The House You're Building

  Ephesians 2:1–10   [1] And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [2] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—[3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—[6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10]...

        Orient  John 9:1-41 John 9 turns us once again to the reoccurring task of the author, to convince the reader to believe in Jesus.  In the broader section, we see who Jesus is by another public miracle, the blind man healed of his sight.  Conflict with the Jews is again present (notice the repeated argument about the legality of healing on the Sabbath) and teaching his disciples is also included in this section.  As in previous miracles, there are responses to the miracle itself by different groups—the Jews, the man, and his parents.  In the opening, Jesus refers to Himself as “light,” a common metaphor that John introduced in the prelude and Jesus referenced previously at the Feast of Booths. The metaphor of blindness/sight is meant to point us to the spiritual realities of seeing our condition before God and need for the Savior Christ.     Introduction  When my daughter was younger, she played ...

For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel - Zechariah 4:10 I have a tendency to get excited about things.  I've always been that way about ideas or plans.  When I learn a new skill, I start planning 10 new projects to make.  When I go on a trip, I  immediately try to start learning the language.  I can spend hours on Pinterest planning things I want to cook.  I do make new things every week to the chagrin of my family...can't we just have tacos again...but for every new recipe I try I have 5 more that I sit on my "making soon" board.   This year God has given me the challenge of getting to know myself, my limits and abilities and owning who I am right now.  With that knowledge, I'm to embrace my capacities and make choices that reflect balance for my life.  Last week my busy season came to head with multiple thin...

Sisters and Seekers, Glad to have you back for the final installment of our study on Titus.  Looking at this letter in detail and breaking down the study for you has renewed my passion for God's word.  I love logging on to see how many are accessing this resource.  I hope it has been an encouragement and brought many new insights in how God is changing us to your life. As typical of Paul's style in writing, he closes this letter to Titus mentioning travel plans and ministry partners.  Yet there is something deeper for us if we follow our study process of comprehension, interpretation, and application. Titus 3:12-15 Comprehension -seek to understand exactly what the passage is saying without adding any interpretation to it Define words you may have circled in the overview because you didn't know their meaning.  Look them up in a dictionary, then reread the verse.  After getting the context, write a definition in the margin or above the word you c...

Sisters and Seekers, God's grace is now able to be seen and we now know His plan is the save all the people's of the earth.  The message of grace instructs us to change, to abandon the things we do that don't reverence God and the human passions within us that the world encourages us to do to worship themselves.  Instead control yourself, be moral according to the Word of God, and loyal to Him until He returns.  We hope in this, that Jesus will come again in glory, all will see Him as the God who saves.  He paid our ransom when we were living in disregard of the law, violating it or even holding it's restraint in contempt.  He liberated us to change us, to work a new life within us so he could acquire a people who belonged to him so fully that they would enthusiastically serve others as He did.  This is the message for you to solemnly declare-encourage people under your spiritual care to live this out and adm...