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Showing posts with the label grace

The Night Hell Plotted and Heaven Purchased: Lessons from Luke 22

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Every year during Holy Week , we walk slowly through the Passion narrative, and every year Luke 22 hits like a freight train. In just twenty-five verses we watch Satan enter one of the Twelve , we watch Jesus institute the Lord’s Supper , and we watch the disciples argue about who is the greatest—all at the same table, on the same night, just hours before the cross. That collision of darkness and light, of betrayal and redemption, of pride and servanthood is not just ancient history. It is a mirror held up to every Bible-believing church in 2025.  1. Satan Never Stopped Wearing a Church Name Tag    “Then Satan entered Judas , surnamed Iscariot , who was numbered among the twelve” (v. 3).   Judas had been baptized, chosen, sent out to preach and heal, and entrusted with the money bag. Yet the devil found a landing strip in his heart because he loved money more than the Master. Brethren, false professors have not gone extinct. They still carry Bibles, sing th...

Blazing Obedience: Unleashing Grace in a Rebellious World!

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Oh, fervent seekers of truth, let the inferno of God's unquenchable Word erupt like a raging volcano within your souls right now! In this chaotic era of rampant anarchy, soul-devouring depravity, and outright rebellion against divine order, we charge headlong into the impregnable citadel of Titus 3:1-8 . Here, the Apostle Paul , ablaze with the Holy Spirit 's scorching fury, doesn't just whisper gentle suggestions—he detonates a divine manifesto for us to rise as invincible warriors! This passage isn't mere advice; it's an unbreakable decree demanding total submission, radical sanctification, and the cataclysmic explosion of salvation by grace alone that shatters every chain of sin! As we ravage the vast armory of all Scripture to stoke this divine blaze into a consuming wildfire, arise, unyielding remnant of the faithful! Seize this blistering mandate of obedience and bask in the overwhelming, earth-shaking mercy of our Triumphant Savior, Jesus Christ ! Paul unleas...

Rahab: Not the Girl She Used to Be

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Hello, fellow believers! As a community of Christians, we stand unapologetically on the solid rock of God's inerrant Word, the Bible. It's our guide, our authority, and our source of truth in a world that's increasingly hostile to biblical principles. Today, I want to dive into a story that's as timeless as it is transformative: the account of Rahab from Joshua chapter 2 . I've framed this blog post around a homily I recently shared, but I've expanded it here to unpack the layers of God's grace, faith, and redemption. If you've ever felt defined by your past or wondered if God could really use someone like you, Rahab's story is a powerful reminder that in Christ, you're not the person you used to be. The Setting: A City on the Brink Let's set the scene straight from Scripture. Joshua 2:1-24 transports us to the ancient city of Jericho , a pagan stronghold in Canaan. This wasn't just any city—it was a symbol of defiance against God, fille...

Contending for the Faith: Lessons from Jude in a World of Compromise

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 In an age where truth is often bent to fit personal agendas, the Epistle of Jude stands as a beacon for those who hold fast to the unchanging Word of God. As a fundamentalist Christian, I've always found Jude's urgent call to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 3, NKJV) both convicting and empowering. This blog post expands on a recent homily I delivered to our congregation, drawing deeply from Jude while weaving in insights from other Scriptures. It's a reminder that our faith isn't a casual pursuit—it's a battleground where eternal truths are defended against subtle deceptions. The Call to Contend: A Divine Imperative Jude didn't set out to write a warning; he wanted to celebrate "our common salvation" (Jude 3). But necessity compelled him: false teachers had infiltrated the church, perverting grace into license for sin and denying Christ's lordship (Jude 4). This isn't ancient history—it's today's headlines. Think of c...

The Lost Sibling: Rediscovering Grace in the Father's House

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In the hustle of modern life, it's easy to overlook the quieter stories in Scripture—the ones that don't scream with dramatic falls and redemptions but whisper warnings to the faithful. Today, let's dive into Luke 15:25-32 , the often-overlooked tail end of the Parable of the Prodigal Son . Here, Jesus doesn't just celebrate the return of the wayward younger brother; He exposes the heart of the older one, the "good" son who's been there all along. This isn't just a tale of one lost child—it's about two. And if we're honest, many of us who cling to the Bible as our inerrant guide might see ourselves in this dutiful, yet distant, sibling. Picture the scene: The older son is out in the fields, toiling faithfully as he always has. He's the epitome of obedience, the one who never strayed. But when he hears the sounds of jubilation—music, dancing, the fattened calf being slaughtered—he's puzzled, then furious. His brother, the squanderer, th...

The Wedding Banquet: A Divine Invitation You Can't Ignore

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In a world drowning in distractions and fleeting pleasures, the timeless words of Jesus Christ cut through the noise like a clarion call. Today, I want to dive deep into the Parable of the Wedding Banquet from Matthew 22:1-14 —a story that's not just ancient history but a living, breathing warning and promise for every soul. As fundamentalist Christians , we hold fast to the inerrant Word of God, and this parable demands our undivided attention. It's a vivid portrait of God's sovereign grace , human rebellion, and the eternal consequences of our response. Let's unpack it together, expanding on its profound truths to stir our hearts toward deeper faith and obedience. Imagine the scene : A mighty king—our Heavenly Father—prepares a lavish wedding feast for his beloved son, Jesus Christ. Invitations are sent to the elite, the chosen ones—symbolizing God's covenant people, Israel. But shockingly, they snub the invite. Some ignore it, too busy with farms and businesses...

From Shadow to Substance: How Yom Kippur Reveals Christ

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 Today, I want to invite you on a profound spiritual journey—a journey that takes us back thousands of years, into the very heart of ancient Israelite worship, and then catapults us forward to the eternal truth of our salvation in Jesus Christ . We’re going to explore Yom Kippur , the Jewish Day of Atonement , and discover how this solemn observance illuminates the glorious work of our Savior. Now, as Christians, we live under grace, not under the Law . This is a foundational truth of our faith, and it’s a truth that sets us free! Yet, to dismiss the Old Testament , to ignore the rich tapestry of God’s dealings with Israel, would be to miss the very blueprint for understanding our redemption . As the writer of Hebrews reminds us, the Law, its rituals, and its sacrifices were but a "shadow of the good things to come, and not the true form of these realities" ( Hebrews 10:1 ). The shadows always point to a substance, and for us, that substance is Christ. Yom Kippur: A Day of Ho...

Rediscovering Obedience: The Forgotten Key to Loving God

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 Hey there, fellow seekers of faith! In a world where "grace" is often thrown around like a get-out-of-jail-free card, it's easy to skim over one of the Bible's most straightforward teachings: obedience. I recently came across a powerful homily that hit me right between the eyes on this topic, and I felt compelled to turn it into a blog post. Titled Obedience: Often Ignored and Seldom Preached or Taught, it reminds us that true love for Jesus isn't just about warm feelings—it's about action. As Jesus Himself said in John 14:15, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Let's dive in and let God's Word do the talking. The Misunderstood Side of Grace We've all heard it: "We're saved by grace, not by works!" And that's absolutely true—Ephesians 2:8-9 makes that crystal clear. But somewhere along the way, many Christians (myself included at times) have twisted grace into something loose and permissive. It's like treating ...