Author Archives: sgibson

The Higher Purpose of God

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Matthew 16:21-23 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.  22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.  23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Repeatedly in His ministry, Jesus told his disciples what His ultimate goal was.  They, however, did not want to accept that.  Continue reading →

Following Jesus Regardless of the Cost

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John 12:12-13, 19 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.  19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

The passage above is part of the history of Palm Sunday.  It marked Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem a week prior to His resurrection.  As verses 12 and 13 show, Jesus had many followers at this time.  The overwhelming throng of people caused the Pharisees to remark that the world had gone after Him (vs. 19).  The rest of history shows that this was the calm before the storm. Continue reading →

Your Spiritual Condition Is More Important Than Your Physical Condition

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Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?  He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?  And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.  And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.  (John 9:35-38)

In John 9, Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth (John 9:1).  He fixes his physical condition of blindness and that was a definite reason for rejoicing!  However, that wasn’t the man’s biggest problem.  Continue reading →

The God Option

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And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.  (Exodus 14:10-12)

The Israelites had been in bondage to the Egyptians for some 400 years.  They had just left after God miraculous deliverance of them through ten plagues.  They are free.

One would think that their faith in God would be at an all-time high.  However, this was not the case.  Continue reading →

Dead to the Law: Studies in Galatians – Lesson 7 (2:11-16)

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Galatians 2:11-16

11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.  13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.  14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?  15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,  16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Continue reading →