Obadiah Helping Us See the Big Picture Often, we get focused in on our own walk with the Lord too much . We allow our own personal experiences and emotions to cloud our view. We’re in our feelings and our own personal lives so much that we can’t recognize something bigger is happening. Some of this is natural because the pain of life can be something we can’t get away from. It’s not like time stops. The waves of our own personal lives keep coming. They are like huge breakers battering us with difficulties. But in our difficulties we often fail to see there is a big picture going on. It is the sovereign plan of God. God is working in nations despite Satan’s rule over them (2 Cor 4:4). God is taking account of large groups of people. God is ultimately watching and enduring the world until His Son’s return. Yes, He is saving some, but the reality is most of the world is lost and in opposition to Him. T...
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God Sent His Son! Galatians 4:4–7 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. This is one of the clear and concise presentations of the Gospel found in the book of Galatians. There is definitely wonderful news found here. Let’s look at a few observations from the text. 1. God sent Jesus at the exact right time. Sovereignty 2. God sent His Son. Deity 3. God sent His Son who was born of a woman. Human 4. His Son was born under the requirements of the Law. Fulfillment 5. The twofold purpose of sending the Son … 1. so that He might redeem those under the Law … 2. That we m...
Making Much of People for Christ! Galatians 4:16–20 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you. My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. The false teacher’s motives are exposed in this passage. At the same time, Paul contrasts his own motives. Ultimately, why we do what we do in our interaction to people reveals whether we are for Christ or against Him. If we seek to influence people, so that they will make much of us; then we are of the devil, and we are actually against Christ. If we seek to point people to dependence on Christ, so that they will make much of HIM; then we are of Christ, and we are His ambassador...
Justification by Faith Alone is Under Attack This post is particularly long. To help I have recorded a podcast of this. You can listen if that would be easier. https://soundcloud.com/mike-sprott/a-response-to-the-false-gospel-today The Gospel Under Attack The Gospel is so profound yet simple. However, today a subtle attack is being perpetrated by the enemy. The devil has devised a great deception in the churches across America. He has begun to divide us over gender, culture and ethnicity. And at its core is a rejection of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We must all stand against this distortion of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul The apostle Paul had brought the Gospel to the Galatians many years ago. Paul, a devout Jew and Pharisee, had been redeemed from His church-persecuting, self-righteous Pharisaical system. He had been given the message that all that he had thought about his Jewish identity and hi...
The Artist's Independence Romans 9:19-22 The master artist sits down and begins to work on his panting. He takes in his own masterful way each different brush and lays it out on the aisle. He slowly and concisely begins to paint. After a while he puts his brush down and walks away from the painting. Up walks an art connoisseur. The art observer loves art and think he knows a little about painting. The artist returns standing behind the man observing his painting. The art connoisseur, not realizing who he is talking too, begins to correct the artist on his choice of paint colors and the location of certain strokes. The artist looks at the critic and says, “Do you know who you are talking to?” “Do you realize who you are telling what to do?” With that the critic realizes who he is speaking to and immediately, He puts his hand over His mouth and is quiet. The point is: the Artist determines how and what he paints! T...
Keep reading my friends. I wrote something for today but it was 3200 words and loaded with stuff I need to think on another night before posting. Put simple: Boy does Galatians apply for today! Keep reading as much as you can in Galatians, Obadiah and the Psalms 1-14. I finally feel like I am following the logic of Galatians and its message is becoming clearer everyday. In the comments below, feel free to ask your questions of the books we are readying. I would love to discuss them in future blog posts.
No Room for Religious Hypocrisy! I was asked for an explanation of 2:11-15. Here goes … Notice the Block diagram of the passage. I added in color the antecedent for the pronouns to help give clarity to the passage. I also added ‘then’ where it was implied but not specifically stated to help with understanding. What we have here is Paul’s testimony of a specific time when a group of so-called Jewish believers in the Messiah came to Antioch while Peter was visiting Barnabas, Paul and the church plant in Antioch. The so-called Jewish believers are IDENTICAL to the false teachers (aka Judaisers) trying to get the Gentiles in Galatia to put themselves back under the Law of Moses to be in the covenant community. Paul uses these previous events AFTER the Jerusalem counsel before the writing of Galatians to be an example of how PAUL stood up to this false teaching and its subtle adherence by even men of God like Peter and Barnaba...