him, we can see why Israel (Abraham’s grandson) became God’s chosen nation to bear witness of God’s ability to save men. One day soon God will also establish a kingdom, centred in Jerusalem, filled with His glory. # Summary The PRESENTATION explores the question of why the Jews are consider...

houghts on the readings for January 17th (Genesis 30; Psalm 34; Matthew 19) Genesis 30 tells of Rachel’s exasperation in seeking children; demands from Jacob that he give her children. Rachel gives Bilhah her maid to Jacob. A son is born and named Dan (meaning “vindication”, or “judgment”) claiming that she (Rachel) has God on her side. We notice that Rachel is making this contest with her sister...

The last 2 verses of today’s chapter (19) in Matthew can be puzzling if we do not realize the chapter break is wrongly placed and the context includes the next chapter.    The end of chapter 19 records Jesus as saying, “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.  But many...

In Genesis 28 we are told that Isaac in response to Rebekah’s entreaty sends Jacob to Haran to seek for a wife who is of the Abrahamic faith. The Abrahamic promises are given to Jacob in verses 3-4. Jacob took his journey in haste still worrying over Esau’s intention of killing his twin. Verses 6 to 9 tell us that Esau has not the faintest idea of what being a faithful believer means. He takes two...

Certain things are necessary in our lives such as clothing to wear and food to eat. Note how Paul made the point to  Timothy “if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” and “there is great gain in godliness with contentment” [1 Tim. 6 v.6,8] What hinders our contentment? Now in today’s 18th chapter of Matthew Jesus told his disciples, “Woe to the world for temptations to sin.  Fo...

Psalm 32 today is an intimate exchange of words between David and God; it is one of the most personal of all the Psalms – just 11 verses, but so powerful!  The first 7 are by David and the remainder; God’s response. How meaningful! Remember Paul’s comment on God’s words, , “They were written down for our instruction, on who the end of the ages has come,” [1 Cor. 10 v.11]  We are surely living in t...

Thoughts on the readings for January 15th (Genesis 27, Psalm 32, Matthew 17) Genesis 27 is a pivotal chapter, which explains much about the 4 principal characters of this record – Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau. All of them show defects when compared against the divine standard. Isaac knew his Sovereign’s revealed will that Jacob would be the blessed, and that the elder (Esau) would serve the youn...

A @Christadelphians Video: # Summary David and Carolyn Bailey discuss the transformative power of forgiveness, its personal and spiritual implications, and insights from David's book, "The Wonder of Forgiveness." # Highlights - 🌟 Special guests David and Carolyn Bailey discuss forgiveness. - 📖 David's book, "The Wonder of Forgiveness," explores personal experiences of forgiveness. - 🤝 The impor...

A @Christadelphians Video: # Summary In this episode of "Family Matters," hosts Luke and Vicky Smith share their deeply moving journey of coping with the loss of their daughter, Jamaa, who passed away from leukemia. They discuss the emotional challenges, the role of faith in their healing process, and the importance of hope and community support during their darkest times. Their story highlights t...