Roots Produce Fruit
David was the son of Jesse and a great king of Israel. God had promised his people a king from David’s line, but having a stump for a family tree didn’t seem promising (Isaiah 11:1, 10).
Discipline to Match Desire
After our pastor preached on Philippians 2:12-13, I realized I have prayed this scripture without even knowing it. How encouraging it is to know that God gives us “the desire and the power to do what pleases him”!
But With God…
Notice the disciples don’t ask how a rich person can be saved. They ask how anyone can be saved. Salvation without God is impossible— not only for the rich, but for all people (Matthew 19:23-26).
Be Like the Bereans
Acts 17:11: Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. …
Hearts and Minds
Philippians 4:7: And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Hearts and minds. These two words stood out while…
Possessions or Perfection?
The rich young man reveals a sincere yet desperately inaccurate view of himself and his abilities. Jesus brings up perfection, then challenges him to sell all that he has and follow him.
Keep the Commandments
How beautiful that John's words point back to what Jesus says in Matthew’s gospel: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me...
AI’s place in biblical scholarship
AI results are only as good as the data. AI doesn't "know" the importance of biblical scholarship; this Smart Search feature only scans data sources within Logos as directed by the filter the user applies. AI doesn't control the results, the data sources we allow do.
Righteousness and other R words
The fault in the young man’s question is that it implies works-based salvation. Righteousness is a gift we can never earn. Thank God we never have to.
Smart Search Feature
I found the smart search feature useful in that it gave me some good references that I would have missed had I stuck to my usual commentaries.
Beyond Expectations
By the time Jesus begins his public ministry, the Jewish people have let their expectations cloud their vision and have developed their own ideas of who the Messiah will be.
A Brief History of God’s People
Abraham’s son, Isaac, and his grandson, Jacob are familiar with God’s promise to Abraham, but they don’t automatically inherit it. They receive it directly when they encounter God personally.
The Calling of Matthew
Thinking of Matthew’s big party makes me smile. It feels like home, warm and inviting. I imagine smiles and tears as people realize that Jesus accepts them as they are.