187 results found

When Spoils Spoil Us

April 23, 2023 | Judges 8-9 | exposition

“Spoils” are the reward of having won a victory, as in the “spoils of war.” For in our study today, we’ll see how Gideon’s victory, his success, actually revealed a problem that he had, indeed that we all are apt to have, namely–– we often let success go to our heads. It’s one thing to trust God when we are in a season of lack or trouble. But what about when we’re going through a season of plenty, of prosperity?

In Judges 8-9, the Lord gave victory to Gideon and the Israelites over their Median oppressors, but they let the spoils of war spoil their relationship with God and with one another. They didn’t know how to handle God’s blessings. They let success spoil their hearts. What are the warning signs that success is spoiling our hearts?

Triumph in Weakness

April 2, 2023 | Judges 7 | exposition

Admitting our weaknesses, goes against our human nature doesn’t it? We value strength, influence, wealth, possessions, beauty… We don’t care much for weakness, for humility, for being impoverished or downtrodden. Yet, did you know that you can be too big, too rich, too full of yourself to see God’s victory, God’s triumph in your life? Until we admit our weakness apart from God, until we humble ourselves before God, we cannot experience the salvation and victory only He can give us.

Our human default is to trust ourselves, our own wisdom, our own bank accounts, our charge cards, our own strength. But God wants us to learn to put all of our trust in Him. In chapter 7 of Judges, the Lord taught Gideon and the people of Israel to put all their trust in His power to save them, rather than their own strength. We can learn to put all of our trust in the Lord.

Answering God’s Call

March 19, 2023 | Judges 4-5 | exposition

What’s God’s calling on your life? Or do you not think you have a calling? You don’t think He could use you? You don’t have any special talent or ability? Awesome! God loves using ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

Or maybe you’re going through a time of trouble? Sometimes God uses suffering to get our attention, so that we’ll actually hear His call. Receiving His comfort, we also receive His call to comfort others in the same trouble we once had. Are you willing to answer God’s call on your life?

In chapter 4 and 5 of Judges, the people of Israel again rebelled against the Lord and did evil in His sight, but after falling into servitude, they cried out to the Lord, so the Lord called an unlikely duo named, Deborah and Barak, to rescue Israel. And they answered God’s call. We can answer God’s call on our lives.

Forgetful Hearts

March 12, 2023 | Judges 3 | exposition

Spiritually speaking, the heart is the seat of the will, the driver’s seat of our lives. Yet we have this human tendency to have forgetful hearts. And when we forget the Lord in our hearts, we put our very lives at risk. For we open our hearts up to temptation and every kind of sin and enslavement. Where have you forgotten the Lord today? Where do you need to be reminded to remember God in your heart today?

In chapter three of Judges, the Israelites were caught up in a cycle of heart-forgetfulness, until they remembered the Lord and repented and the Lord rescued them. We can remind our forgetful hearts to always remember the Lord.

Could Not or Would Not?

March 5, 2023 | Judges 1-2 | exposition

In these first two introductory chapters today, we see that Israel had not fully placed their hope and trust in God to fully obey Him. They said they “could not.” But God essentially said, they “would not.” This is a question worth asking ourselves. Where have you made flimsy excuses to God because you’ve put your hope in yourself or someone or something else instead of in Him? That’s what started the downward descent of Israel.

In the first two chapters of Judges, Israel failed to fully trust God’s promise and obey His word, so the Lord allowed their enemies to oppress them. Yet, God was moved by their suffering, so He raised up judges to save them. We can learn to fully trust and obey God.

Gospel Guidance, Greetings, and Glory

November 20, 2022 | Romans 16:17-27 | exposition

The gospel reveals God’s love and righteousness to us and Paul closes the letter the way he began, with the gospel.

In Romans 16:17-27, the apostle Paul closed his letter to the believers in Rome with a final word of gospel guidance, greetings, and God’s glory. Even in closing his letter, Paul was showing them how to apply the gospel to their relationships. We can apply the gospel to our relationships.

Greetings and Commendations

November 13, 2022 | Romans 16:1-16 | exposition

Many who preach through the book of Romans skip over these verses as a mere list of mostly unknown names that the apostle Paul commends and greets in closing. It’s neither propositional nor prescriptive, so they decide it’s not preach-able. Yet, we can learn much from the personal and affectionate way that Paul begins to close this letter. Paul really knew how to greet fellow believers and commend them for their faith and service!

Do you know how to greet people? Some of us never learn. We just talk about ourselves, our own problems and ailments. We forget to focus our greetings on the other person. Some of you are here today, and you really need to make some friends. You’ve forgotten what it’s like to really be greeted and welcomed, to be commended and edified.

If that’s you today, I pray that you experience the greeting of God’s people and of the Lord Jesus Himself before you leave today! In Romans 16:1-16, the apostle Paul began to close his letter with personal and affectionate greetings and commendations for the believers there. We can learn how to greet one another in the Lord from Paul’s example.

The Gospel Church

November 6, 2022 | Romans 15:14-33 | exposition

There’s not a lot of good news today. We have to remember that the news business is just that… a business. And bad news sells. Violence sells. Sex sells. If it bleeds, it leads. But aren’t you sick and tired of all the bad news? As followers of Jesus, we’re the ambassadors of the good news. But what does it look like to see ourselves as the people who proclaim the good news, the gospel of Jesus?

In Romans 15:14-33, the apostle Paul described how God had called him to the gospel ministry and invited the believers in Rome to join together with him in the gospel ministry. We are called to join together in the ministry of the gospel.

Living in Harmony

October 30, 2022 | Romans 15:1-13 | exposition

We need unity in the church today. For there is certainly little unity in our country or world. We live in one of the most divisive and divided days in our nation in my life time. Yet, the church is supposed to be different. One of the key marks of the church is supposed to be our unity, our harmony.

In Romans 15, the apostle Paul prayed that God would grant the believers in Rome to live in harmony with one another in Christ Jesus to the glory of God. We can live in harmony with one another in Christ Jesus.

Discernment over Judgment

October 23, 2022 | Romans 14:13-23 | exposition

Judgment condemns, but discernment seeks to understand and point the person to Jesus. The motive in judging is self-righteousness and a sense of superiority, often accompanied by anger. But the motive for discernment is humility and love.

In Romans chapter 14:13-23, the apostle Paul told the believers in Rome that as a result of having their minds “transformed” (Rom. 12:2) by faith in Jesus Christ, they were now able to consider one another with spiritual discernment rather than judgment. As believers in Jesus, we can consider one another with discernment rather than judgment.