The Church in Colossae was started by Epaphras, one of Paul’s disciples. Paul opens the Book of Colossians with this greeting: We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:3-4a, ESV). Paul is writing to the Colossians because of […]
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Bad things happen when we question God’s love in our lives. The Book of Malachi begins with God’s people questioning God’s goodness. . . “I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?” (1:2-3, NLT) We build expectations of what God should be doing in our lives and
This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker (Philemon 1-2, NLT). The Book of Philemon is short, tabulating at only 335 words in the Greek. It’s written to a close friend of the Apostle Paul.
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This Interruption is part of the Grant and Barbara now in Scotland adventure series! It’s rumored that Mary Queen of Scots once said that she feared the prayers of John Knox more than any army. Knox was a Protestant reformer; Mary Queen of Scots was a Catholic monarch. With John Knox founding the Presbyterian Church
Speak Where the Bible Speaks: John Knox to Pastor Grant! Read More »
And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered (John 10:35, NLT). When discussing Scripture, someone might say, “That’s your opinion.” And while I believe that people should have their own opinions since I have too many of them myself. . . I do believe the Bible says five things that are so incontrovertible from
Not Open For Your Opinion Read More »
Philippians is the “gospel” of the Pauline letters. The word “gospel” is used six times in chapter one. If we know the gospel, we understand the Book of Philippians. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the
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On Monday, for the next few months I will write an Interruption in summary of one book of the New Testament. Today it’s the OG (Old Guy—that’s me) on the Book of 1 John. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy (1 John 1:4, NLT). There isn’t another book
in summary of one book of the New Testament. Today it’s the OG (Old Guy—that’s me) on the Book of 1 Peter. 1 Peter was the second book of the Bible that I memorized (James was the first). I’ve meditated on this book for decades. One verse motivated me to spend the next 40 years
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat (Matthew 12:1, ESV). In this Interruption, we are going to learn a new word. It’s “palimpsest.” Palimpsest, pronounced “pa luhmp sest,” is an obscure word that serious Bible scholars immediately recognize.
Learning a New Word Read More »
When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son (Galatians 4:4, ESV). The New Testament was written in a language called “hekoinedialektos.” You might be thinking, “Hey, I thought the New Testament was written in Koine Greek.” But if you look closely at “hekoinedialektos,” you will see “koine” stuck in the middle
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