And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. Matthew 3:9 John the Baptist continued to lay it on the Pharisees and Sadducees who showed up to watch him. One of their most reliable defensesContinue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Matthew, 24 November 2023. Today’s topic: Stones in the Road”
Tag Archives: Abraham
Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 23 August 2022. Today’s topic: The Agenda
Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Galatians 6:12 One of my favorite author comments is from Michael Crichton who, in an epilogue to one of his books said, “everyoneContinue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 23 August 2022. Today’s topic: The Agenda”
Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 8 June 2022. Today’s topic: Circumcision
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6 You read it here: circumcision has no spiritual value to the one who believes in Jesus. Medically, it has some debatable value for some conditions, but I’ll leave that debate to doctors andContinue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 8 June 2022. Today’s topic: Circumcision”
Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 18 May 2022. Today’s topic: Unnatural Choices
At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. Galatians 4:29 (NIV). Paul is saying that the persecution of the early church (by the Jewish establishment) is no different than the way Ishmael treated Isaac. At the time Isaac was born,Continue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 18 May 2022. Today’s topic: Unnatural Choices”
Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 17 May 2022. Today’s topic: An Ancient, Beautiful Thing
Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. Galatians 4:28 (NIV). I love the plainspoken mystery of this verse. If you take it out of context, or you don’t know the history of Isaac and Ishmael, you would either reject or accept it at face value. Now, dig deeper. Do that, thenContinue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 17 May 2022. Today’s topic: An Ancient, Beautiful Thing”
Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 12 May 2022. Today’s topic: Have-Not’s
These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that isContinue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 12 May 2022. Today’s topic: Have-Not’s”
Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 11 May 2022. Today’s topic: Miracles Around Us
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. Galatians 4:22-23 (NIV). In the next few verses, PaulContinue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 11 May 2022. Today’s topic: Miracles Around Us”
Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 23 March 2022. Today’s topic: Genealogy
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NIV). I love how Scripture has such deep, dual meanings in so many ways, and how those meanings always ultimately point to Christ. Continue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 23 March 2022. Today’s topic: Genealogy”
Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 21 March 2022. Today’s topic: Receive the Promise
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Galatians 3:14 (NIV). Way back in the Old Testament, over 400 years before Jesus (and Paul) lived, the prophet Joel prophesied that God would pourContinue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 21 March 2022. Today’s topic: Receive the Promise”
Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 14 March 2022. Today’s topic: God Promises
Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Galatians 3:8-9 (NIV). In Romans 4:21, Paul says, concerning Abraham, “being fully persuaded that God hadContinue reading “Practical Proverbial, from Galatians, 14 March 2022. Today’s topic: God Promises”
Practical Proverbs 