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Jesus' Sevenfold Power And Authority There are primarily three ways that I read and study through the Gospels: 1) Read them one at a time, focussing on the context and what each passage has to say. 2) Read all four Gospels together, using a Harmony of the Gospels approach. That is where you have each major event side by side with the other Gospels, so you can glean what they all have in common, rounding out a full picture of each sermon, parable, healing, etc. That is a good tool for understanding all about a certain thing that happened or was said in the Gospels. In a lot of ways, we do this on a much smaller scale when we read a passage and then look at all the related cross references. 3) There is also another approach: Reading the Gospels side by side, but seeing where they differ, and making note of how each difference fits the overall approach of each Gospel writer, and what each writer is particularly emphasizing. For example, Matthew was written to the Jews to present their...

Lessons In The Valleys: The Valley Of Strength (Elah) - 1 Samuel 17 Read 1 Samuel 17:1-3. Define mountains and valleys in our lives. Some examples: The Valley of the Shadow of Death (Psalm 23), The Valley Of Trouble (Hosea 2), the Valley of Baca (Weeping, Psalm 84). Then 1 Samuel 17:16. 40 is symbolic of a time of testing. Examples: - Spies checking out the promised land. Numbers 13:25-33. - 40 years wandering in the wilderness. - Jesus’ temptation by Satan in the wilderness. - After Jesus’ resurrection, time spent showing He was alive.   Giants of Gath - Anakim: - See Numbers 13:25-33; Joshua 11:21-22; 1 Chronicles 20:4-8. If the Israelites had destroyed the Canaanites as the Lord had commanded them to do, there would never have been this battle. As the verses in this section show, Goliath and his four brothers came from one of the cities that they did not conquer by faith.   Comparison between Goliath, Saul, and David, and their strengths:   Size: Goliath – 9 ½ feet ...

The Lord Sees Our Potential As a much younger believer I remember reading a book or commentary where the author points this passage out: Judges 6:12, 14   And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him,  The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour ... And the LORD looked upon him, and said,  Go in this thy might , and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? Then he mentioned that the Lord God saw Gideon's potential as a warrior BEFORE Gideon ever fought his first battle. The Lord opened the doors needed for Gideon to step into that role and equipped him fully for it - long before he ever fought that first battle. God already stated that Gideon had the might, the strength or power, that was needed to fight the upcoming battles God had planned for Gideon to set free the oppressed Israelites of his day. Our Heavenly Father is sovereign. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows everything about us, has a pla...

 They Would Not - But Will You? - The Blessings They Missed Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Throughout man’s history, the Lord God has offered so many blessings to the nation of Israel and to the whole world, including the blessings of salvation and of a close relationship/fellowship with Him, but sadly many would not humble themselves, turn to God in faith and receive these blessings. 2 Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the ...

The Giver, Or The Gifts? Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17 Are you at life's peak, in perfect health and blessedness, Is your life filled with abundance, wealth, and happiness, Do you have everything you've ever wanted, almost utmost bliss, Then I ask you, where's your faith - In the Giver, or the gifts? So many times we gauge our life by our position, our possessions, or our prosperity. But what about our walk with the Lord? Are we looking to the Giver, or the gifts? When the nation Israel become prosperous, they took their eyes off of the Lord. Their faith was in the gifts, not the Giver. This brought them only heartache and grief. (See Deuteronomy 8) God tested the Israelites to see where their faith was, in God's Word (the Giver) or their prosperity (the gifts). Sometimes He lets His children have what they desire, but sends leanness int...

The High Calling Philippians 3:4-9 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: In this passage, the Apostle Paul recounts his religious heritage - then he states it was all worthless when compared to knowing the Lord Jesus Christ a...

Blessed Contrasts In Scripture 1) The Lord is our crown of glory, and we are His. Isaiah 28:5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people, Isaiah 62:3-4 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 2) Jesus is the Light Of The World, and we are light in Him. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (See also John 9:5) Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are...

Our Walk In Ephesians - Part One In the book of Ephesians, we see seven passages where our walk is referred to. The order of each of these passages is interesting and worth meditating upon. 1) Our Walk Without Christ Ephesians 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. When we did not know the Saviour and had not yet trusted Him for salvation, we walked according to the course of this world - we walked like the lost world walked, following the world's philosophies, pursuing the world's pleasures. We followed Satan, who was working through us - as he works through all the children ...

This is separate from the series we have been working on, but I wanted to post it here, as the conclusion to a series I was working on last year, based on Genesis 15:1. Both aspects presented in this study were touched down on slightly in I Am Thine and Be Strong And Of A Good Courage (though this previous study focussed more on the fact that we have an inheritance in Christ, rather than Christ being our inheritance). Genesis 15 - Thy Exceeding Great Reward Genesis 14:21-24 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their p...

Numbers In The Bible Series: Day 39 - Ten Plagues The Ten Commandments is God's law to mankind. The law shows man his sinful nature. The first and second commandments deal with not having other gods or graven images before us. I found it interesting that all ten plagues given to the Egyptians dealt with their gods and graven images. The number ten symbolizes the law, government and restoration. God gave us the law and clearly outlined that we are not to have any other gods before us. God also shows how we can be restored to Him - through His Son, Jesus Christ and His work of the cross. I thought I would incorporate those two concepts into the ten plagues. I could not believe how God blessed me through this! I hope they bless you as well! 1. Water into blood : The Egyptians viewed the Nile as their god - the giver of life. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sigh...