resting

What does it Mean to Remove a Church’s Lampstand?

February 28, 2019 // 37 Comments

If you wanted to control people using fear and threats, you could become a Sith Lord, or you could take the good promises of Jesus, turn them inside out, and use them to terrorize God’s children. Let me give you an example: Unless you repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand out of its place. [...]

Rewarded for What We’ve Done?

September 16, 2015 // 69 Comments

The Bible says that we will be rewarded for what we have done. Not what we have believed, but done-diddley-done-done. So what do we have to do? In this three-part series, we’re going to look at some of the rewarded-for-what-we’ve-done scriptures, beginning with this one: For the Son of Man is going to come in [...]

Labor to Enter his Rest

December 18, 2014 // 65 Comments

The other day a strange man approached a young girl and offered her candy if she would get in his car. Thankfully, the girl knew all about stranger danger and quickly walked to a shop where she was safe. I know you’ve heard this sort of story before but this was different for us because it happened on our [...]

Keep plowing or die! (Luke 9:62)

November 20, 2014 // 41 Comments

Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62) Is Jesus calling you to a life of unswerving service? Is he saying, “You’re here to work and work hard”? Well if he is, then he’s contradicting what he says here: Come to me, all you [...]

Faith is a Rest

August 15, 2013 // 108 Comments

The gospel declares God’s grace comes through faith. So if you wanted to undermine the gospel, there are two ways you could do it: 1. attack grace – put price tags on it or obscure it by referring to it as a mere “doctrine”2. attack faith – either make it a work or diminish it, belittle it I usually [...]

Hebrews 10:26

February 15, 2012 // 270 Comments

I get asked more questions on Hebrews 10:26 than any other verse in the Bible. Evidently, this is a verse that troubles many Christians: If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left. (Hebrews 10:26) Whoa, that looks scary! Let’s take a quick [...]

Romans 7: The flesh test

August 18, 2011 // 36 Comments

Have you seen the pearl of wisdom hidden in Romans 7? Many miss it because they view the chapter as “not written for me” or as a mere prelude to chapter 8. This is a shame because if you can grasp what Paul says in Romans 7, it will save you a world of hurt. “Just remind me, what’s Romans 7 about?” I [...]

John 15:6 – Abiding in the Vine

June 8, 2011 // 98 Comments

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. (Jn 15:6) What does it mean to abide in the vine? You need to have a good answer to that question because Jesus warned that there are consequences for not abiding in [...]

Overworked?

February 3, 2011 // 0 Comments

Rope image from [...]

James 2:24

September 20, 2010 // 32 Comments

In this study on James chapter 2, we have been comparing works done under law with works done under grace. Understanding this distinction is essential if we are to reconcile Paul, the preacher of grace, with James, who said this… You see then that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. (Jas [...]