“They shall be Mine on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.” – God (Mal. 3:17)
Who is God speaking of as His “jewels?” Redeemed sinners.
Tag Archives: Exegesis
Secretly Shooting the Upright
“The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.” – Psa. 11:2
This is Satan’s cowardly tactic: he shoots his arrows SECRETLY.
David counters these attacks with some incredible facts about God. (11:4-7)
That’s how David is able to write, “In the Lord I put my trust.” (11:1)
Wait On the Lord
“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” Psalm 27:14
God is always on time. His timing is perfect.
Will we ever learn this?
They came to Him from every quarter
“They came to Him from every quarter.”— Mark 1:45
“They came to Him from every quarter.”— Mark 1:45
People of all types came to Jesus from every direction. Their paths were different, but their center was the same.
Still true today.
I refer you to Spurgeon’s wonderful sermon, “Gathering to the centre.”
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/gathering-to-the-centre
Bible 101: Justification By Faith
“knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” – Gal. 2:16
I get more pushback on this topic than on any other. It is Bible 101. It is foundational.
“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” – Gal. 3:24-25
“But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?” – Gal. 4:9
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” – Galatians 5:1
“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” – Galatians 5:4-5
And this is just some of the verses… and just in Galatians
Sola Fide!
My Hope Is In Thee
“And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in Thee.” – Psa. 39:7
All our hopes hang upon Him.
Faith Is Accounted For Righteousness
“But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,” – Rom. 4:5
The person who’s faith is accounted for righteousness is the person who does not lean on his or her own works, but rather, who relies solely on God.
God is the one who justifies the sinner, not the sinner’s actions or accomplishments.
It’s not based on us, but Him.
Abundantly Satisfied With the Fullness of Your House
“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.” – Psa. 36:7-8
Some verses just sing.
How precious is God’s kindness. When we put our trust in Him, God exceeds our wildest expectations – not with earthly health and wealth, but – with the fullness of His house.
That’s verses 7-8. The icing on the cake is verse 9: “For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”
He is the source, not us or our circumstances or our feelings. Because of Him we see the world as it truly is.
Like I said: Sings.
Exiled at Home: COVID-19 Quarantine
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.” – 1 Pet. 1:1-2
Look, I know this is weird. We are all feeling it. The last place we want to be on Sunday is at home. We love Christ’s bride. We love our church. But the church is more than a building; it’s the people.
Right now we are “exiled,” as it were. During this time, I stand with Peter and pray grace to you and peace be multiplied!
Yours in Christ,
– Pastor Patrick
Soli Deo Gloria!
Be Wise In What Is Good, And Simple Concerning Evil
“For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.” – Rom. 16:19
Be wise in what is good; know that well, live it and teach it.
Be simple concerning evil; keep from it, expose it, and do not learn it.
Love good, hate evil. Do not contaminate yourself with wickedness – this is true liberty. This is real freedom.
Imagine a society that held to these two short, simple mandates. Imagine what that might look like.
A Verse A Day 