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Every Resolve for Good

"To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess 1:11-12).Paul is proud of the Thessalonian believers and the way they have grown in faith and love despite suffering intense persecution. His prayer for them is that their good resolve and wor...

Give Thanks in All Circumstances

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the desire of God in Messiah Jesus for you" (1 Thess 5:18).Toward the end of his letter, Paul urges the Thessalonian believers to give thanks in whatever circumstances they face. This is because their salvation is certain (vv. 8-9) and they are in the process of being sanctified completely by God (vv. 23-24).Our family is going through a big move, and every day is filled with placing items on Facebook marketplace and TradeMe, interacting with buyers...

What Is It to Really Live?

"For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord" (1 Thess 3:8).Paul, Silas, and Timothy had to flee Thessalonica quickly on account of their Jewish opponents. They didn't have a long time to say goodbye and give final instructions to the believers of the new church there. When Paul reached Athens, he became deeply concerned about them. Had all his teaching been in vain? So he sent Timothy to check up on them. Timothy found them remaining true to what Paul had taught, despite suffering per...

You Are Our Glory and Joy

"For what is our hope, joy, or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy" (1 Thess 2:19-20).Paul and his companions were driven out of Thessalonica by their Jewish opponents. They long to go back and see the believers there, but Satan has so far hindered them (v. 18). But even if they can't see them face to face, the Thessalonian believers are still very much on their hearts and minds. They are the glory and joy of Paul, Silas, and Timoth...

You Became an Example to All the Believers

"You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord [Jesus], for you received the message in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia" (1 Thess 1:5-7).We see a pattern here. Paul, Silas, and Timothy are flesh and blood examples of what it looks like to be believers and Christ-followers. The Thessalonian believers imitated what they saw in these thr...

I Will Return to You if God Desires

"And they came to Ephesus, and [Paul] left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. But on taking leave of them he said, 'I will return to you if God desires,' and he set sail from Ephesus" (Acts 18:19-21).Paul has spent considerable time in Macedonia, Athens, and Corinth preaching the gospel and establishing churches. Now it is time for him to return to his home church, Antioch. On the way back, ...

God Commands a Change of Mind

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to change their minds, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man [Jesus] whom he has appointed. And of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).Paul is speaking before a crowd of philosophers at the Areopagus in Athens (v. 22). After clarifying who God is and what he is like, he encourages his audience to move from Epicureanism, S...

John 7: Rivers of Living Water

In chapter seven there continues to be much debate about Jesus among various groups. Jesus is in Galilee, but the Feast of Booths is approaching. Jesus must go to Jerusalem along with all other Jewish males. A confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish leaders is inevitable. The Jewish leaders want Jesus dead (v. 1). Jesus will be crucified in about six months, at the next Passover. This Feast of Booths will the last Jesus experiences until his second coming. In Galilee, many of Jesus’ discipl...

Be Reconciled to Your Brother

"So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." - Matthew 5:23-24Jesus is teaching the disciples on a mountain, with crowds all around (v. 1). This is the famous Sermon on the Mount. There is so much content in this chapter, it is difficult to choose one verse to focus on. The verse I have chosen has to do with reco...

Healing Every Disease and Affliction

"And [Jesus] went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them." - Matthew 4:23-24Matthew is summing up Jesus' early ministry. Based in Galilee, Jesus is teaching, proclaiming t...

They Fell Down and Worshipped Him

"When [the wise men] saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh." - Matthew 2:10-11Matthew tells how Gentile wise men from east were among the first to worship the baby Jesus. When they found him, they were filled with great joy and fell down and worshipped him. They presented him royal treasures...

The Virgin Shall Conceive a Son

"'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)." - Matthew 1:23Matthew, describing the circumstances of Jesus' birth (v. 18), comments in an aside that the virgin conception of Jesus in Mary's womb was the fulfilment of a 700-year old prophecy of Isaiah. He links the virgin conception of Jesus to his deity.19th century liberals attacked the doctrine of the virgin conception of Jesus. They did not believe Jesus is fully God, a...

John 6:1-21: Jesus and the Laws of Physics

Do you remember the Sun family? Ric and Jocelyn Sun visited our church in February and shared about their ministry with Life International. They shared a deeply personal story of how they aborted their first child before they were believers and how God has provided forgiveness and grace over the years. When they visited, they had their three children with them. Well now they have a fourth, baby Nuria.Early in Jocelyn’s pregnancy (she’s in her forties), they were told that the baby probably h...

God Will Dwell with Man

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.'" - Revelation 21:3John again hears a voice from God's throne in heaven. This time it is a statement of fact about the situation that exists after final judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). God now dwells with humanity. All those living on the earth are his people. God himself is with them. The key, repe...

Sharing in the First Resurrection

"Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Messiah, and they will reign with him for a thousand years." - Revelation 20:6According to John's vision, Satan will be seized and thrown into a sealed pit for 1000 years. He won't be able to deceive the nations during that time (v. 3). Believers then will come to life. This is called "the first resurrection." They will be priests of God and of Jesus...

The Righteous Deeds of the Saints

"'Let us rejoice, exult, and give [God] the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. It was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure'— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints." - Revelation 19:7-8Just before Jesus returns to earth (v. 11) to destroy the antichrist and the kings who follow him (v. 19), a great wedding takes place in heaven, which includes what is called the marriage supper of the Lamb (v. 9). The b...

Laid Waste in a Single Hour

"And [the shipmasters and sailors] threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, 'Alas, alas, for the great city [Babylon] where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints, apostles, and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!'" - Revelation 18:19-20In this chapter, two angels (vv. 1, 21) and another voice from heaven (v. 4) proclaim God's judgment upon Babylon the ...

Called, Chosen, and Faithful

"'And the ten horns that you [John] saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.'" - Revelation 17:12-14One of the seven angels of ch. 16 speaks to John about "the ...

The Truth and Justice of God's Judgments

"The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, 'Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!' And I heard the altar saying, 'Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!'" - Revelation 16:4-7In this chapter, John describes se...

The Revelation of God's Righteous Acts

"And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast, its image, and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb saying, 'Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations ...

The Wine of God's Wrath

"And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, 'If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast a...

A Call for Endurance and Faith

"Also [the beast] was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe, people, language, and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes. If anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call ...

Why Are There So Many Different Types of Churches in New Zealand, and What Is the Difference Between Them?

Thanks for your question, Jasmyn! It's a good one, and the answer is important to understand. I'll limit my answer to a discussion of the Protestant churches in New Zealand.It is important to start out with what all Protestants agree upon. They agree with four core statements of the Christian faith, as formulated in the early church: the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Chalcedonian Definition of the Faith. Check out each of these links and read them carefully. If...

The Great Dragon Thrown Down

"And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, 'Now the salvation, the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the bl...

Where Is the Ark of the Covenant?

"Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail." - Revelation 11:19The apostle John continues to see visions about the future. Two temples are mentioned in this chapter. One is an earthly temple in the city of Jerusalem (vv. 1-2). The other is a heavenly temple where God dwells (v. 19). Very surprisingly, John sees the ark of God's covenant in the heaven...