The entire ministry of the local church is to be centered on Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and driven by discipleship. In Acts 2:42-47, we see how the early church practiced discipleship. In this passage, we find five key components that drove the ministry of the early church. These components, rightly practiced and…
We come now to a very difficult passage of scripture that raises many questions. There are numerous interpretations that man has made as to the meaning of this passage. However, there is only one true interpretation and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will attempt to arrive at the most accurate…
At the beginning of our study of the book of Revelation, we mentioned how that we should study this book not to just learn about future events, but to get to know Jesus more. The entire theme of Revelation, and the whole Bible for that matter, is all about Jesus. The apostle John…
In Romans 4:13-25, Paul continues what he started in Romans 3:27. He is giving a defense of justification by faith for his Jewish readers. As we study scripture there is something very important that we must keep in mind. We should never stray away from the context of scripture. We should never ‘read into’ scripture…
“In his book, Self-Esteem, the New Reformation, (Word, 1982), Dr. Robert H. Schuller shared thoughts on a hospital call he made on John Wayne. The veteran film star was facing surgery the following morning. As he traveled to the hospital, Schuller prayed for divine guidance. Should he be direct about Wayne’s relationship to Christ, was…
There have been many people who have claimed to have had out of the body experiences in heaven. Some have even written books about their experiences. Whether those experiences are real or not, the fact is that heaven is real. There are two people in the New Testament that took trips to heaven. The apostle…
Previously, Paul gave a description of what justification is. Here in these verses we see a defense for justification. Paul is reaffirming the fact that justification is by faith alone. Such a defense is necessary due to the depraved mind which cannot grasp the full beauty of the Gospel. In his defense for justification,…
The church of Laodicea was the last of the seven churches seen in the book of Revelation. It is also the worst of all the churches. It is the only church of the seven that Jesus gives absolutely nothing positive. Because of the sin of this church, they receive the greatest condemnation of…
In our study of Romans, we have come now to the second major division of the book. The first section of Romans showed us that people have no hope of obtaining righteousness on their own. We are all condemned in our sin. The second major division of the book of Romans covers 3:21-5:21. In this…
Life is very hard and it is sometimes very difficult for us to be thankful. During the Thanksgiving season, we tend to put on a good front. We smile and give testimony of the things we are thankful for; yet, deep in our hearts, we are suffering. We have burdens that no one else…
Pastor Chris Noland 