"If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ." vs12 The most important thing to Paul and Barnabas

"Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God." We must judge people by their deeds. Whoever does evil has not seen God, no matter how much he knows. He may be orthodox, but if he doesn’t

"Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”" Here is the problem with us. We do not know the greatness of our sins, nor the forgiveness of them. This is why we're cold to

"And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him," vs4 There is no worthiness in us. The elders of the Jews had it all wrong. This man, however, had it right. Luke 7:6 - "And Jesus went with

"For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist." Anyone who does not confess Christ is a deceiver and an antichrist. Preachers who preach

"The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth," vs1 All who know the truth love God, and they love the church. They are bought with a great price, and redeemed by blood. Sanctification

"Because of the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his

“And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” They left everything and followed him, because they saw his power, and he said, “Fear not.” Luke 5:8-10 - "But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees,

"Because of the present distress, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife." vs26-27 “Do not seek a wife” is one of the cruelest things

“Your navel is a rounded bowl that never lacks mixed wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat, encircled with lilies.” Every part of the believer is beautiful to Christ. We feel unworthy, weak, and miserable. Our faith is low, and prayers are unanswered. We

"Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you?" Seeking happens after we’ve gone astray. Not only do we seek him by the arousal of the Spirit, but others seek him too. Song of

"This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may

“You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.” When a man says this, perhaps, he has lost his mind. His eyes do not see obvious flaws. Perhaps, he calls evil good. When Christ says this to the believer, however, his eyes are like fire,

"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him." vs1 This is without exception. Everyone born of God loves those who are of God. This is embedded in our souls by

"Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called." vs20 The only thing that matters is keeping the commands of God. 1 Corinthians 7:19 - "For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God."

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”" No verse more encourages me to seek the Lord until I find him than this one. This one tells me

Exegesis, the study and interpretation of Scripture, can become a god. We're so fascinated by what we see that we never get to God himself. I'm no use to you without oil in my vessel. Carrying proper interpretation is not equal to delighting in God, and

“He gives power to the weak, and to him who has no strength he increases might.” God's looking for people who are nobody. His power is for weaklings, and his righteousness is for sinners. No longer look at the greatness of the adversary. Look at God.

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” This is a fundamental principle that brings great joy to us, or shame. We are exalted for being humble, and shamed for exalting ourselves. Let us learn, and do

"And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come." This word, “Father,” is mind blowing. How do we approach the great God - the Being who predestines and dwells in holiness, the Being whom no man can see and

“Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. What a blessing is this? To have the Spirit of truth inside of us is to see, feel, and walk with

1 John 4:7 - "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." Only people who love have been born of God. Find a person with knowledge but no love, and you have found a hypocrite - a cold

“The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.” Christ speaks to us with a loving heart. We are beautiful, because he made us so. He found us as sinners - filled

"For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly." vs19 Mindfulness of God causes us to endure hardship and suffering. It forces us to respond with meekness and subjection to authority. 1 Peter 2:18 -

“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Love is the conquering force of the gospel. It is the best thing - to be won by love. It is thrilling to the core, and takes our breath away. We swoon underneath its force, and

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” That's what we need: it is the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not

"Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to touch a woman."" vs1 It is good for a man not to be married. This goes for women too, so we can devote ourselves to the Lord [vs32-33]. In the beginning, God wanted to

"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” vs11 We’re at war within our bodies. The passions of lusts contrary to the gospel reside in us. We have Satan, the world, and

First, speak to God before people. Vs4, “Then the king said to me, ‘What are you requesting?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven.”  This makes our speech wise. May God help us commune with him more, so we can be more effective in the world. We have access

"No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him." No one, absolutely no one who abides in Christ keeps on sinning. It is impossible. He is born again, and the spirit of God dwells in him. 1 John 3:9

""Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"--and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body." The body is meant for the Lord Jesus Christ, and we’re to

"I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you." vs26 People are trying to deceive us. They take our eyes off Christ, if we allow them. They preach holiness, but not by the gospel, thus distorting the truth. They are worldlings and

1 Peter 2:3 - "if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." If we have tasted that the Lord is good, then let us keep growing. 1 Peter 2:2 - "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation--" Don’t

"And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." vs17 There’s only one person who abides forever: it is the one who does God’s will. Everyone else will be destroyed, when wrath comes. They have

If we say that we’re in the light, and hate our brother, then we are in darkness. 1 John 2:9 - "Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness." There is no truth in us at all.  We may know everything about sovereign grace -

"And the king said, "What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this [for serving me]?" The king's young men who attended him said, "Nothing has been done for him."" vs3 This is God. He is a rewarder of the righteous, and the One Man that

“God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." vs24 It was not possible for Jesus Christ to remain in the tomb. He accomplished eternal redemption, and did all that the Father commanded. His

We have an advocate with the Father: he is the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:1 - "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." He paid

"And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile," This fear is the reverence of a child for a father; it is not the bondage of a slave, under a curse,

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." vs5 There's no darkness in God. Deal with him by the shed blood of Christ, or you'll have no communion.  God must punish sin, and he

"Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?" vs6 If we allow sin to go unchecked, then it will ruin the assembly. Christ departs from places that aren’t holy, where sin is openly allowed. If we deal with it,

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life--" vs1 The word of life is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Person whom John saw,

"Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully," vs10 They searched and inquired carefully, because this is important. They knew the gospel wasn’t confined to them, but it

“For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” Our sufferings and trials benefit others, because they help us lean on God in the fruit of the Spirit, rather than the

"As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good." vs13 Don't grow weary in doing good. We must separate from brothers too lazy to work [vs12], but we must not stop our kindness to poor saints. We can't use the excuse that we've been burned to cut

1 Corinthians 5:1 - "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife." vs1 It can happen. There can be sexual immorality among the churches. It is a

Vs6, "Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us." We must keep away from brothers who are too lazy to

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials," vs6 If necessary, we have plenty of trials and troubles. In fact, trials never happen, except they are for our good. Romans 8:28 - "And we know

"On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."" vs35 This is the definite plan and purpose of God: it must happen. Jesus didn’t say, “Let’s see what will happen, and hope the best.” He said, “Let us go across 

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,” vs1 Prayer is important, because God uses it. It is a means to strengthen others. It's difficult, because you hear nothing, and see nothing.