On the night when Christ was arrested in Gethsemane, before He was crucified in our place, Jesus withdrew from His disciples, and knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’ Then an angel appeared from Heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, Jesus prayed …
Adopted into God’s Family (Our Responsibilities)
From “Christ is Everything to His Followers.” Parts expanded from a sermon by Dr. Buck Oliphant. Parts also used at Belhaven University, evangelism, pastoral counseling, and prison ministry. Galatians 4:4-7 NLT— 4 When the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were …
Adopted into God’s Family (Our Privileges)
From the class “Christ is Everything to His Followers.” Parts adapted and expanded from Dr. Buck Oliphant. Parts also used at Belhaven University, evangelism, pastoral counseling, and prison ministry. When the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, …
Asking, Seeking, Knocking
Jesus said: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or …
Ascribing Praise to Jesus (Part 2)
Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness. (Psalm 29:1-2) “Ascribing” praise to Jesus means that we worship, glorify, adore, and speak well of Him to ourselves and to others. Harold Lindsell rightly said: “The continual …
Ascribing Praise to Jesus (Part 1)
Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come into His courts. (Psalm 96:7-8) “Ascribing” is an old word that means we attribute praise to God; we assign credit to Him because He deserves it; we chalk up all …
Kaspar’s Experiment: Christian Joy and Contentment
To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy–to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-25) One practical way to remain cheerful in Christ, as we live …
Made Like the Returning Jesus
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The world does not know us because it did not know Him (Christ). Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when …
Jesus in the Old Testament
When Christ came into the world, He said: Here I am– it is written about me in the scroll– I have come to do your will, my God….To the Jewish leaders, Jesus said, You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse …
Giving Others the Benefit of Doubt
Surely the human mind and heart are deep, mysterious, unsearchable, and complex. (Psalm 64:6 paraphrase) Christ-like Love Christian mercy includes giving people the benefit of doubt and not making assumptions about them. Various Scriptures lead me to this conclusion: “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out….For who knows a person’s …