A former Speech and Language Pathologist for nearly 20 years, I began educating our 3 children full-time in 2015 and have cherished every gifted moment (even the challenges). But what is interwoven into all aspects of daily life (as a wife, via motherhood, teaching, friendship, fitness, etc.) is Christian Apologetics (1 Peter 3:15)… which is why this blog exists.
Per Ancient Documents’ Scholar, Wes Huff, the 2nd most Googled question over the past two years has been, “What is the Bible?” This post will share some notable resources that I hope and pray will answer some questions you might have about the Bible, its history, reliability, sufficiency, and relevancy. As well as helpful teaching on how to read the Bible (at the bottom). But at the heart of it all is one question:
Do you want to know Jesus…for who He really is?
This question is paramount! The answer will certainly guide your receptivity toward what is shared. Let’s say that finding ample evidence regarding Jesus’s Resurrection is compelling to you, but you would rather have life as you want it to be. Not submitted to God. And lived on your terms. Therefore, evidence for the reliability of the Bible will be the same…Interesting, perhaps, but that’s where it ends. We can have all of the information we seek, but it can’t change the heart. Only God can. For example, some skeptics focus upon finding “errors” and supposed contradictions…but when presented with the findings, nothing satisfies a heart at odds with Jesus as Lord. What’s most important is placing our hearts before God and asking Him to show us who Jesus really is.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
Credit Lifechurchag.com
Now that we have prioritized the heart-of-the matter (pun intended), let’s tackle the predominant concern of skeptics: “Textual Variants.” What Dan Wallace, Wes Huff, and Bart Ehrman have found is that of all attested “Textual Variants” found within the 24,000 copies of the New Testament, 75% of those were spelling…as spelling had not been standardized at that time. The remaining “errors” were word replacements. Ninety-nine percent of these replacements were words synonymous of the original text, and less than 1% were seemingly contradictory (i.e. “anger” or “compassionate”). However, Wallace and Huff explain that we have an “embarrassment of riches” when it comes to copies of the original…allowing for accurate transmission. Of all of these textual variants, even Bart Ehrman notes, none of them affect the doctrine! And all are shared in our Bibles with the side notes. Nothing is hidden.
Now, when someone refers to the “differences” between the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, do not worry. “Differences” no not signify “inaccuracy.” The differences cited often are related to the intended audience of a Gospel as well as to the personality of the writer. For example, Mark was writing to Jewish readers and John to Greek. The Jewish day began at 6am and the Greek day began just after midnight. Each sited events accordingly. John wrote more chronologically but Mark wrote thematically. The styles were unique, but the message was the same. The events pointed to the Gospel of Jesus…Christ and Him Crucified.
The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
John 10:22-38
Wes Huff
“and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:15-17
Gals, in a world where there are many voices, we need the help of God’s Word to test every message carefully. God’s Word is a precious gift to us…so we need to be reading it as often as possible. Jesus valued the scriptures! He encouraged His listeners to live by them! It’s in them where we see Jesus…all over the Old and the New Testaments. Jesus is the Word of God John spoke of in John 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We need Jesus…His words are Truth and Life. Sisters, please view the resources shared below,…all the while praying for Jesus to reveal Himself as He really is through scripture. And please pray for the The Church. Friend, we need God’s guidance through Scripture more than anything else.
Wes Huff
Let’s Define our Terms:
90 minutes w/ Wes Huff. Comprehensive presentation on the Historical Reliability, Sufficiency, and Relevancy of the Bible.
What is the Bible? Per Voddie Baucham, “The Bible is a reliable collection of historical documents, written by eyewitnesses during the time of other eyewitnesses that report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies, claiming that their writings are Divine rather than human in origin.”
What is essentialChristian Doctrine? Per Dr Kevin Lewis from Biola, “We believe in inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. We believe in the Trinity. We believe in the full deity and humanity of Christ. We believe in the lostness of mankind, and spiritual death of mankind. We believe in the Incarnation of Christ. We believe in His virgin birth, His Resurrection, His full atonement for sin, and that by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone, one can be saved – and add to that, you know, a couple other things – you know, Christ is going to come back to judge the living and the dead,”
What is Reliability? Bible Gateway defines reliability in these terms, “The quality of consistency and dependability which is the basis for confidence and reliance. It is exemplified by God in his changelessness and is required of God’s people in their service and witness. Scripture gives warning, too, of those things which may prove unreliable.”
What is Biblical Sufficiency? Sufficiency here refers to authority. What carries ultimate authority for you? Experience first? Or experience checked by Scripture?
Wes Huff
Wes Huff w/ Jesus’s Words regarding Scripture
Wes Huff Graphic
Is the Bible still relevant today? Yes! But do you want it to be? The question of “Who do you say that Jesus is?”…is essential regarding relevancy. If we know Jesus for whom He really is…Lord, than we would not mold Him into our liking. Nor would we bend His words to fit our perspectives(or those of the culture).
What is Textual Criticism? Dan Wallace shares, “Well, the word ‘criticism’ simply means research, and ‘textual criticism’ is the discipline that has as its primary goal to ascertain the wording of an original document that no longer exists or can no longer be found. We apply it to all ancient literature. We apply it to a lot of modern literature, including the Gettysburg Address. We don’t have what Lincoln wrote. We have five secretaries that wrote down what he said, and they all have differences among them.”
TransmissionandTranslation? Transmission = creating more copies, and Translation = the process of writing the text from one language into another, all the preserving the meaning.
2 hours with Dan Wallace
70 minutes of information about the Dead Sea Scrolls
Historians, even Christian Skeptic Bart Erhman, acknowledge that Jesus was a real man who was crucified, and that His tomb was found empty. More than 500 witnesses saw His resurrected body. Those who didn’t believe in His Lordship and Deity beforehand (ie James and Paul) were followers afterward…even to the point of martyrdom. Friends, please open the Bible and read it for yourselves. God gave us the Scriptures as He knew we would need them.
3 minutes with Mike Winger
7 minutes w/ Alisa Childers
Voddie Baucham – 60 minutes
Daniel Wallace – 22 minutes
< 15 minutes
44 minutes w/ Gary Habermas
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:16-17
60 minutes. Mike Winger discusses Bart Ehrman and the Book of Mark:
60 minutes. Archeology and the Bible, Joel Kramer and Sean McDowell
How to Read the Bible
55 minutes w/ Prof Walt Russell from Biola. “Why We Need Hermeneutics.”
10 minutes w/ Alan from STR
“But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4
Per Walt Russell, we need to “interrupt the part in light of the whole.” This refers to not taking a single verse out of the paragraph (“cherry-picking” or “proof-texting”), but to read the whole paragraph. It’s important to read the whole letter as to read what God is wanting the audience of that letter to know. Dr. Russell also teaches that we should read the New Testament in light of the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the writers were sending letters to Churches. To Believers, not unbelievers. The audience was a particular group of followers of Jesus. As Wes Huff says, each letter was written to a particular church at that time, as well as for us today. God’s Word is relevant today as it’s about the Gospel of Jesus. He is our Lord and our Life. We need to follow His lead. Sisters, let’s be devoted to prayer, dwell in God’s Word, and walking in Gospel-driven community…In His strength and for His glory! Love, Meridith
Updated post from 2021. Apologetics are provided at the end regarding Jesus, the reliability of the New Testament, evidence for the Resurrection, and the Biblical Gospel.
What isPragmatismexactly?
An post written in September of 2021:
“Pragmatism, a philosophy developed by Charles Sanders Pierce in 1870, champions the premise that truth is proved by whether or not the idea in question works. Basically, if something works and is found useful to you…then it’s true. It advocates a way to find meaning apart from God’s Word, and relies upon the material world for guidance.
At the heart of Pragmatism this is misplaced authority.
Spurgeon puts it this way, ‘Whatever a man depends upon, whatever rules his mind, whatever governs his affections, whatever is the chief object of his delight, is his god.’ When we place our reliance upon anything or anyone, we give it or them authority! And to what or whom we assign authority, we obey! Friends, Pragmatism is most certainly a concern for all of us!”
Pragmatism has always been a struggle for humanity. The mission statement of our former life was often a Pragmatic one. Doing “whatever works” frequently advocates the easy road. It’s tangible, seemingly controllable, and most often, immediate. Choosing “whatever seems right” provides our impatient hearts with the appearance of helpfulness, and the impression of practicality. We make the common mistake of equating “helpful” as “good,” and then our emotions lead the way. In these post-postmodern times, both the admonition to “You do you,” and the attitude that anything goes only amplifies the “broad way” of pragmatism. After all, how could something be wrong if it is helping me? But at the end of the day, doing “whatever works” in the pursuit of truth makes us evermore burdened, and exceedingly weary… All because we chose to do what resembled easy, versus what is best: being devoted to prayer, and reading His Word.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Colossians 3:16
But when it comes to Truth, it is neither defendant upon an emotion nor guided by human reasoning. Instead, Truth is a Person. (John 14:6). Jesus is the Truth, the Way, and the Life. No one gets to the Father except through Him. When Jesus was lovingly describing to His disciples what was to happen to Him, Peter “rebuked” Jesus and pleaded for another way. Peter was examining Jesus’s plan through Peter’s own lens of human understanding, and did not find it immediately helpful (it seems):
“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.””
Matthew 16:21-23
How often do we do the same as Peter: Setting our minds upon the things of man instead of things of God (reading His Word)? Truth put on human skin, was crucified upon a cross, and then rose again three days later. That plan did not appear pragmatic to Peter beforehand, perhaps (Matthew 16)…but it was the work Jesus came to accomplish. As Spurgeon once encouraged, “When you cannot trace His hand, trust His heart.” The work that Jesus performed on the cross was necessary. It was planned out of His love and is complete in every way. A quote that hits to the heart of spiritual pragmatism is this one by Dr. Michael Rydelnik:
“Faith in Christ is not true because it works, rather faith in Christ works because it’s True.”
Rydelnik
Gals, we are witnessing Spiritual Pragmatism all around us today…in our homes, as well as within many of our churches. What should we do? Two things, friend: 1) Pray to God often, and 2) get into His Word daily. We need to prayerfully discern who’s voice is guiding us! The voice of culture? The voice of practicality? The voice of worldly comfort and self-reliance? In a world where there are many voices, we need the help of God’s Word to test every message carefully. God’s Word is a precious gift to us…so we need to be reading it as often as possible. Friend, no question is too lofty, no sorrow is too deep, and no past is beyond His Grace. Instead of relying upon “whatever works” and appears helpful, lean into God’s sovereignty and pray. Wait upon His strength and wisdom…and dwell in the Scriptures daily. His timing is never late, and His purposes are always best. And friend, also make sure you dive into a Gospel-driven community often. (Hebrews 10:25) Jesus is sufficient for every need you have today… Keep trusting!
His,
Mer
Resources
“Stop not comparing yourself with others who call themselves Christians. Compare yourself to the Scripture.”
Paul Washer
A powerful 60 minutes with Voddie Baucham.
90-minute debate between Pastor Todd Wilson and Marcia Montenegro, moderated by Justin Brierley. This discussion provides an eye-opening perspective of spiritual pragmatism.
80 minutes w/ Dr. Levin Lewis and Pastor Costi Hinn.
“The Word of God I think of as a straight edge, which shows up our own crookedness. We can’t really tell how crooked our thinking is until we line it up with the straight edge of Scripture.”
Elisabeth Elliot
1 Kings 18:21 “And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”
John 15:5 “…for apart from Me (Jesus), you can do nothing.”
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction”
Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Revelation 3:2 “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.”
Revelation 3:2-6 “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
1 Corinthians 2:2-5 “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
Matthew 16:23 “But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Galatians 1:6-10 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
2 Timothy 4:1-8 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
Matthew 7:13-14 ““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Matthew 6:25-33 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Psalm 92:5 “How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!”
Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
Psalm 9:16 “The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.”
James 1:5-6 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the workof theLord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Colossians 1:10 “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God
Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”
Isaiah 40:28-31 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”
James 4:8 “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
2 Peter 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
2 Corinthians 11:3-4 “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.”
1 Peter 3:15
“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”
1 Peter 3:15
Jesus
6 minutes
18 minutes w/ Nabeel Qureshi
44 minutes w/ Mikel Del Rosario
The Gospel
20 minutes
70 minutes
Trust God’s Word
Per GotQuestions: “How we respond to God’s written Word and the Word made flesh has an eternal impact on us. Since God’s Word is truth, rejecting the Bible and rejecting Jesus is rejecting God Himself. Believing, cherishing, studying, and obeying God’s Word is the key to salvation, understanding God, and living abundantly (John 10:10). No matter what we may face in this world, we are sustained by the truth prayed over us in Jesus’ prayer: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).”
This is a modified re-post of the “Come to Me” post from February 2021.
Friends, have you ever been advised to “Follow your heart,” or encouraged with the phrases: “It’s always been in you,” or “You’ve got this!” Most often folks say these phrases as thoughtful exhortations meant to uplift and inspire. However, should we??
In the Bible, God lovingly teaches us repeatedly that trusting our own hearts can be exceedingly harmful… not only for ourselves, but for those placed in our paths as well. (Jeremiah 17:9; Prov 28:6; Matthew 15; Philippians 3) There will be gut-wrenching moments in our lives when we recognize that our hearts are not capable of leading us wisely nor selflessly. We need to see just how “faint of heart” we actually are, …all the while combatting the collective voice of society that unapologetically promotes another way… A message of “looking within” as the answer for all of our needs. A false gospel that both depletes and destroys. “You got this!” “You’re enough.” “Stay strong.” “Think positively!”
“The flesh is always self-reliant, while the Spirit creates Christ-reliance. The flesh always trusts in its performance; the Spirit gives confidence in Christ’s performance.”
Steven Lawson
As you read above, we will daily encounter temptations to yield to the calls of the heart… But God knows this. Adam and Eve were given the opportunity to walk with God freely and intimately and yet they readily chose the desires of their own hearts anyway. We are thousands of years removed from the Garden, and yet we continue to make the same foolish mistakes… over and over again. Our ceaseless propensity to make selfish decisions is both altogether distressing and incredibly humbling,… but God remains Faithful. He doesn’t put the heavy weight of “enough” upon our shoulders… We do that to ourselves.
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
Deitrich Bonhoeffer
Instead, God sent His one and only Son to be enough FOR us. The voice that faithfully calls, “Come to Me,” is the very same one that daily invites you to stop striving. We need help daily to abandon that fleshly tendency to re-carry the legalistic yoke of self-reliance. We need to rest in the finished work of the Cross. Jesus came down from Heaven to be our substitute…to pay the debt we owe due to our sin. We need His Grace and Peace as to not fall into the fragile arms of Pragmatism (“whatever works”). Sister, instead of incessantly leaning into the reasonings of our own ferociously fickle hearts, let’s take a breath and get on our knees… confident not in our own abilities but resting in His. Jesus is the only one able to be enough for every situation. (John 6:29; Gal 6:9)
Gals, as we begin the day God has given us…let’s take a deep breath and lean into the reality of what God has done. Because let’s face it, Sisters… We are at war. Not with an enemy that is flesh and blood, but with one that wants us to follow our emotions and to lean into our own understanding. An enemy that encourages the cultural cheer, “You’re enough! You’ve got this!” An enemy that nurtures the self-focused narrative that this life is all about “my will be done” instead of trusting in God’s purposes . Friends, these battles with the enemy may be persistent, but our Lord is ever more steadfast! We aren’t abandoned to walk out this journey on our own! We are His!
“The flesh is always self-reliant, while the Spirit creates Christ-reliance. The flesh always trusts in its performance; the Spirit gives confidence in Christ’s performance.”
Steven Lawson
Gals, we are not enough…but that is why Jesus came! We need Him! Stop striving in your own strength and numbing the pain in busyness…Rest in the weighty truth that God came down and was enough on your behalf (the Gospel). Every time we see our need for a Savior we can offer praises that we are no longer our own. We don’t have to be adequate for all that comes, as we were bought with a price! Focus upon the finality of the cross in your suffering, and persevere in the steadfast strength that only Jesus provides each and every moment. Rejoice, Ladies! The faithfulness and love of God holds you!
“You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.”
Jonathan Edwards
With all of this being shared, friends, please test and examine everything I write alongside the Scriptures for yourself (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1)! View and interpret every message you read and hear through the lens of God’s Word. This is very important! The Holy Spirit will guide you and teach you as you read the Bible… paragraph by paragraph, chapter by chapter. Sisters, it was while reading the Bible that I saw the Trinity all over both the Old and New Testament…that Jesus is Lord! Please hear me here… I’m no one special. The words given to us in Scripture are ones God had planned and provided for us! For you and for me! “Living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) words which we need more than anything else this world could offer!
In His Steadfastness,
Mer
2 Thessalonians 3
Pray for Us
3 Finally, brothers,[a] pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored,[b]as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.[c]4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Warning Against Idleness
6 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. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Benediction
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
The Gospel
8 minutes
20 minutes
Who is Jesus?
6 minutes
18 minutes
Jesus’s Resurrection
3 minutes with Lee Strobel
45 minutes
Trust God’s Word
57 minutes
11 minutes
“Scripture is like a lion. Who ever heard of defending a lion? Just turn it loose; it will defend itself.”
When Christ Jesus entered humanity sometime between 6-4 BC, He knew what He was doing. He wasn’t surprised nor was unwilling. Love came down to fulfill a promise and nothing would deter Him from completing that mission. Jesus knew that the gift we needed most would not be found under a tree adorn with lights, but instead would be provided through a different type of tree. To the world, this tree represented pain and humiliation…But to Jesus, it was a part of a plan that would redeem the world. A plan that God declared to Adam and Eve back in the Garden. He knew what we needed most, and it was something only God could do. Taking our sin upon Himself was the whole reason He came.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”
Ephesians 2:8
Friend, as you enter into a new day, today…please think upon the reality that Love came down to be enough on your behalf. The greatest gift we could ever receive, He gave… Himself. Jesus came down and lovingly bore the source of our suffering and brokenness (sin) upon those wooden beams as to free us, heal us, hold us, and lead us. He made a way to God that only He could make. Jesus purchased our freedom with His own sinless life. A free gift that brings everlasting hope, comfort, and rest to a weary world…each and every day. Consider this gift. Consider Jesus.
Every good and perfect gift comes from God.
James 1:17
Jesus and the Gift of the Gospel
6 minutes
18 minutes w/ Nabeel Qureshi
50 minutes w/ Mary Jo Sharp
20 minutes w/ David Wood. The Image of God
10 minutes w/ STR. Is Jesus the only way to God?
5 minutes w/ J Warner Wallace
✏️ Please click here for a post sharing Biblical information on the crucial topic of the Trinity.
Dear Reader, it’s my genuine prayer that this Advent study of God’s Word will encourage you deeply! Of all the gifts God provides, we can be grateful 365 days a year for the Gospel. The Gospel (“Good News”) is/was God’s rescue plan for you and for me from sin, shame, and self-reliance. Jesus lovingly bore the source of our suffering and brokenness (sin) upon those wooden beams as to free us…and to heal us. Jesus made a way to God that only He could make.
The following 5-week study provides both Old and New Testament Scriptures pointing to three important events: 1) Jesus’s arrival between 6-4 BC, 2)His death on the cross AD 30-33, and 3) His resurrection. Along with four entire chapters for reading (Acts 7, Luke 1, Luke 2, and 1 Corinthians 15), videos are provided as to assist in “sharing the reason for the hope that you have…with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)
This study can be undertaken at any time. It is not limited to Christmas, but something to visit regularly. Friend, Jesus came to be enough on our behalf! That is a gift we should celebrate each and every day! May we keep marveling at God’s goodness and sovereignty…and share this Good News with others!
In His Love,
Meridith
“He bequeaths us His manger, from which to learn how God came down to man; and His Cross to teach us how man may go up to God.”
CH Spurgeon
Week 1
Week One includes Scriptures foretelling of Jesus’s arrival, death on the cross, and His resurrection. It also provides teaching by “Bible Study Tools”, as well as videos detailing Jesus’s claims and the reliability of the Bible.
Jesus – What Were His Claims?
6 minutes “Who is Jesus?”
12 minutes w/ Nabeel Qureshi, “What is the Trinity?”
45 minutes w/ Mikel Del Rosario, “Jesus outside of the Bible.”
12 minutes w/ Jon McCray, “Jesus is God.”
Both Old and New Testament Scriptures referring to Jesus’s coming (arrival).
🌟Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Per BibleStudyTools.com, “this Scripture points to the manner in which he will born, and also to one of the names given to Christ: Immanuel, meaning God with us. This was pointing to both his human birth and his divine nature. This was written over 700 years before Christ was born.”
🌟Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Written nearly 800 years before His divine entry into human skin, the birthplace of our Messiah was foretold in the book of Micah.
🌟Hosea 11:1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”
Hosea 11:1 is explained by BibleStudyTools.com in this way: “This prophecy was written by Hosea also approximately 800 years before Christ was born. This verse looks backward and forward. Remember the Israelites were slaves in Egypt when God brought them out. Also remember that Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt with the baby Jesus to avoid the slaughter by Herod. This verse can apply to both of those situations. However, it was referred to by Matthew in his writings (Matthew 2:14-15).”
🌟Psalm 22:1 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
🌟Psalm 22:7-8 “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. ‘He trusts in the Lord,’ they say, ‘let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.’”
Old Testament Scriptures foretelling of the Gospel (Jesus’s death and resurrection).
🌟Psalm 22:16-18“Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”
Psalm 22 was written by David approx 1000 years before the Jesus was crucified. This is important as Psalm 22 emphatically points to the sovereignty of God over every detail. Below are references from Psalm 22 which are noted to have happened to Jesus while on the cross, per New Testament writers.
🌟Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
🌟Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
🌟Isaiah 53:9 “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”
Per BibleStudyTools.com, “As we have looked back to consider Old Testament prophecies, there is one thing I want you to take away from all this. The Bible can be trusted. It is the living active word of God and you can depend on what God has spoken in his word. What has been predicted has either already come to pass or it will. It’s just a matter of time. I want to leave you with two truths about Scripture that Jesus stated about the word of God:”
“For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18).
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
BibleStudyTools concludes by emphasizing, “When it is all said and done and every prophecy has been fulfilled, God’s word will still be standing. You can count on that.” Friend, if you are struggling to trust the Bible, please watch the videos below… There is robust evidence for the reliability of the Scriptures!
Trust the Scriptures
50 minutes w/ Voddie Baucham
90 minutes w/ Wes Huff
11 minutes
Week 2
Week Two entails reading through Acts 7 as well as watching the videos about the Gospel of Jesus.
Acts 7
Stephen’s Speech
7 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said:
“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian.25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand.26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’
35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
“‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[a]47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,
49 “‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50 Did not my hand make all these things?’
51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
The Stoning of Stephen
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[b] at him.58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Week Three involves reading through Paul’s letter (1 Corinthians 15), as well as viewing the video teaching about the Resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15
15 Now I would remind you, brothers,[a] of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope[b] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God[c]has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”[d]34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”;[e] the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall[f] also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Mystery and Victory
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
The Resurrection
4 powerful minutes w/ Lee Strobel
75 minutes w/ Gary Habermas
40 minutes w/ Mary Jo Sharp
Week 4
Week Four recommends reading through Luke 1 as well as viewing the video teaching about Jesus in the Old Testament Scriptures.
Luke 1
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,[a] of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,27 to a virgin betrothed[b] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”[c]29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[d]
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[e]will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[f] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[g] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us[h] from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
5 minutes
73 minutes with Krista Bontrager and Kenneth Samples
Week 5
Week Five provides a reading of Luke 2, a teaching about the Trinity, and a sermon by Alistair Begg focused upon Luke chapter 2. 🎞
Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus Christ
2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.2 This was the first registration when[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,[b] who was with child.6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.[c]
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”[d]
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus Presented at the Temple
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant[e] depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.[f] She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
39 And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances,45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents[g] saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”[h]50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature[i] and in favor with God and man.
37 minutes
Friends, it’s my prayer that this study of God’s Word helped “set your mind on things above” in the midst of a very busy season (Colossians 3:2). Let’s keep leaning into God’s arms in prayer, digging into the Bible often, and living within a Gospel-focused community! So, very thankful for the Gospel…as well for you!
The following Bible verses are focused upon the importance of “thankfulness.” Friend, there is so much God has given us. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him (James 1:17). The air we breathe, the food we eat, the people we meet… (you!) ♥️ We are given so, very much.
And yet of all the gifts God provides, we can be grateful 365 days a year for the Gospel. The Gospel was God’s rescue plan for you and for me from sin, shame, and self-reliance. God came down, put on human flesh, and carried out a plan that only He could accomplish. Only God could fulfill the requirements of the Law perfectly. Only God could be tempted as we are but without sin. And only God could take our sins upon Himself, in our place. Fully human, and fully God, Jesus made a way back to God that only God could make. The Gospel is what holds our broken hearts, and reminds us that the author of hope is nearer than the pain. The Gospel is what steers our gaze upwards, what strengthens our steps.
Friend, the wisdom and steadfastness which Jesus supplies will guide and sustain you through every situation, no matter how difficult. So even if you find yourself hurting this Thanksgiving, I pray that the Good News of His presence brings immense joy. A joy that strengthens your heart knowing that you are not alone. Friend, He is with you, and more than enoughfor you. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Love,
Mer
Scriptures aboutThankfulness
Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Colossians 2:6-7 “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him“
Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—”
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”
Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”
Psalm 40:1-4 ” I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in Him. 4 Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.”
Psalm 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.”
Psalm 121 “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”
Psalm 100:4 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
Psalm 95:2-3 “Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods”
Hebrews 12:28-29 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’”
1 Timothy 4:4-5 “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”
Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”
Psalm 46:10 “…be still and know I am God…”
2 Corinthians 4:15-16 ” All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
1 Thessalonians 2:13 “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.”
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
2 Corinthians 9:11-12 “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”
Psalm 118:1-18 “1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the LORD say: “His love endures forever.” 5 When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. 6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. 8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans. 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. 10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. 11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. 12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them down. 13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. 14 The LORD is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation. 15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things! 16 The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!” 17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. 18 The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.”
Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
psalm 107:8-9 “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.”
Ephesians 1:16 “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,”
Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,”
2 Thessalonians 1:3 “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.”
Revelation 7:12 “Saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.’”
Jonah 2:9 “But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to You; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
2 Corinthians 2:14 “But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to You; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
Hebrews 13:6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
1 Timothy 1:12 “I thank Him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,”
Thankful for Jesus
6 minutes
12 minutes w/ Nabeel Qureshi regarding The Trinity
Friends, the significance our hearts long to find is not secured in the perceived relevance culture provides… nor is it obtained in the workplace, with a degree, or by our appearance. Our worth is not determined by how many likes we acquire on social media… It’s not even dependent upon the number of Bible studies you attend.
“But you, O God my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!”
Psalm 109:21
Precious Gals, significance is not an achievement, but a gift. Significance is a Person. Rest from all of the weariness that comes with finding identity in the things of this world. But instead fill your heart and mind with Truth. Set your minds on things above…where Jesus is. (Colossians 3) Jesus is the Truth, the Way and the Life (John 14:6). His cross was enough, and His word is sufficient. Jesus is and always will be enough for you.
The most important daily habit we can possess is to remind ourselves of the Gospel.
Spurgeon
In His Love,
Mer
Our Need For the Gospel
What is the Gospel?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,”
Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.”
Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Romans 10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on Him.”
Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
1 John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Psalm 110:1 “A Psalm of David. The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
Per Gotquestions.org, “The Trinity is one God existing in three Persons. Understand that this is not in any way suggesting three Gods. Keep in mind when studying this subject that the word ‘Trinity’ is not found in Scripture. This is a term that is used to attempt to describe the triune God—three coexistent, co-eternal Persons who are God.” Dr. James White, author of The Forgotten Trinity, has provided another helpful definition of the Trinity: “Within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and coeternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Friends, in addition to Scripture, educational videos are also included below as resources pointing to the reality of a Triune God…One God who is both good and personal. He does not change modes (ie become the Son or the Holy Spirit), nor was Jesus a created being. Christianity is a Monotheistic religion. To reiterate, God is one. Coexisting as 3 persons. As Mike Winger articulates: “The Trinity is 3 Who’s as 1 What.” It’s my genuine prayer that whomever visits this post will continue to actively learn about this essential doctrine…His, Meridith
Why have this post? 28 minutes w/ J Warner Wallace
36 minutes
12 minutes w/ Nabeel Qureshi
53-minute message by Pastor Jeff Durbin regarding the Trinity.
5 minutes with Vocab Malone
What is Modalism (Sabellianism)?
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”
Colossians 2:8, 10
5-minute lesson provided by Allen Parr
What is Arianism?
37-minute teaching by Ryan Reeves, PhD
What Happened at the Council of Nicea?
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
33-minute history lesson by Ryan Reeves
9 minutes
12 minutes w/ Jon McCray. The Council of Nicaea, Jesus’s Deity, and Arianism.
ScripturalReferences
“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Acts 17:11
John 17:5 “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 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.
Mark 14:60-64 “And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.”
Jesus uses “Son of Man” as His title more than 80 times. This title references Daniel 7 in the Old Testament. This title points to His Deity. His own words. Per Gary Habermas from Biola, “Coming on the clouds” is used over 100 times in scripture and is always a reference to Deity.
Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
1 Corinthians 8:6 “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
Isaiah 43:9-15 “All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.” “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am He. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians, in the ships in which they took pride. I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.””
John 8:58 “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.””
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 15:26. “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Isaiah 48:16 “Draw near to Me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.
Luke 3:21-22 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Hebrews 9:14 How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
John 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
John 14:9-11 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Matthew 3:17 And behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Jude 1:20-21 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Romans 15:30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Acts 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Luke 22:42 Saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Isaiah 48:16-17 Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit. Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Matthew 3:16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
1 Corinthians 8:4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is True; and we are in him Who is True, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Philippians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Titus 3:6 Whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Matthew 3:13-27 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Isaiah 44:8 Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”
Acts 2:33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
John 5:28 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Matthew 18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
John 14:6
10 minutes w/ Alan from STR. Is Jesus the only way to God as He claims to be? How do we interpret John 14:6?
Have you ever uttered this honest prayer to God? I have. Today, as a matter of fact! It was immediately following that vulnerable plea that God’s Word came to remembrance and prodded my heart to trust…
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight
Proverbs 3:5-6
Sister, whatever is in front of you today…whatever your “this” might be…bear in mind that “difficult” doesn’t necessarily equate with “wrong.” So very often we make the mistake of interpreting rightness and wrongness solely through the lens of emotion. If something feels right than it must be good…Or if it hurts and causes hardship, it is interpreted as wrong. However, trusting God in and through every circumstance does not depend upon your feelings. Nor is it remedied by personality tests and pragmatism (“whatever works”). Instead, trusting God is a step of obedience. Trust is submitting every worry to into His hands (prayer), and finding rest in His Words (the Bible). Dependency upon Jesus is just as necessary in the seemingly mundane moments of the day as it is in the “monumental.” Learning to trust Him in every aspect of life is essential…especially in the trials.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
Friend, being “enough” is not dependent upon you. That’s why Jesus came. That was the purpose of the Cross. The Gospel was God’s rescue plan for you and for me…from sin, shame, and self-reliance. Jesus lovingly bore the source of our brokenness (sin) upon those wooden beams as to free us and to heal us. He made a way to God that only He could make. The Gospel is a gift that provides hope when the “hard” comes our way each day. It’s important that we lean into prayer readily and read His Words (Scripture) often. The wisdom and strength that Jesus promises to provide will guide and sustain you through every situation. Remember, He is both with you, …and is enough for you. So thankful for the Gospel!
In His Love, Mer
Who is Jesus?
6 minutes
12 minutes
What is the Gospel?
7 minutes
Resurrection Evidence
< 60 minutes
Our Need for the Gospel
20 minutes
Trust the Bible
< 60 minutes
11 minutes
Scripture Says
Psalm 109:21-22
Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Colossians 4:2 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Romans 5:6-8 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
Colossians 3:1-2 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Romans 8:6 “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
Ephesians 6:10-20 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
John 20:28 “Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ (Jesus)”
John 15:5 “…apart from Me, you can do nothing.”
Psalm 16:1-2 “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You.”
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control;”
Isaiah 26:3 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.”
Philippians 4:4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
Philippians 4:19-20 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever.”
Colossians 3:16-17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Psalm 40:4 “Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!”
Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”
Psalm 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”
Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
2 Timothy 2:7 “the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”
Acts 17:11 “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Romans 10:9 “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”
Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 2:13 “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”
John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the Truth; your Word is Truth.”
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
Inspired by God, Peter wrote this letter sometime between A.D. 60 and 65. The “Purpose of Writing” per (GotQuestions): 1 Peter is a letter from Peter to the believers who had been dispersed throughout the ancient world and were under intense persecution. If anyone understood persecution, it was Peter. He was beaten, threatened, punished, and jailed for preaching the Word of God. He knew what it took to endure without bitterness, without losing hope and in great faith living an obedient, victorious life. This knowledge of living hope in Jesus was the message, and Christ’s example was the one to follow.
“Salvation is not God’s response to man’s desire or man’s request….it was of His own design.”
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Born Again to a Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
3-4
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,11 inquiring what person or time[a]the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
Called to Be Holy
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action,[b] and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 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, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
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22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;24 for
“All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
“Morning and Evening Devotional” by Charles Spurgeonwith Psalm 55
Morning – Day 147 “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.”
Care, even though exercised upon legitimate objects, if carried to excess, has in it the nature of sin. The precept to avoid anxious care is earnestly inculcated by our Saviour, again and again; it is reiterated by the apostles; and it is one which cannot be neglected without involving transgression: for the very essence of anxious care is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting ourselves into his place to do for him that which he has undertaken to do for us. We attempt to think of that which we fancy He will forget; we labour to take upon ourselves our weary burden, as if he were unable or unwilling to take it for us. Now this disobedience to his plain precept, this unbelief in his Word, this presumption in intruding upon His province, is all sinful. Yet more than this, anxious care often leads to acts of sin. He who cannot calmly leave his affairs in God’s hand, but will carry his own burden, is very likely to be tempted to use wrong means to help himself. This sin leads to a forsaking of God as our counsellor, and resorting instead to human wisdom. This is going to the “broken cistern” instead of to the “fountain;” a sin which was laid against Israel of old. Anxiety makes us doubt God’s lovingkindness, and thus our love to him grows cold; we feel mistrust, and thus grieve the Spirit of God, so that our prayers become hindered, our consistent example marred, and our life one of self-seeking. Thus want of confidence in God leads us to wander far from him; but if through simple faith in his promise, we cast each burden as it comes upon him, and are “careful for nothing” because He undertakes to care for us, it will keep us close to Him, and strengthen us against much temptation. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.”
Cast Your Burden on the Lord
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil[a] of David.
55 Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! 2 Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, 3 because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me.
4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. 6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; 7 yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah 8 I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.”
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; 11 ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace.
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. 14 We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng. 15 Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
16 But I call to God, and the Lord will save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. 18 He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. 19 God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God.
20 My companion[b]stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. 21 His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.
Hold Fast Apologetics 