The Way-An in-depth study of God's Word with Paul Orr

Send us Fan Mail Hosea continues to present God's charge against the Northern kingdom. Their passion and desire for sin are like a fire in an oven. They think they can live a life of sin and live for God at the same time. Their strength has been devoured, and they don't even realize it. And yet in all of this, their pride prevents them from returning to God. And now they are like a bent...

Send us Fan Mail We have been commanded to live in true Christian unity. We have been commanded to put on the mind of Christ. We have seen the great example of putting on the mind of Christ in Jesus. We know that true unity will never be possible if we do not put on the mind of Christ. But now, we are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We will not be able to put on the mind of...

Send us Fan Mail We continue to look at the charge against the Northern Kingdom from God. God now homes in on the leadership. Leadership in the body of Christ is so critical. The leaders were not leading in a godly way. They refused to listen to God; thus, they were not leading according to God's word.  The had also removed the landmarks that were established by the word of God. They chose to...

Send us Fan Mail In this passage we see with great clarity the deity of Jesus. Always remember that the Lordship of Jesus is at the core of our Christian faith. This is why everything that points to the deity of Jesus is under such attack in this world. Our Christian journey will be one of humility, suffering and an obedience that cost. What are we to do? We are to keep our hand to the plough and...

Send us Fan Mail Chapter 4 begins a new section in the book of Hosea. Then next few chapters will be tough as God brings a charge against His people. Their transgression, their idolatry has gone on far too long. A charge will now be brought against them. Several things that stand out in this chapter. First, the people would be destroyed for a lack of knowledge. This was a deliberate lack of knowle...

Send us Fan Mail We now come to a familiar, oft quoted passage. Paul will set before us the supreme example of humility, Jesus. We far too often compare ourselves with each other. There is only one standard in the body of Christ, only one we need to compare ourselves to and that is Jesus.  Paul commands us to put on the mind of Christ. This means that we are to make oursevles of no reputation. We...

Send us Fan Mail Paul continues his exhortation to live a godly life in Christ Jesus and then to live in true biblical unity. The first part of this exhortation dealt with the external attacks that would take place. Now he switches gears and focuses on the internal attacks that pose a far great danger to the church. Paul begins by telling us the qualities and characteristics that make up a person...

Send us Fan Mail We continue to look at the action sermon that God has commanded Hosea to perform. God commanded Hosea to marry a harlot in order for Israel to know that their idolatry is likened to a wife committing horrible acts of adultery. He also wants them to know of His great love, grace and mercy for them. By Hosea obeying God's difficult command, Israel will now have an opportunity t...

Send us Fan Mail It is an absolute certainty that all who are in Christ and living for Christ will be in an epic spiritual battle. This great spiritual battle will only intensify as the return of Christ draws near. Paul will supply for us three essentials to living in the victory of Christ in the midst of this raging spiritual warfare.  First, we are to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. We do thi...

Send us Fan Mail We now begin a study in the minor prophets. While these are rarely studied books in the Old Testament, they are a treasure chest to be opened. So much is contained in these seldom studied books. We are all in for a blessing. Now while the prophets are known mainly for forthtelling, the prophets are also the ones who would call God's people back into a right relationship with...

Send us Fan Mail For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain. This summarizes today's study. In fact it pulls together so much from God's word into once brief, memorable and simple verse. What does this verse mean to you? Is this verse central to your Christian journey? We all must desire to be with Christ. Yet our desire to be with Christ must be what motivates us to live for Christ. M...

Send us Fan Mail As we conclude our study in Genesis, we see the death of two men of God. First we see the death of Jacob. What an incredible way for a saint of God to end his earthly journey. He began his journey as Jacob and ended as Israel. What an example of how a great God can use imperfect to accomplish great things to His glory. We also see the death of Joseph. Joseph was as good as they ge...

Send us Fan Mail In this passage, Paul is rejoicing in the fact that nothing can hinder the work and spread of the gospel. Yes, he is in prison. Yes, he is chained to a Roman soldier at all times. Yet he is not a prisoner of Rome, Rome is his prisoner. He is not changed to Rome; Rome is chained to Him.  Paul knows that God is in control. He wants all those in Philippi and even us today to know tha...

Send us Fan Mail We now see Jacob at the end of his life. All his sons will be called in before him. Jacob will review both their lives and their character revealing their impact on the kingdom. There will be both rebuke and reward. Nothing will be left hidden or unsaid.  Note that he does all of this not as Jacob but as Israel. His life started as Jacob but ends as Isreal. What a way to finish hi...

Send us Fan Mail For Paul, to remember was to pray for all believers in Philippi. He now tells us what his prayer consisted of. That their love would abound more and more in knowledge and discernment. A love void of knowledge and discernment is not biblical love. He then describes for us what this love will look like. It is a love that approves the things that are excellent. It is a love that is f...

Send us Fan Mail Israel and his sons along with their families are fully settled in the land of Goshen. God has sovereignly moved through the famine to bring them to this land. At the same time, God is moving sovereignly to ensure that they will grow into a multitude that will become a nation according to His promise to Abraham.  Jacob is now at the end of life. A life that started as Jacob but wi...

Send us Fan Mail We now begin the book of Philippians. The theme of this wonderful letter is living the Christian life. How we all need to be living the Christian life in these last and perilous days.  There is a focus on joy throughout this letter. Paul was not in the best of circumstances at the time of this letter, yet his life is filled with joy. As believers, we will be face with trials, temp...

Send us Fan Mail Joseph, his father Jacob and his brothers are now fully re-united. How amazing it must have been for all of them to look back on the journey that led them to this wonderful reunion. How amazing to realize the faithfulness and wisdom of God as He has worked out everything according to His will and for His glory.  We can learn so much from this passage. It should bring us strength a...

Send us Fan Mail The time for full godly reconciliation has come. In all of this, take note that Joseph did not skip any of the necessary steps of reconciliation. This shows and examples for us the great spiritual maturity and discipline of Joseph.  Joseph had long forgiven his brother for the great evil that they committed against him. But his brothers needed to repent of this great evil. Both fo...

Send us Fan Mail We now conclude the book of Ephesians What an amazing study it has been. The great take away from this book is both challenging and encouraging. Ephesians tells us who we are in Christ. Furthermore, it tells us all that God has done for us in Christ. Knowing who we are in Christ and knowing all that God has done for us in Christ, should cause us to live our lives to the fullest fo...

Send us Fan Mail Paul has made it crystal clear that we are in a spiritual battle. He has described for us our spiritual enemies He has told that we must be dressed in the full armor of God. Now he will describe for us the full armor of God that we must obediently put on. He begins with the word of God. Every work of God begins with the word of God. He then moves on to our righteousness in Christ...

Send us Fan Mail Joseph, guided by the hand of God, continues to test the character of his brothers. The have done well so far but are now about to enter their final test. As the final test is applied, the brothers and especially Judah come through in flying colors. Now at last, the brothers are ready to be reconciled to Joseph. God has worked wonderfully in everyone and now God will begin to work...

Send us Fan Mail This is an amazing paragraph that we look at in this study. It is Paul's concluding exhortation to all who are in Christ concerning our responsibility towards God. This passage is the greatest statement and instruction on the spiritual warfare that we all are living in.  This exhortation is to all who are in Christ. We are commanded to be strong in the Lord and the power of H...

Send us Fan Mail God continues to use Joseph in order to test the hearts of his brothers. Joseph is a godly man completely surrendered to God. We can therefore be certain that all that Joseph does is directed by God. All the events over these past few chapters, all the incredible drama and long lapses of time will eventually conclude. At this point we will see the wisdom, love and sovereignty of G...

Send us Fan Mail Over the next few chapters, we will see Joseph and his brothers reunited. There will be reconciliation between them but it will not be instant. True reconciliation requires sincere repentance and humble confession of sin. A heart must be right with God before it can be right with other men. Superficial lip service, shallow repentance will only bring a fragile, short-lived truce. ...