Hebrews 1:1-14 Messages from God

Do you know that God speaks to his people?

It’s true. He speaks to us today just like he spoke to his people in the past. God spoke at various times and in various ways. He spoke to people such as Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. He spoke through thunder; the sound of a trumpet; in a still, small voice or in visions and dreams; in human form and angelic visitations; through foreshadowing and parable and more.

 When God spoke to the people in Old Testament times, he pointed his final revelation in Jesus. Through Jesus, God provided the perfect vehicle of expression. He translated deity into humanity, and this revelation was absolute, infallible and authoritative. The world in its entirety was given to Christ as the heir of all things. As executor of the divine will, he will return one day to enforce all of its clauses.

In Christ we have God’s final message. He is the fullness of the Godhead. He is the Lord of everything. He is the eternal word of God. He came to earth to take away our sins. Before Jesus came to earth, the Jews had to have their sins taken away. 

Jesus is better than everything and anything because of his relationship with God. He is also better because he is royalty. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is also better because of his reputation. His domain is never-ending. His delight is unequalled. He never changes. His reign is unchallenged. In fact, the only angle who has ever challenged his authority was Satan-and Satan was kicked out of heaven.

God’s very nature-his glory and the express image-is revealed perfectly in Jesus, because Jesus is God. The Son-who existed before time, was at the beginning of time, and will be at the end of time-is the One who upholds all things by the word of His power and thereby controls history. Jesus is God’s final, divine revelation of himself. Jesus is the Son of God, the agent of creation, the very glory of God and the one who saves us from our sins. He inherits all of creation from God. He is the imprint of God. Jesus is the mind of God in human form as illustrated by the Gospel of John. Because Jesus came to earth, God knows us and love us. He loves us just as much as Jesus does.

In Bible times, a person’s name was the outward expression of who they were, encompassing not only a person’s proper name but his or her identity-including rank, authority, fame and character. The more excellent name Jesus inherits is “Son”. He is the eternal Son of God. While Scriptures sometimes refer to angels as “the sons of God,” nowhere does God say of angels, “You are My Son, today I have begotten you.” Only to Jesus does the Father speak in such personal, familial terms.   

The title “firstborn” does not mean that Jesus was created but refers to His exalted status and authority as Ruler of all creation. His superiority to angels is also proven by the fact that all the angels of God worshipped Him at His birth and worship Him now at the throne of God. The angels are Christ’s ministers. Although angels are not superior to or equal to Jesus, they occupy an important role in the lives of believers today as “ministering spirits.”

The Jews believed angels were the highest beings next to God. To prove that Jesus is much better than the angels, the writer of Hebrews quotes several of Israel’s own Scriptures. The word “better” occurs 12 times in this book, indicating Jesus’ superiority to all of creation and to the Old Covenant. The job of angels is to worship God, and hence to worship Jesus by doing His will. Since only God is worthy of worship, this is evidence of Jesus’ full deity.

Angels work in hidden ways to carry out God’s will and protect God’s people. They are part of our lives even if we aren’t aware of them. They are part of an unseen army that is fighting Satan and his followers.

Jesus is supreme above any angels because:

1.      God speaks to us through His Son.

2.      Jesus is the heir of all things.

3.      God made all things through Jesus.

4.      Jesus is the express image of God the Father.

5.      He upholds all things with the word of His power.

6.      He purged our sins.

7.      Jesus is the Son of God, not a servant as are the angels.

8.      He is worthy of our worship.

9.      Jesus is God Himself.

When God the Father refers to Jesus as the eternal God, it is one of the Bible’s most irrefutable proofs of the deity of Christ.

One day the worlds God created will be folded up like a linen garment, but Christ will remain. He will be the same as He always has been, and His existence will never end.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1744-1746)

2.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

4.      Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

5.      Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1689-1690)

6.      Joni Eareckson Tada, “Like Father, Like Son.” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org

7.      Billy Graham, “What Do Angels Look Like?” retrieved from www.arcamax.com

8.      Berni Dymet, “A Picture of God.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

9.      Bayless Conley, “The Supremacy of Jesus.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

10.  Jeremiah, David: Hebrews: The Supremacy & The Sufficiency of Christ, Volume One (San Diego, CA: Turning Point for God, 2012, pp. 9-30)

1 Timothy 6:6-19 The Love of Money

How many of you have heard of the American Dream?

It’s not a dream that is limited to the United States. In fact, it’s a worldwide phenomenon. It is the desire to pursue prosperity, success and upward social mobility. While it is not wrong to be successful in life, the pursuit of the American Dream can work against us. It interferes with our ability to find contentment in what God provides for us. We seek more money, power, benefits and so on, and that often forces us to miss the opportunity to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Since the dawn of history, man has tried to be independent of God. It’s in our nature to be self-sufficient and self-supporting. This does not bring us face to face with our need to depend on God every day. True godliness means that a person trusts God to provide for everything and learns to be content with what He gives. God is not opposed to our having good things. In fact, every good thing we enjoy comes as God’s gift. We must not confuse the gift with the Giver.

 

Growth in godliness does not necessarily lead to material gain or wealth. The idea that we are complete without having enough money or material goods is foreign to us. The world tells us to get as much money or other goods as possible.

Contrary to the popular saying, money is not the root of all evil. It is the love of money that is the problem. The pursuit of money or all the things it can buy is the problem. It shows that we are putting our faith, our sense of security and our hope for the future in material goods. Instead, we need to put our hope in God.

This does not mean that we should not save money for retirement or other emergencies. Accumulating wealth so that we are not a burden on others is a wise move. From a spiritual point of view, Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 that God will take care of our basic needs. God is our sole provider and if we focus on the necessities of life, we can be content. Those who want to get rich often fall into temptation. 

Paul tells Timothy and us in 1 Timothy 6:6-19 that true ministry is not motivated by greed but by the reality of eternal life and an awareness of accountability to God. True joy can only be found in a relationship with Christ. When we have faith, we are no longer slaves to our circumstances. When we combine our love for God with acceptance of His will for our lives, we will find great gain. When we rely on him alone, we will experience our greatest happiness and freedom.

The subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) temptation of any culture is to disregard eternal values for temporary gains. Yet no person takes his money with him when he dies. That’s why you never see a U-Haul behind a hearse in a funeral procession. This is why money is such a poor object for our affection and trust. It does not last beyond this life. A far better plan is to put it to good use here on earth by giving as much as possible to help others. Between this life and the next, believers must trust God to provide.

Most early believers were poor, but there were some rich believers. The rich were given four specific commands.;

1.      Don’t be haughty.

2.      Trust God, not wealth.

3.      Do good.

4.      Be rich in good works, giving and sharing

Godly people know what they flee from: the love of money. One of greed’s many dangers is its ability to make people err in the faith and become unfruitful. The rich are to give some of their money to the poor. The sense of accumulating wealth for personal security or comfort is foreign to Jesus. The unchecked desire for money leads to the love of money, and the love of money is the root of all evil. The love of money is called greed. This evil is one of many evils that we have to confront.

We don’t have all of the skills or knowledge to fight every evil. Our efforts are better spent focusing on only one or two issues. We are to fight evil, but we must also recognize when it is best to flee from evil. 

It’s not wrong for Christians to have money-even a great deal of money-as long as that money does not have them. According to Paul, the problem comes when accumulating wealth becomes the focus of our lives. When money begins to rule lives, people fall prey to greed. Greed is not only an obstacle to achieving godliness and contentment. It is a gateway to all kinds of evil.

It’s like the burglar who was caught in the act of breaking into a house. He was taken to court and found guilty. Before he passed sentence, the judge asked the burglar if he wanted to say anything in his own defense.

The burglar said, “Well, Your Honour, its like this. The more a man has, the more a man wants.” The judge replied, “Is that so. Well, I tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to sentence you to fifteen years in jail. How many more would you like?”

The godly are known not just by what they flee from but by what they follow after, fight for and are faithful to. Paul used the active verbs pursue, fight, lay hold on and keep. Believers should strive for these qualities as long as they live.

Paul calls Timothy a man of God. This term is found only twice in the New Testament, but over 70 times in the Old Testament. It often refers to prophets-people who spoke for God. For believers today, a man or a woman of God is someone who belongs to God, is dedicated to God, finds true joy in God, and lives for the glory of God. In Paul’s eyes, Timothy was such a man.

The balance in a bank account does not determine a person’s ability to be rich toward God. Those who are good stewards in God’s economy make investments in eternity by sharing their earthly resources-whether many or few-with the church and those in need.  

Pride is one of the dangers of being wealthy. Wealth brings a sense of achievement. It also brings power and privilege. There is no room for pride in God’s kingdom. In fact, there are some Christians who are adopting a simpler, less expensive lifestyle in order to direct more money to helping the poor and spreading the Good News.

A willingness to share what we have with others is a mark of Christianity. When we share with others, it breaks materialism’s hold on us. If we focus on giving our resources (including giving tithes and offerings), the result leads to worship and praise. We can take the treasures we have been entrusted with in this life and invest them in the life to come. Jesus even tells us to store up treasures in heaven.

Where there is wealth, pride is often nearby. Believers can counter this temptation to haughtiness in three ways:

1.      By concentrating on good works.

2.      By giving generously.

3.      By trusting in the living God alone.

It is more difficult for people to take pride in earthly possessions when they realize that all they have comes from the Lord and is only temporary. Jesus wants us to use the money God has given us to bring people to Christ. Godliness will pay in both this life and in eternity. It makes sense to make the pursuit of godliness a priority.

Faith is a constant struggle that requires effort. We must always confess Jesus as Saviour and Lord all the time. Confessing means speaking out in faith. As Christians, we can enjoy life because our consciences are clear. We can enjoy life. We can have fun and laugh in church. We can enjoy friends and family. In the long run we are better off if we let the godliness of Christ within us and contentment give us the greatest gains of all, moment by moment.

 Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1711-1712)

2.      Demarest, G.W. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2, Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN.: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984, pp. 223-232)

3.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

4.      Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles, 2005)

5.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

6.      Pastor David McGee, “Godly Contentment.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com

7.      Selwyn Hughes, “God’s Four Purposes for Money.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

8.      Selwyn Hughes, “True Contentment.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

9.      Pastor Rick Warren, “The Best Financial Investment You Can Make.” Retrieved form connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

10.  Bayless Conley, “The Reward of Godliness.” Retrieved from www.answersrbc.org

11.  Pastor Rick Warren, “How God Helps you Enjoy Life.” Retrieved form connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

12.  Alan Smith, “Needing to Share.” Retrieved from thought-for-the-day@hub.xc.org

13.  Joan Walker Hahn, “Now That’s Priceless.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

14.  Pastor Jeff Schreve, “Are You experiencing Life Indeed?” Retrieved from pastorjeff@fromhisheart.org

15.  Katie Emery, “God Pause for Wednesday, 9/21/2016.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

 

16.  Sandra Hermann, “The Power of Money.” Retrieved from https://store.sermonsuite.com/printer.php?i=788040809

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 79:1-9 The Consequences of Sin

Have you ever noticed that life isn’t always fair? After all, if it was fair, people who believed in Christ would never suffer and evildoers would always be punished. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and we saw a good example of this in Psalm 79:1-9.

The psalmist wonders why it is that those who don’t acknowledge God are not punished immediately while those who know God and acknowledge him suffer. God will punish evildoers in His own time and in His own way. God hates evil, but he allows it, especially when it serves his purpose In the case of the Israelites, he allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed because the Israelites turned their backs on God. God wants to lead his people to a safe place, but he also passes judgment on his people when they turn away from Him.

The people of Israel expected God to treat them differently than he treated other nations and in return Israel was to live faithfully to the covenant. God doesn’t work that way, especially when sin is involved. The Israelites turned their back on God, and so they had to suffer the consequences of their actions. God was jealous. Human jealousy can be irrational, but God’s jealousy is a practical commitment to receive the exclusive loyalty of his people.

Even the temple was destroyed. The temple was the centre of Israel’s religious life. It was the place where God lived according to the Jews. It gave meaning to and an anchor for Israel’s faith. The temple’s destruction was a desecration. It threw the Israelites into a pit, but God was with them in the pit. Psalm 79 is a prayer from that pit. It addresses God. It also expresses the contradictions of our human hearts to God. He’s the only one who can sort out these contradictions. 

The psalmist prayers for divine vindication for his people, not in a spirit of vengeance but in a spirit of justice. Without any regard for God, the heathen desecrated God’s land and left His people desperate. After a severe blow-the sacking of the temple-the people did not ask “why?” They asked God how long they must suffer. The question serves as a transition from a lament in verses 1-4 to a prayer in verses 6-9. In the end, the Israelites wanted God’s forgiveness. The people cried for relief. They wanted God to be honoured in the world. We want the same thing today. God’s reputation is tied to our well-being, and our well-being is tied to our faithfulness.

Sometimes we have the same desires for revenge today, and we want God to unleash his wrath on someone who has done a great evil. These feelings are a natural part of our human nature. The appropriate response for us as Christians is to bring these feelings to God in prayer.

Israel’s destruction was seen as a consequence of the disregard for God’s kingdom, moral order and authority. God’s anger is real. God is urged to turn his wrath to the nations that attacked Israel, and then he is asked to change his relationship with the Israelites. They asked for forgiveness and mercy. When we pray for something in God’s name, we urge him to act in order to defend his reputation, to make his glory known, to honour him and let others see his majesty and greatness. When God acts, he will vindicate His name before those who oppose him. A landmark of spiritual maturity is concern for God’s reputation.

The consequences of sin are hard. The price is heavy. It’s time to plead for God’s mercy. It’s time to confess our sins and ask God to restore and rebuild us. We must not give up on God, because he does not give up on us. God can break the cycle of sin. God wants us to come to him because we love him, and not because we think God will bring us good things.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 759-760)

2.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.      Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 14: Psalm 73-150 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989)

4.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

5.      Ron Moore, “Restorer.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org

6.      Ron Moore, “Breaking the Cycle.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org

7.      The Rev. Joy Yee, “Prayers from the Pit.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/991-prayers_from_the_pit.print

8.      Evangelectionary for Sunday, September 18^th. Retrieved from http://www.evangelismconnections.org/evangelectionary-for-sunday-september-18/

9.      Howard Wallace, “Year C, Pentecost 17, September 19, 2010; Psalm 79:1-9.” Retrieved from http://hwallace.unitingchurch.org.au/WebOTcomments/OrdinaryC/Pent17Psalm79.html

10.  The Rev. Paul Castelli, AMI, “Bible Study, Proper 20 (C)-September 18, 2016.” Retrieved from http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/stw/2016/08/30/bible-study-proper-20c-september-18-2016.html

 

 

 

 

Acts 18:12-28 Our Gifts from God

You are a gift from God!

I’m serious. Each and every one of us is a gift from God. In addition, God has given each of us different gifts. He wants us to use these gifts to do his work in our world. With these gifts we can do mighty things.

Many believers seek to be mighty in worldly things, but few want to be mighty in the Scriptures. Apollos was an exception. He was mighty in the Scriptures. We learn about Apollos in a portion of the reading we heard from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.

Apollos was a gifted speaker with a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament and the baptism of John. He had heard about Jesus and the arrival of the Holy Spirit from Jews returning from Pentecost, but he did not have the complete story. He did not know that Christian baptism differs from the baptism of John. Christian baptism symbolizes the believer’s union with Christ in his death, burial resurrection, new life and unity in the kingdom of God. Apollos was well qualified, but he lacked one important qualification. He did not have the experience of the grace and power of the indwelling Lord. This weakness prompted Priscilla and Aquila to use their gifts to teach him privately and give him a more accurate picture of God. 

When Apollos used the knowledge he already had, God sent him additional knowledge. He was also fervent in spirit, meaning he was “boiling hot.” This is an amazing combination of qualities to find in one person. It was no wonder that Apollos made an impact in the early church. When he left Ephesus and sailed across to Corinth, he received a letter of commendation and introduction to the church.

When Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos, he graciously accepted what they taught. He knew that although he was faithful, he had more to learn. He showed spiritual maturity. Apollos humbly accepted the gentle correction and understanding that Aquila and Priscilla offered. Ministers today need to come to the same realization. I have come to the same realization. Every time I prepare a message, I learn new things.

Paul made disciples, Apollos defended the faith and Aquila and Priscilla deepened the understanding of others. God has gifted all of his people differently so that together they might work in unity for the sole purpose of the Gospel.

 

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1518-1519)

2.      Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s Living Insights on Acts (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 2016, pp. 366-370)

1 Timothy 1:12-17 God’s Grace is for Everyone

On the museum wall of the concentration camp at Dachau is a large and moving photograph of a mother and her little girl standing in line for the gas chamber. The child, who is walking in front of her mother, does not know where she's going. The mother, following behind, looks knowingly but is helpless to stop the tragedy.

In her helplessness, she performs the only act of love left to her. She places her hands over the child's eyes so she will at least not see the horror to come. When people come to the museum, most don't whisk by this photo hurriedly. Instead, they pause and almost feel the pain. Deep inside, they say to themselves, "O God, don't let that be all there is."

Hopelessness and helplessness are all that remain in the world today. It’s fitting that we remember this today, because 15 years ago today the world realized if only for a short time that it is full of hopelessness and helplessness. Fifteen years ago today the world witnessed the most horrible terrorist attacks in history. Today is the 15^th anniversary of 9/11. If there was ever an example of the hopelessness and helplessness that exists in the world today, it is the events that happened on September 11^th, 2001.

God provided a way out by sending His Son to earth as a child so that He could one day save the sins of mankind through Christ's shed blood on the cross. The apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:15, "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst." This statement is something all of us hear regularly. It is part of the comfortable words that we hear in the Holy Eucharist liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer.  

Paul relates his past to highlight God’s mercy and forgiveness. No sin lies beyond the scope of God’s forgiveness. God forgave a persecutor like Paul and enabled him for ministry. This should give everyone hope. God’s forgiveness also provides the basis for people to forgive themselves. This does not mean that God will redeem everyone from the consequences of every evil -- but it does imply that none of us is in a position to make flat claims about whom God will or will not forgive.

Paul’s previous persecution of Christians made him the foremost sinner because he hindered others from coming to faith. At the same time, it allowed God to save Paul as an example of grace. If God could save Paul, he can save and change anyone and everyone.

No one expected that Saul of Tarsus-the earliest, greatest enemy of 1^st century Christianity- would turn to Christ and become Christianity’s greatest missionary. Paul even referred to himself as the chief of sinners, but his salvation demonstrates three things:

1.      God is merciful and long-suffering.

2.      His grace can reach even his worst enemies.

3.      The Good News of Christ has the power to change lives and hearts.

False teaching tells us none of these things. Paul’s conversion is an example of God’s saving grace, which is in contrast to the uselessness of false teachings. When Paul opposed Christ, he did not have faith. False teachers profess to follow Christ, but they still live sin-filled lives. Some may say that TV evangelists such as Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker were false teachers, and some may say that modern TV evangelists such as Benny Hinn are also false teachers. Only God knows for certain.  

When Paul wrote to Timothy, he was being honest. He knew who he was. He did not need to be perfect. He admitted that like many biblical characters he had many problems. Moses killed a man, Jonah ran away from God, and Paul persecuted Christians. Because of their encounters with God, they were changed. When we encounter God, we are pushed to change as well.

Paul mentions his past, but he does not dwell on it. There is a difference between testifying to God’s power to change a person’s life and glorifying sin. Paul was more interested in talking about the grace and salvation of Christ. Christianity is Jesus himself. Any reference to Christianity that is not tied to Jesus is not Christian. The gospel is grounded in the mystery of Emmanuel-God with us, among us, for us and in us. God’s purpose for us comes through personal faith.

God’s purpose is for us to spread the Good News. God can use us regardless of our past. IF he can use an evil persecutor like Paul, he can definitely use us. He can use us wherever we are. It doesn’t matter if we are a doctor, accountant, lawyer or labourer. The needs of people are everywhere.

Sometimes we feel that we are not equipped for the task. God does not call the equipped. He equips the called. He will give us the wisdom, strength and ability to do what he has called us to do. We need God’s strength to do his work. We are weak, human vessels. We might stumble at times, but we have God’s strength and power. God enables us, but he is also watching us, and he expects us to be faithful. He opens doors for us when we are faithful, and no man can shut these doors. Paul was not ashamed of Christ, and we must not be ashamed of Christ either. Paul urges both Timothy and us to be bold. We need that boldness if we are to spread the Good News.

God did come to earth to teach and to set the highest moral example as to how we should live our lives, but first and foremost His number one reason for becoming human was to save sinners! Until we trust Jesus for our salvation, we can’t even begin to follow in His footsteps. If Jesus had only come to show us how to live, we would have been frustrated and doomed, wallowing in our own constant failure! God loves us and welcomes us with open arms when we ask for forgiveness and surrender our lives to Him. He knew our greatest need is for forgiveness, so he sent us a Saviour.

There is nothing we can do to earn salvation. The only thing we have to do is accept that we are accepted. God welcomes us just as we are and right where we are, as it says in the hymn, “Just as I Am:”

Just as I am, without one plea,

but that thy blood was shed for me,

and that thou bidst me come to thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Paul was so overwhelmed by God’s grace that he broke into a doxology, or a short expression or outburst of praise and worship to God based on who He is and what He has done for his people. Paul gives God all honour and glory. No one deserves or earns salvation. It is all about God and His grace. Jesus did everything right so we could be made right. In spite of our sins, he continues to reach out to us. He continually promises to heal and help those who come to him.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1704)

2.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.      Rev. David Mainse, “Chief Sinner.” Retrieved from www.100words.ca

4.      A.K.M. Adam, “Commentary on 1 Timothy 1:12-17.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=687

5.      Demarest, G.W. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/ 1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN; Thomas Nelson Inc., 1984)

6.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

7.      Pastor David McGee, “Equipping the Called.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com

8.      Pastor David McGee, “True Power.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com

9.      Bayless Conley, “Fruitfulness and Open Doors.” Retrieved from www.answersrbc.org.

10.  Dr. David Jeremiah, “The king Eternal.” Retrieved from www.davidjeremiah.org

11.  Doug Fields, “Moving Past Your Past.” Retrieved from www.homeword.com

12.  Neil Anderson, “Showing Yourself Faithful.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

13.  Randy Kilgore, “The Day My Dad Met Jesus.” Retrieved from www.rbc.org

14.  Pastor Ken Klaus, “Jesus Came for Me.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org

15.  Pastor Ken Klaus, “Saving Sinners.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org

16.  Gathering, Pentecost 2, 2016, Year C. (Toronto, ON: The United Church of Canada, p. 8)

17.  “Just as I Am, Without One Plea.” Retrieved from http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh357.sht

18.  Dan Clendenin, Ph.D., “A Trustworthy Saying.” Retrieved from http://www.journeywithjesus.net/lectionary-essays/current-essay?id=1051