the new self created in the likeness of God
"and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4.24 God hasn't called us to be a little better than we were or even a lot better than the world. He's called us to be like Him! And in Christ, He has recreated us in His image. It's... Continue Reading →
The Kingdom is central in Mark’s presentation of the gospel. Recall that in the first chapter we see Jesus proclaiming, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1.15). The authority of Jesus, the King, is then exhibited in both His teaching and His... Continue Reading →
In our first lesson we saw how Jesus not only preached that “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1.15), but proved it. His authority was seen in both His teaching (Mark 1.22) and His powerful works (Mark 1.27,32-34). Truly, He is the “Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1.1). So, why would anyone... Continue Reading →
I always appreciate when someone gets right to the point and that’s exactly what Mark did at the beginning of his gospel account: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1, ESV) Most of us know that the term “gospel” can be literally translated as “good news”, but often... Continue Reading →
Joshua had seen a lot. He’d witnessed the mighty hand of God deliver Israel from Egypt, grant these former slaves victory over the Amalekites (Exodus 17.9-13) and fulfill every promise He’d made (Joshua 21.43-45). Joshua had been on the mountain with Moses when he received the Law (Exodus 24.13) and had been chosen as the next... Continue Reading →
I tell my sons to do a lot of things (clean their rooms, mow the lawn, turn the computer off, go outside, etc.). I’ll admit that some of these commands come from a selfish place because I don’t want to mow the lawn and they are old enough to do it. But there’s something else... Continue Reading →
Viewpoints are not inherently wrong. Fact is, each of us has his/her unique viewpoint that has been shaped by our backgrounds and experiences. The viewpoint of the Pharisees was not inherently wrong, after all their viewpoint highly esteemed the Lord and urged them to carefully follow His Law. However, their viewpoint had become an idol... Continue Reading →
“And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul,’ and ‘by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.’” (Mark 3:22, ESV) If you’re familiar with the gospels at all then you know that the scribes and Pharisees were bitter opponents of Jesus. Thus, their accusation that Jesus’... Continue Reading →
We likely have no problem recognizing material success as an idol that will vie for our affection. After all, the Lord declared that “you cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16.13). However, that is not the only type of success that can become an idol. As hard as it may be to fathom, spiritual success... Continue Reading →
A good way of measuring success is by potential. For instance, by the time a child starts middle school the parents of that child have some idea of his/her scholastic potential. They may know that their child excels in math, but reading or science isn’t their best subject. So when report cards come home the... Continue Reading →
Giving gifts can be tricky. You give something because you want the other person to enjoy the gift; you want to make them happy. Ideally, a gift will not only bring joy to the recipient, but will also prompt appreciation for the giver each time it is brought out. In writing this lesson I am... Continue Reading →
Built By Him 