Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
Now to the King … immortal …
Summary: Immortal is one of those interesting words that sounds like it should be the same as eternal, but isn’t.
As we continue our deep dive into Paul’s praise of God, let’s look at the word “immortal” and consider how that is different than “eternal.”
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:17b – Immortal”
Now to the King eternal…
Summary: Paul’s praise of God begins with two words that are critical for understanding God’s power and authority: “King” and “eternal.”
With these words, “Now to the King eternal …” Paul begins a sentence that has been used by churches around the world as a model of praise for God.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:17a – King Eternal”
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in…
Summary: The opening words of Paul’s statement about why people put confidence in the flesh provide a jumping-off point for us to consider what the true meaning of the Gospel is.
Before we begin with today’s meditation, Thank you to all of you who took the time to write and share your thoughts. I deeply appreciate the encouragement and the feedback! God bless all of you! — Jeff
Looking at this passage, it is easy to get caught up in the larger picture of Paul’s thought. His full sentence reads:
Continue reading “Philippians 3:4b – It’s All About Jesus!”
…and who put no confidence in the flesh—
Summary: As we prepare for Paul’s essay on what the flesh can and cannot do, it is helpful to understand the basics of our human nature.
If you don’t know what Paul means by putting “confidence in the flesh,” he is going to explain, in great detail, in the next few verses. Meanwhile, this is a good opportunity to preview the concept before we dive into the details.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:3d – Flesh & Spirit”You are the salt of the earth.
Summary: This saying requires some thought. In our modern culture, we take salt for granted. Yet, intuitively we understand that salt is necessary for physical life just as Jesus is necessary for eternal life.
Continue reading “Matthew 5:13 – Game Changer”
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
I was reading Ecclesiastes yesterday. Chapter 1 begins, “‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher…” “Everything is meaningless.” I pondered this attitude of Solomon’s wondering what it means. As I thought about it, I realized that compared to being in the presence of God, everything in this life actually is meaningless.
God’s values are not man’s values. We saw this in the words and actions of Jesus as we studied John’s gospel. Jesus is not from around here, a fact made evident by his the way he talked and what he did.
I believe the Bible is consistent on this point. It seems so in this passage from James. He wants us to be “mature and complete, not lacking anything.” It is up to us, his readers, to decipher what “thing” he is talking about!
Continue reading “The Eternal Perspective – James 1: 4”