Matthew 27:34 — “They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.” Immediately before being nailed to the cross, Jesus was offered a mixture that contained alcohol and a narcotic of some kind. It was designed to alleviate the pain He was about to experience.…
Colossians 3:16 — “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Singing in corporate worship has become a very controversial issue in evangelical circles over the last 30-40 years. There’s even…
Philippians 4:8-9 — For the Christian, the battle against the world, the flesh and the devil takes place largely in the mind. Unfortunately for many, it’s a losing battle and they fail to make progress. In these well-known verses the Apostle Paul clearly spells out what the Christian ought to “think on” if he/she wants to…
Luke 7:11-17 — “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her…” (v.13a) In this text Luke records a miracle that took place at an obscure Galilean village called Nain. Jesus met a funeral procession leaving the town. A young man had died, the only son of a widow. Jesus stopped the procession…
Colossians 3:16 — “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…” How were the Colossians to put this command into practice? What “word” did they have? What “songs” did they sing? These are interesting questions and they help…
Hebrews 1:3 — In this verse we’re told that God the Son is “upholding all things by the word of his power.” What does this mean? What exactly is the Son’s relationship to the creation? What, if any, are the implications for our day-to-day Christian lives? This is what Steve takes us through as he…
Luke 7:1-10 — The centurion in the town of Capernaum had what many of us would love to have. A wonderful reputation, healthy relationships, material prosperity and a compassionate heart all were his. In the world’s eyes he was a good man, and yet there was one glaring deficiency in his life. He didn’t have the…
Nehemiah 1:1 — After taking us through the Books of Esther and Ezra, Pastor Brendan begins a new study in the Book of Nehemiah. In this opening lesson he gives us the historical background to the Book, a brief overview of its contents and then he introduces us to the man Nehemiah.
Jeremiah 7:29-8:1 — “They shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets…And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven…” What Jeremiah describes here is a grotesque act of desecration that the Babylonians would perform when they besieged…
Philippians 4:4-8a — Worry and anxiety seem to be ever present in our world today. Even in the most affluent and advanced societies many are debilitated by these problems. Thankfully, there is a solution! In the Bible, our Creator has told us how we can live free from the stifling burden of anxiety. This is…