Attitude
A Wrong Attitude
The elder son comes in from the field to find a party for the younger son going on (vv. 25-28). In the illustration of the younger son in this passage, Jesus has made it clear that the publicans and sinners were guilty of the obvious sins of the flesh. At this point in the pa …
Jesus Healing of The Man With The Witherd Hand
Jesus uses the healing of the man with the withered hand to point out that the Sabbath was not just a time not to work. The Pharisees watched Jesus like a cat watches a mouse hole. They stood ready to pounce on Him for every little thing that violated their legalistic beliefs. Th …
Cain And Abel
Chapter 3 ends with five events: (1) Adam names his wife Eve (v. 20). Remember that God named Adam, and Adam named all the animals. Naming is linked to authority. (2) God gave them clothing made from animal skins (v. 21). Without innocence clothing is necessary. Also, death will now be …
Sayings of The Wise
To be wise is to be under God’s “seeing eyes†of protection (v. 12). To be unwise and treacherous, even in what one says, is to be on a path that will end in frustration. The lazy person has all kinds of excuses for not wanting to work (v. 13). When no dangers or difficulties exist, he imagines them …
Exhortations For Holy Living
In this portion of Scripture Paul deals with attitudes. He exhorts us to:Be joyful (v. 16). Joy takes the burden out of service. It does not depend on circumstances, for in the world the Christian will have tribulation (John 16:33).Be prayerful (v. 17). The Christian who prays &l …
How Our Attitude Spreads to Others
Paul has been warning about judging other Christians, and how it affects our attitudes and actions toward them, even to the point of hindering our own walk with the Lord. Now he shows the other side of the coin and what kind of an effect our convictions and actions can have on other Christians …
The Promises of Faith
In this chapter the writer gathers together the names of those who have faithfully passed the legacy of faith on to the next generation. He reflects on the lives of heroes of the faith like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Sa …
David & Abigail
The chapter begins with the death of Samuel, the spiritual leader of Israel for many years. It seems that when David heard the news, he started to feel a bit restless, prompting his move from Engedi, near the Dead Sea, up into Paran, in Judah proper (v. 1). Thus continues the theme established in …
The Sermon on the Mount
Jesus’ disciples gathered around Him, and he taught them (vv. 1-2). This passage of Scripture is known as the Sermon on the Mount. It is one of the most misunderstood messages that Jesus ever gave. It does not tell a person how to be saved as some people say but instead it tells us what it is …