Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.
Summary: Paul continues to provide evidence of the validity of his gospel. This passage is especially powerful in that it links Paul with the most authoritative people on the planet.
Continue reading “Galatians 2:9a – Esteemed as Pillars”… and called me by his grace,
Summary: Sometimes, a thought experiment can help us understand what the Bible is saying. This passage inspires us to consider what it means to be “called” by God.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:15b – Trusting Jesus”Grace …
Summary: What a word means depends to some extent on its context. The usage tells us what the author or speaker intends it to mean.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:3a – From Grump to Grace”But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Summary: Words are important. The wrong word can lead us to the wrong understanding. In this mediation, we look at the word “apportioned” and examine how this word can affect our happiness in God.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:7 – The Key to Happiness”… by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
Summary: Paul wasn’t just sitting on the side of the road when God met up with him. He was on his way to change the world. God stopped him, changed him, and then set him off again in a different direction.
Continue reading “Ephesians 3:7b – Redirection”… about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you,
Summary: Decoding Paul’s use of language is helpful when it comes to understanding the gift of the Gospel that God has given us.
Continue reading “Ephesians 3:2b – Potiphar’s Pal”For it is by grace you have been saved,
Summary: Once again, we find ourselves pondering the meaning of “grace.” Paul points out that we are saved by grace, and as we explore this topic, we discover a beautiful picture of a loving God.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:8a – Why Does God Bother?”… in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,
Summary: Getting to know someone takes a bit of effort. That is true for anyone, even God. Getting to know our Heavenly Father is the most rewarding relationship we can have.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:7a – Getting To Know God”
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
In our meditation on James 4: 6 (a) we examined the concept of Grace. I wrote:
“Grace is one of the simplest concepts in the Bible, and yet for some reason, it is difficult to understand. Grace is commonly understood to mean a manner of acting. For example, a ballerina dances with grace. Grace can also mean a gift or favor. In this case, I think it might mean both.
“God loves us even though we are unlovable. When a perfect being shows kindness and affection to his enemy (James 4: 4) it is an act of grace. When our God takes the extra step of giving us the means to be redeemed from Satan’s power, he does us a favor. What he gives us is the gift of Himself. We call this gift the Holy Spirit.
Continue reading “1 Peter 1:2 (e) — Grace and Peace”