Prelude to Deity
The Gospel of John takes a unique approach to the Christmas story. It makes no mention of the angels, shepherds, or wise men. Rather, John describes Jesus as the eternal Word that became flesh.
Do you ever struggle to understand how the Old and New Testaments fit together? If we think of the Old Testament as pages of promise, then how does the New Testament complete and fulfil God’s plan for us?
No fulfilment can surpass Jesus Christ, who burst onto the scene—and eventually left it—in a most dramatic and unexpected fashion. Learn what each of the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—teaches us about Jesus, and be encouraged by the first Christians who boldly proclaimed the name of Christ in the book of Acts. In reading the New Testament you’ll discover at the centre of your hope stands a person—One who has come and One who will come again.
The Gospel of John takes a unique approach to the Christmas story. It makes no mention of the angels, shepherds, or wise men. Rather, John describes Jesus as the eternal Word that became flesh.
Have you ever wondered why Scripture gives us four different accounts of Jesus' life? Wouldn't one Gospel have been enough? Chuck Swindoll answers this question in "That You May Believe."
A grace-filled death only comes about after a grace-filled life. Like few others, Paul lived with grace and died with grace—grace to the very end.
Leadership isn’t for the faint of heart—not because it’s so demanding (though it is) but because it’s so isolating. This was true of Paul. All his life, he was engaged in the nitty-gritty of ministry. But sitting in a dark dungeon awaiting death, loneliness crept into his lap and refused to leave. So Paul took his pen and wrote his friend.
Paul didn’t think life ridiculous or irrational—even with his head on the axeman’s block. In one of the finest epitaphs found in literature, Paul celebrated life, without reservation, remorse, or regret.
Paul wrote to Timothy without panic and with purpose. The days were depraved and dangerous, and Timothy needed to read Paul’s never-to-be-forgotten final charge in order to complete his ministry. Pastors today who carry on the ministry, regardless of age, location, or culture, need to hear and heed that same timely and timeless charge.
No one enters a race hoping to come in second. Runners run to win. Paul ran to win (2 Timothy 4:7-8). And he wanted the same for Timothy—for him to finish well. But how? Second Timothy 3:14–17 provides the answer.
Don’t be distracted by difficulties or hampered by hardships; don’t despair because you don’t have the highest IQ, the richest portfolio, or the finest pedigree. Rather, master a few great, majestic, unchanging, simple, glorious truths—and be mastered by them.
We’re no longer shocked and outraged by human depravity. Perhaps that’s why the Bible sometimes backs up the truck and unloads a descriptive deluge of indecency on us. That’s exactly what we get in 2 Timothy 3:1-9.
Character is no longer king; our culture champions competency. Scripture, however, champions character. So, for those of us who wish to lead in a Christian manner, character must always trump competency. That’s the message of the last seven verses 2 Timothy 2.