May 2012
6 posts
7 tags
Matthew 10: Eventual Brightness
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. (verse 26)
The cover of darkness is ephemeral.
6 tags
Matthew 9: Tropophobia
No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. (verse 16)
Patchwork is temporal and dangerous especially for the soul.
5 tags
Matthew 8: Simplicity
The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. (verse 8)
Forms and formalities sometimes are unnecessary.
7 tags
Matthew 7: Atychiphobia
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. (verse 26)
In trying to hedge against a bad decision, we sometimes end up neglect the foundation.
6 tags
Matthew 6: Hyprocrisy
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (verse 16)
Hypocrisy is a form of loathing that is self-destructive.
5 tags
Matthew 5: The Generosity of Fear
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. (verse 42)
There are more reasons not to be generous and fear is probably the largest of them.
April 2012
10 posts
9 tags
Matthew 4: Panphobia
And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. (verse 20)
An answer is not required when hearing God, action is the necessary language.
10 tags
Matthew 3: Epistemophobia
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. (verse 15)
Don’t fear what we cannot understand, heaven will open if we dare to fulfill righteousness.
9 tags
Matthew 2: Infanticide
Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. (verse 20)
Death comes no sooner to those who seek innocent blood.
9 tags
Matthew 1: Gamophobia
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. (verse 20)
To be assured by an angel regarding your marriage is divine, but to know that God is at the center of your family is peace.
8 tags
James 5: Utter and Absolute
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. (verse 20)
The path of righteousness that leads to the Truth is utter and absolute, there is no other way but the strait and narrow.
7 tags
James 4: Vaporizing Knowledge
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (verse 14)
Apply knowledge into doing good, because when this ephemeral life vaporized, so goes knowledge.
8 tags
James 3: Careful
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. (verse 6)
It is easy to control an unlit match, once it’s out of the box, lit it, no measure of kind words can quench the raging fire of hell.
7 tags
James 2: Unprofitable Faith
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? (verse 14)
With out work, your own words of faith will deceive its own heart.
8 tags
James 1: Vain Echoes
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. (verse 23)
The sound of vain beauty echoes in the chamber of narcissism when Truth is only presented in words and not actions.
7 tags
Galatians 6: Burdens
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (verse 2)
For every man shall bear his own burden. (verse 5)
Take responsibility but help others with their burdens. The wise ones come to Jesus to trade.
March 2012
21 posts
8 tags
Galatians 5: Bite, Devour, Consume
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. (verse 15)
There is nothing grave than contentions over religious beliefs, in the end, all parties involved will be consumed.
5 tags
Galatians 4: Known of God
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (verse 9)
It is truly wonderful yet utterly frightful to know and be known of God.
7 tags
Galatians 3: Clothed in Perfection
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (verse 27)
To put on Christ is a continual act.
6 tags
Galatians 2: Crucified with Christ
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (verse 20)
To be crucified with Christ is the beginning.
6 tags
Galatians 1: Of Men and God
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (verse 10)
Mark of a servant of Christ is often his unpopularity.
5 tags
Hebrews 13: Expressive Love
Let brotherly love continue. (verse 1)
Love will stop unless it is expressed.
6 tags
Hebrews 12: Exuberant Conviction
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (verse 2)
Unless the joy of faith abounds, fear, pain and shame will eventually overtake us.
7 tags
Hebrews 11: The Substance
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (verse 1)
Faith is the substance we need to make more of.
8 tags
Hebrews 10: Provoking Love
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. (verse 24)
Incite love by doing good.
7 tags
Hebrews 9: Do Right
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. (verse 27)
Do right. You only live but once.
8 tags
Hebrews 8: Clean Slate
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (verse 12)
Forgiveness of sin comes only by the grace of God but to have the ability forget iniquities is incomprehensibly awesome.
9 tags
Hebrews 7: Perfection
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? (verse 11)
If perfection can be achieved by the law through men bound by their own mortality, then grace through Christ will bring utter perfection to those...
8 tags
Hebrews 6: Anchor of the Soul
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. (verse 19)
In the haze of this world hold on to the only hope that is Christ.
6 tags
Hebrews 5: Grow Up
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. (verse 12)
Learn, then get up and do the work that you are called to do. Time to grow up.
7 tags
Hebrews 4: No Rest for the Lazy
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (verse 11)
The exercise of faith, evident through works will earn the reward of rest.
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Hebrews 3: Wrong Combination
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (verse 19)
Harden hearts and unbelief is the wrong combination to rest.
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Hebrews 2: Tasting Death
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (verse 9)
By that same grace of God, we are saved through the simple act of faith to not taste death.
8 tags
Hebrews 1: God Remains
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; (verses 10-11)
Even the works of God will perish, delve not on the works of His Creation.
6 tags
Acts 28: Continue to Preach, Regardless
And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. (verse 24)
Preach the Truth, there will always be some who will refuse to believe.
7 tags
Acts 27: Reject Rejection
Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. (verse 11)
Accept rejections at your own peril. Regardless how he felt, he was in the same boat and a chance to save 276 lives.
7 tags
Acts 26: Happy to Testify
I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: (verse 2)
False accusations and wrongful imprisonment, yet Paul found happiness for a chance to be a witness for the Truth.
7 tags
Acts 25: Appealed by the Enemy
And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king. (verse 14)
God will reveal the truth even by the mouth of your enemy in the defense of those who suffers for the sake of Christ.
February 2012
18 posts
7 tags
Acts 24: Bound for Pleasure
But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. (verse 27)
Even in bondage, Paul continues to preach Christ.
6 tags
Acts 23: Create a Dissension
And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. (verse 7)
The pride of man to pitch themselves against each other.
7 tags
Acts 22: Seeing but not Hearing
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. (verse 9)
It is better to hear God’s voice and follow His commands than to see His light and tremble in fear.
7 tags
Acts 21: Clouded by Emotions
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. (verse 14)
Resist the temptation to give into emotions, follow the calling and go in the name of Christ.
7 tags
Acts 20: Preaching With Compassion
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. (verse 9)
Listening to long sermons can be life changing, fortunately, Paul was a compassionate preacher, he embrace the kid and brought him back to life.
5 tags
Act 19: Known in the Spiritual Realm
And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? (verse 15)
Know Christ before attempting to go out in His name.
6 tags
Acts 18: A More Perfect Way
This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. (verse 25)
The strength of man may carry him in the fervency of the spirit but there exists more perfect way of God.
7 tags
Acts 17: Inventing Gods
For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. (verse 23)
An unknown god is easy to invent but salvation comes only from the one true God.
6 tags
Acts 16: Words but not the Spirit
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. (verse 17-18)
There are those who speak the right spiritual words but...
6 tags
Acts 15: Bare Minimum Burden
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; (verse 28)
The burden we bare is the absolute minimum necessary for our Spiritual growth.
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Acts 14: Visible Faith
The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed. (verse 9)
The kind of faith that can be seen is the same faith that can lead to healing.
7 tags
Acts 13: Enhanced Spiritual Perception
Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. (verse 9)
Under the influence of the Holy Ghost, Paul was able to perceive evil, pronounce judgement and execute divine punishment.