… what counts is the new creation.
Summary: What is Paul’s letter really all about? It is about something new … you!
Continue reading “Galatians 6:15b – Old and New”Galatians 2:20c – Christ in Me (Part 1)
… but Christ lives in me.
Summary: As we look at this passage, the first question that confronts us is existential. Are we purely physical beings, or is there something more, some invisible part of us that only God can see?
Continue reading “Galatians 2:20c – Christ in Me (Part 1)”Ephesians 6:11a – Fear Can Be Deadly
Put on the full armor of God …
Summary: We live in dangerous times, both physically and spiritually. Only one of these realms is eternal, and that is where the greatest danger lies.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:11a – Fear Can Be Deadly”Ephesians 4:17a – A Kind of Test
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do …
Summary: Paul’s problem is that people who believe in God act differently than people who don’t. Being the “Apostle to the Gentiles” carried with it the added burden of educating Gentile believers about this difference.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:17a – A Kind of Test”Ephesians 3:18a – Spiritual Potting Soil (Part II)
… may have power …
Summary: Roots are a metaphor for our relationship with God and his love for us. As we put down roots in love, we find the spiritual water and nutrients we need for life. More than that, we are strengthened with power.
Continue reading “Ephesians 3:18a – Spiritual Potting Soil (Part II)”Ephesians 3:10c – We Are Not Alone
… should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
Summary: Looking deeper into God’s manifold wisdom, we find a small opening in the veil between our world and the next.
Continue reading “Ephesians 3:10c – We Are Not Alone”1 Corinthians 15:50 – What Does God See?
… flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God …
Summary: Paul makes a statement that seems to contradict other passages in Scripture. Bending our minds around his thoughts sometimes requires looking at things from God’s point of view.
Continue reading “1 Corinthians 15:50 – What Does God See?”2 Peter 1:3a — A Different Kind of Power
His divine power …
Summary: Divine power is different than physical power. In the physical realm, physical power is mostly what we see, but the Bible is full of stories about a different kind of power.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:3a — A Different Kind of Power”Titus 1:4 (b) — Family Ties
… my true son in our common faith …
Summary: Paul’s reference to Titus as his ”son” in the faith opens up a door to understanding how God sees us spiritually and how we should see each other spiritually.
Continue reading “Titus 1:4 (b) — Family Ties”1 Peter 2:5 (c) — At the Foot of the Cross
…offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
This may be one of the most important verses in the Bible. Oh, I know…it looks benign. You can read it and think, “Nice verse…” and go on with your reading. But when I look at this verse I see all the threads in the Bible coming together into one place.
I can guess what you are thinking. You are probably thinking, “Okay, Jeff. Go ahead. Show me how this ties together all the threads in the Bible. But remember, this is ThreeMinuteBible.com, not TwentyYearBible.com, okay?” Okay. Fair enough. Since we are constrained on time, I will use large brush strokes again and see if I can paint a picture of what I see.
Continue reading “1 Peter 2:5 (c) — At the Foot of the Cross”