Category: Bible Study

OFF-SHORE DRILLING

“Pull out a short distance.” —Luke 5:3 Before Jesus commanded Simon to “put out into deep water” (Lk 5:4), He “asked him to pull out a short distance from the shore” (Lk 5:3). There Jesus “continued to teach the crowds from the boat” (Lk 5:3). We need to spend some time hearing God’s Word to have faith (see Rm 10:17) deep enough to “put out into deep water.” The Lord has “much more to tell” us, but we “cannot bear it now” (Jn 16:12). However, when the Holy Spirit teaches us God’s Word (see Jn 14:26) and produces the fruit...

JESUS AND YOUR HOME

Jesus “entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was in the grip of a severe fever, and they interceded with Him for her. He stood over her and addressed Himself to the fever, and it left her.” —Luke 4:38-39 Jesus wants to enter your home. He also wants your home to be a house of prayer and healing. Will you invite Jesus to be Lord of your life and your home? Will you pray daily with the members of your family? Jesus has promised: “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in their midst” (Mt...

THE BAPTIZED “WAIT WITH JOYFUL HOPE”

“As regards specific times and moments, brothers, we do not need to write you; you know very well that the day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night.” —1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 We will be ready when Jesus returns if we: are “children of light and of the day” (1 Thes 5:5), do not belong to darkness or night (1 Thes 5:5), are not “asleep like the rest, but awake and sober” (1 Thes 5:6; cf Eph 5:14), and are “putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet” (1...

A GOOD JOB MAY NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH

Jesus “said to them, ‘You will doubtless quote Me the proverb, “Physician, heal yourself,” and say, “Do here in Your own country the things we have heard You have done in Capernaum.” But in fact’, He went on, ‘No prophet gains acceptance in his native place.’ ” —Luke 4:23-24 Jesus was tempted three times by the devil in the desert (see Lk 4:3ff). Next, He was tempted to make healing His primary occupation instead of prophecy and teaching (Lk 4:42). He was tempted to do what people wanted rather than what His Father wanted. Like all of us, Jesus was...

THE JOYS AND MYSTERY OF HUMILITY

“My son, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved.” —Sirach 3:17 Decide to “conduct your affairs with humility.” Decide to clothe your whole life from top to bottom in humility (see 1 Pt 5:5). Then “you will be loved more than a giver of gifts” (Sir 3:17). God will give kindness, favor, and grace to you (Sir 3:18). In addition to being loved and graced, your humility will keep you from repeatedly embarrassing yourself, for the proud often make fools of themselves (see Lk 14:9). In the early stages of humility, we receive many wonderful benefits. As...