Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:5) This wonderful proclamation comes at the end of the Book of Revelation. It comes after God’s people have been gathered to heaven, after the Great Tribulation, after the…
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell. (Colossians 1:19) We like the Christmas season and we like to put our thoughts on the baby Jesus. So many aspects of the story appeal to us. We think of two relatively young people out among strangers and in great need. We think…
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) John 3:16 has long been celebrated as a powerful, succinct, declaration of the gospel. Of the 31,373 verses in the Bible, it may be the most popular single…
With Christmas coming soon, maybe you’re working on what you might preach or teach on the Sunday before Christmas or at a Christmas Eve service. For many of us preachers, holidays can be difficult. I can think of at least four reasons why. Holiday preaching is more difficult because more visitors are present. We should thank…
And [Elijah] said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of…
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision. (Psalm 2:4) We don’t often think of God as laughing, but Psalm 2 tells of a special reason why God laughs. Here, God laughs because man thinks he can plot and work against the Almighty with any hope of success. It…
We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, In the midst of Your temple. (Psalm 48:9) I think this line from Psalm 48 is a great prayer for a preacher to pray. It’s good for us as Bible preachers and teachers to say, “We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness.” Lovingkindness here translates the great…
And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful. All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. (Titus 3:14-15) These last sentences from Paul’s letter to Titus give us a few final…
When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. (Titus 3:12-13) Many times, towards the end of one of Paul’s letters, he included personal…
And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” (Mark 5:30) Recently a pastor friend asked me what I did to recover from the Sunday-afternoon blues, the kind of thing that comes from the physical, emotional, and spiritual energy spent…
Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned. (Titus 3:10-11) In this section of Titus 3, Paul told Titus to remember several things. Here he told him to remember to reject a divisive man. Divisive people are not a new problem for the church….
But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. (Titus 3:9) In this portion of Paul’s letter to Titus, he reminded his younger co-worker of several different things. With these words, he reminded Titus to focus on the things that matter, to not get distracted with foolish disputes and…