« June 2003 | August 2003 »
Posted by David Carroll
Nehemiah 8:8 (NIV)They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.That is what expository preaching is, making God's word understandable and exposing the meaning of the text. I have been in churches where the minister, dressed in long flowing robes, stands in the pulpit and gives his sermon. I have heard sermons where scripture is never read or quoted and where Jesus Christ is mentioned. Oh, God might be mentioned, but mostly as an approver of social programs we ought to be
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
1 Corinthians 8:9,13 (NIV)Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall. We call ourselves free people in this country. Freedom however does not mean anything goes. For example I have the freedom of speech guaranteed by the constitution. But I am not free to yell "Fire" in a crowded movie theatre just for mischief's sake. Of course, we would say that we are
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Psalm 32:1-2 (NIV)Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. This is pretty rich language describing the wonderful feeling one has when nothing heavy weighs upon him, when all is well.This verse goes on to describe the opposite feeling and uses opposing language with equal force to describe the depressing state of guilt when energy is drained.Psalm 32:3-4 (NIV)When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Nehemiah 2:4-5 (NIV)The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it." Nehemiah was a man of prayer. We find him praying in a variety of problems and situations. He was a man dependent on God. I love this little scene involving an exchange between Nehemiah and King Artaxerxes. When the king
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
1 Corinthians 6:1,5-7 (NIV)If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? ... I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another--and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Thank God we live in a country where we can
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
1 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NIV)Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. There are few analogies or metaphors more consistent and prolific in the Bible than that of yeast or leaven being a type of sin.
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
1 Corinthians 4:20 (NIV)
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
I hear a lot of people talking about things of God: on TV, from the pulpit, by friends and acquaintances. I am reminded by this verse to not just listen for the right words but to look for the power. If God is there, He will be there in power. He will not allow himself to be compared with the things mere man can do. His blessing on a person's ministry will be manifested with supernatural power.
Posted by David Carroll
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (NKJV)For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV)But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." We hear talk about heaven, how wonderful it is going to be. From this verse I get the idea that when we get there, we are going to be really surprised. I'm not talking playing harps, or floating on clouds. All I know is that anything we could imagine could not possibly come close to what it will really be like. Think of the most beautiful
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
1 Corinthians 1:22-24 (NIV)Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. You can pretty much divide the world into three categories when it comes to what people think about Jesus Christ.You've got the devoted religious crowd represented by the Jews here in this verse but anyone who is enamored with their religion would fit this category. This group is convinced that there is a
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Psalm 27:4 (NKJV)One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. It is this kind of single minded desire that David had which confirms to us his whole heart for God. He paints a wonderful picture of being in the presence of God, which involves prayer (inquire in His temple) and praise (beholding the beauty of the Lord). David calls this a desire to "dwell in the house
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 16:25-27 (NIV)Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him-- 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen. Paul's benediction closes his letter to the Romans, perhaps the greatest treatise on how a sinful man can be made righteous before a holy God.Paul mentions that what he
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
I love you Lord...
John 3:16 [NKJV]
For God so loved the world
... because you first loved me.
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 15:19 (NIV)By the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. Paul wrote much of the New Testament. So how do we know that it is the trustworthy and infallible word of God? It is by the authenticating power of signs and miracles given through the power of the Holy Spirit to Paul and the other apostles through whom we have the full proclamation of the gospel of Christ.2 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)The things that mark an apostle--signs, wonders and
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
2 Chronicles 29:1-3 (NIV)Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired them. 2 Chronicles 29:35b-36 (NIV)So the service of the temple of the Lord was reestablished. Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Psalm 23:1-6 (NKJV)The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 12:16-18 (NKJV)Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. I've noticed, in my church, that there are people of all stations of life who go there. There are both rich and poor, talented and untalented, smart and not so smart, those who lead and those who
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 11:32 (NIV)For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. One of the most stubborn questions men ask about God is how can a good God allow evil and suffering. The implication is that God could have made everything good and made all men to go to heaven. My answer to this question has always been that God gave man a free will so that man would have a choice to love Him or not. This necessarily creates the potential for evil. Although this is true, after contemplating this verse,
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 10:13-15,17 (NKJV)For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,Who bring glad tidings of good things!" So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions that
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Believing that Jesus died on a cross and was buried is believing nothing more than what has happened to many thousands of men before and since. But believing that Jesus was resurrected from the dead is to believe that his death was effective to accomplish salvation for those
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 9:21-23 (NIV)Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- This is a very heavy passage of scripture. It makes me shrink in awestruck wonderment. The idea that God is the creator
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 8:28-30 (NIV)And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. I find it interesting that we find one verse which is perhaps one of the most beloved verses in all the Bible juxtaposed next to one of the most
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
2 Chronicles 10:6-8 (NKJV)And they spoke to him, saying, "If you are kind to these people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever." King Rehoboam, Solomon's son, was seeking advice on how to deal with an issue involving some discontent among the Israelites. He received some good advice, "Be kind, pleasing, and speaking good words." This is the way a ruler of the people ought to be. It has often been said that a benevolent dictatorship is the most desirable form of government. I know, dictatorship has a negative flavor to it
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 7:15,18 (NKJV)For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. Do you ever feel that way? Can't seem to get it right and messing things up over and over again? Yeah, me too. And the worst thing about it is that you can see it happening when you are
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
2 Chronicles 4:2 (NIV)He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. This is a physical description of the molten sea of bronze which was used as a laver for ceremonial cleansing in the Temple. Many Bible critics have pointed to the mathematical error embodied in this description as proof that the Bible cannot be trusted to be accurate. If the diameter of the circle is 10 cubits then the circumference should a factor of Pi (3.14)
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 6:18 (NIV)You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. This is an interesting idea, that we are all slaves to something. Salvation depicts a rescue of one in bondage. The assumption is that the rescued person becomes a freed person. But Paul here in chapter six of Romans shows that the reality is actually a transfer of ownership, from the one master, sin, to the other master, righteousness. What does it mean to be a slave of sin? It means being always bound to sin, unable to do what is right. All right then,
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 5:10 (NKJV)For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. This verse has many ideas in it. The main thrust is the argument from the greater to the lesser. It is incredible that God would send His Son to die for us, his enemies. Now that I am reconciled to Him, no longer an enemy, requiring his death to do that part; why would he not even more (much more!) desire to keep me saved by his resurrected life?My
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 4:20-22 (NKJV)He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." In chapter four of Romans, Abraham is called the "father of the faithful." Abraham lived long before Moses. All Jews look to Abraham as their father but in doing so they must admit that the Law of Moses cannot be the way to God since Abraham did not have that Law. It is in
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 4:4-5 (NIV)Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. Paul makes this oft forgotten concept clear. If there were anything that we could do to merit eternal life from God, then no matter how small a thing we did, God would be paying us back. God owes no man anything. What he offers is given freely. If I were to offer you a gift, you do not
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
Romans 3:23-26 (NIV)For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. There verses are packed with the essence of Christianity. First, all we are
Read more
Posted by David Carroll
I love you Lord...
John 3:16 [NKJV]
For God so loved the world
... because you first loved me.
« June 2003 | August 2003 »