Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
[continue to live your lives in him]… and overflowing with thankfulness.
Summary: Understanding why Christians should be thankful requires understanding the fundamentals of what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul expects us to be thankful.
This is a theme that comes up often in his writing. In this instance, he connects our life in Christ to thankfulness.
Why?
Why should we be thankful?
Continue reading “Colossians 2:7c – What Paul Sees”… to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation …
Summary: Understanding what believing in Jesus means for us after death is life-changing.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:22b – His Plan Was Jesus”… circumcised.
Summary: Circumcision is a theme that runs throughout the Bible. In the beginning, it was a symbol of a covenant. In the end, circumcision was a point of contention. Instead of a symbol of something good, it had become a legalistic requirement for something bad.
Continue reading “Galatians 6:12b – Circumcision of the Heart”… and there is no favoritism with him.
Summary: What kind of God do we serve, anyway? Does he ever show favoritism? As it turns out, the answer is, “No.”
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:9c – I’ll Take the Same”… forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Summary: Today’s passage is for many the heart of the Gospel message: In Christ, we are forgiven for the things we have done to hurt others, offend God, and that ultimately wound our own souls.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:32b – Avoiding Hell”… until we all reach unity in the faith …
Summary: Looking at the question of unity causes us to ask, “What causes disunity?” The answer could include a million things, but today we look at the need to forgive.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:13a – Forgive Like Jesus”… in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.
Summary: Paul has a detailed way of conveying his thoughts. Sometimes his meanings can be lost in the words. It is worth stopping to ponder what Paul is saying and think about the story behind the words.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:7c – The Pardon”… through his blood, the forgiveness of sins …
Summary: Blood holds a unique place in Scripture and life. We cannot live without it. In the salvation narrative, blood is both the price of salvation and the symbol of salvation.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:7b – The Big Death”And forgive us our debts …
Summary: As we begin our discussion of forgiveness, it is helpful to consult the dictionary for a definition of the word “forgive.”
Continue reading “Matthew 6:12 – A Sack of Bricks”And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Summary: At first glance, this passage in the Lord’s Prayer looks simple and unassuming. Looking closer, we find that it masks a dark reality.
Continue reading “Matthew 6:12 – The Way to Heaven”