I recently received a text question, “I read a blog post concerning the question, ‘What does the Bible say about how we should give to help the person who will not help themselves? Am I enabling them to continue their lifestyle?’” This is surely one of many examples of “where the rubber meets the road”…
What Does it Mean to be Filled with the Holy Spirit?
A brother from Kenya asked a deeply practical – but intensely theological question: “How does a person become filled with the Holy Spirit?” Let’s try to understand what being filled with the Spirit means, and let’s examine Scripture to discover how to obtain it. We will tackle this challenging question because You Asked for It.…
Small Parables 06 | The Pointe of Party Time
Our series of studies has focused on Enormous Lessons from Small Parables. In the parable of the celebration of the wedding banquet, Jesus is teaching us two important things about heaven. The passage is found in Matthew 22:1-14 NIV. Some people also see Luke 14:16-24 NIV as a parallel passage. Let’s examine this familiar story…
Small Parables 06 | Party Time
I cannot believe that five lessons have gone by so quickly! This is our last lesson together in this series about Enormous Lessons from Small Parables. I so appreciate your participation and comments. Here is our last question for the series: Tell us about the very best party that you have ever attended. What did…
Small Parables 04 | A Clean House
We have been studying about Enormous Lessons from Small Parables. Today we discover another aspect of the lives of people of the kingdom. Let’s look at the one of the verses of the parable, and then we will do some thinking. And when it comes, it finds the place swept and in order (Luke 11:24…
Small Parables 02 | Lost
We continue in the series, Enormous Lessons from Small Parables.To set the stage for the parable of this lesson, I want you to think of your most valuable possession. What is your most valued possession? What is it worth in the marketplace? What is it worth to you? The two may not be the same,…
Mediterranean Moments | The Parable of the Wedding Feast
As you can probably tell, the parables that begin with “the kingdom of heaven is like” are fascinating. Although we taste a bit of the flavor of the kingdom of heaven while we are on earth, the experience of the kingdom in heaven surely provides a feast beyond our imagination. Today’s parable leaves us with…
Small Parables 01 | The Pointe of Yeast
We have been looking at Enormous Lessons from Small Parables. In the first study, our thoughts have focused on Matthew 13:33 and the parable of the leaven or yeast in the loaf of bread. Can we glean an understanding of the point that Jesus was making as He told the story? Let’s think about the…
What is Faith?
A brother posted greetings this morning and writes, “Please help to answer the following question: What is faith?” What a powerful question that involves so many things! Faith is a word that we use almost every day, but perhaps we use it in so many settings that it can lose a little of its impact.…
Mediterranean Moments | The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
Our studies have been looking at truths found in enormous lessons found in small parables. This series examines some of the lesser-known parables of Jesus. The parable of focus today contains an enormous amount of controversy. Many theologians debate whether or not the story is even a parable. The story helps us understand what are…