A Minute for the Bible - Seated with Christ

7 Reasons Every Christian Should Study Jewish History

I had the honor of guest writing a post for the Scofield Ministries blog.

Click here the read the article!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to announce a new booklet that I have assembled on the big picture of Jewish History.  This booklet is designed to give the reader a greater sense of the Biblical Chronology as well as a greater understanding of the Jewish people and some of the major factors that shaped their presence in the world today.  I am confident that you will be blessed through this study and find that God's faithfulness to His beloved earthly people Israel will give you an ever growing understanding of His faithfulness to us in the Church.

Get your copy (available in Kindle and in print) here!

Training Up a Child

Train up a child in the way he should go,

And when he is old he will not depart from it

Proverbs 22:6

Proverbs are not promises.  A promise is a guarantee that something is going to happen or be done by the promise maker.  There are wonderful promises in the Bible, such as John 1:12: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”  This is a great promise!  To everyone who trusts in the name of Jesus Christ they are made children of God.  Proverbs, however, differ in that they are not promises but observations about how God designed the world in more general terms.  This is important because there are many who wonder how their children depart from the faith and the way in which they were raised.  While this is not a guarantee, it is a very important principle in parenting.  As we train up our children we are constantly training them, disciplining them and hoping to see them equipped to live a good and constructive life.  This however, is all second to training children up to see and know the Lord.  Giving our children the tools which they need to grow in Christ is the most important thing to instill in them and earlier is always better than later! 

God's Word on the Church

The Church is God's creation.  As He created it, He gives some very important information on what the church is meant to look like, and what we are meant to be doing.  This study is designed to help you grow in your understanding of what the Church is meant to be doing and how you are meant to be a part of all of the exciting and wonderful things which God is doing on earth.

A Minute for the Bible - How He loved you...

Understanding You Can Depend On

There is no wisdom or understanding

Or counsel against the Lord.

Proverbs 21:30

The world is filled with new wisdom and understanding.  Every day new and exciting research comes to light about technological advances, scientific discoveries, and medical breakthroughs that are beyond amazing.  There is, however, a great amount of understanding that is perverted to be made to appear as if it is against the Lord.  The specifics aside it is a powerful reminder to us all that the study of the physical earth is simply a study of the matter which God created, the rules which God set in place, and the information which God put in place for this world to spin.  While we may discover many new exciting things, like why leaves are green, God was the One who dictated that leaves would be green.  We may discover how to fix a malfunctioning organ in the human body, but God was the one who made that organ and allowed it to be repaired.  We will see wonderful discoveries, knowledge and understanding but they only confirm all that the Lord has put into place by His perfect will.

I am so excited to be taking this class about Jesus!

If you would like to join me you are VERY VERY welcome.  Just click here to go right to the Seminary Website.  

Galatians - Real Freedom

Christ died to set believer free.  He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly!  Yet much of the time believers continue to live as if we were still slaves - to sin, to the law, to the world.  The book of Galatians is about the freedom which God won for the believer in Jesus Christ.  This study will take you verse-by-verse through the book of Galatians - called the "Magna Carta" of the Christian faith.  We are all in chains - Come to Christ and be Free Indeed.

A Minute for the Bible - Good Health

Interesting Perspecives

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,

But the LORD weighs the hearts.

Proverbs 21:2

We must never forget, as humans, the incredible power we possess in not seeing what we choose not to see.  Whatever the situation it is so easy for us to self-deceive and choose to believe that what we want is somehow the right thing to do.  This is why so many human conversations are simply confirmations of the idea: “I was right to do that, wasn’t I?” However, we justify our actions it is important to remember that we may be able to fool others, and we may be able to fool ourselves – but the Lord is not fooled.  Even our most elaborate justification is empty before Him.  1 Samuel 16:7 tells us: “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."  At first this is a bit unnerving – terrifying even – when we consider our subtle and deceptive ways.  But it ends with great freedom.  The Lord is never deceived and He still loves us – we no longer need to attempt to deceive ourselves to run from humility and truth.  It is with this understanding that David would boldly pray: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

Ephesians - Your New Life in Christ

The Book of Ephesians has rightly been called "the Queen of the Epistles".  In this letter the Holy Spirit gives us the vital information on all that we have been given in Jesus Christ.  This is a study of the amazing provision which has been made for the believer in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  This study is designed to give the reader new insights from the language, history and culture into which the letter was written.  It is our hope that everyone who reads it will have a greater understanding of all the God has provided freely by His grace to everyone who has placed their faith in the Person and work of Christ Jesus.

A Minute for the Bible - Federal Headship

Sinful and Self-Decieved

Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”

Proverbs 20:9

The world has been trying to deal with sin since sin entered the world.  Some have sought to ignore it, others have simply surrendered to it and called evil good and good evil.  These methods never bring anything but a deeper self-deception.  The apostle John would deal with exactly this problem in his first biblical epistle.  In 1 John he would deal with those who denied that they had sinned and those who would deny that they even retained the nature to sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10

These verses show us that foolishness and spiritual self-deception are never far from our door.  It is the greatest foolishness to try to find a way to rationalize away our sin.  Far better, indeed, is allowing God do deal with sin in His way – by trusting Jesus Christ’s perfect and permanent payment for all sin on the cross.

Being a Man...Jesus Style

Our culture is totally and completely confused when it comes to understanding and defining what masculinity is and what it is really about.  Fortunately, God's word has a great deal to say on the subject.  This study is designed to introduce very important ideas and concepts from the Bible on what the Creator of masculinity has to say about it.  We hope you enjoy this study, which is perfectly appropriate for private study as well as group study.

A Minute for the Bible - The Good Shepherd

Things that Stay the Same

There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel – that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21

The Hebrew word translated plans has the idea of a machine…something doing its job mechanically and continually to make plans.  It can be negative in meaning, but here it is neutral.  A man continues thinking, planning and plotting based upon new information and new situations at every single moment.  This is one of the many limitations of humanity – we are limited in time, space and perception.  Try as we might we are always going to be vulnerable to a new fact or factor that will cause our plans to change. 

The Lord is in a different situation altogether.  The Lord’s character and plans will never be surprised, nor will they ever be changed because of something which He didn’t see or know.  The Lord’s plan is perfect and it is not ever in question.  This means that, as fallible and shortsighted people we are always making the wisest choice by building our plans around His perfect and unchanging counsel.  This means building our thinking around His perfect word.