Big Reveal

“To the called out Thessalonians in God our Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:1). Paul starts his first and second letters to the Thessalonians with an almost identical address.  He is writing Thessalonians who were called out, who are now in God and Jesus.  Called out of the world and into…

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Re-imaging

God created man in His image.  His original command to His image was, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28).  Man fell from this purpose.  God’s image in man was marred.  As a result, man multiplied his own image and likeness (Gen. 5:3).   Man’s image filled the earth.  All things…

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Are You with Me?

While I was spending time with the Lord this week, He asked, “Are you with me?”  My first reaction was, “Is this one of those questions like when you asked Peter if he loved you?” I’m way more likely to overthink things than Peter.  There was no confident (over confident?), “You know I’m with you,…

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The Kenosis Conundrum

“Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to hold onto.  Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men” (Php. 2:5-7). When Paul says Jesus emptied Himself, what does he mean?  Debates about this center on the Greek…

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Unshaken

“His voice shook the earth at that time, but now He has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven. This expression, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of what can be shaken…so that what is not shaken might remain.  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us…

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Jesus Is Coming. Look Busy.

Paul ends his letter to the Thessalonians with final instructions for the community. His directives culminate in verses 23 and 24: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will…

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Image

“Let us make man in Our image, according to our likeness” (Gen. 1:26).  We see from this verse that, from the beginning, God’s purpose was for us to be in His image.  God’s image was to be fruitful, multiply, fill the creation, and subdue it (Gen. 1:28).   This purpose was frustrated and delayed at…

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Who Told You?

Today’s post is by an old friend from Bible school, Judith Brown. Judith emailed this to various friends in the Lord and was good enough to let me share it. *** “Who told you that you were naked?” Genesis 3:11 God asked Adam and Eve this question after they had eaten the forbidden fruit. Their…

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Can’t Keep Us Down

In many places, gatherings of any size have been restricted to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).  On Sunday, our church live-streamed our worship service for the first time ever.  Many other churches did this as well, and I checked out portions of the other services in our community.   It was fun to be…

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King Virus

These days, it’s impossible to avoid hearing about coronavirus.  Corona means “crown.”  Recently, I found my mind drifting to the opening of the first seal in Revelation 6:2– “I looked, and there was a white horse. The horseman on it had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he went out as a victor…

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