Author Archives: betransformed78

But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.                                                                                                         Continue reading “Achieving God’s Agenda”

Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I have not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.                                                                         Matthew 5:17 NLT True circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit.  Continue reading “Centripetal not Centrifugal”

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.                                                                                                                         Matthew 7:12 NLT I think these are the most shocking words in the Bible. All the Torah and the Prophets? Really?! 780 pages can be distilled downContinue reading “The Lamb’s Weapon”

“For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil who had the power of death.”                                                                                                                           Hebrews 2:14 NLT There are three errors we need to avoid when thinking about Satan. First we must not think of him as a comic creature:Continue reading “Satan”

With his own blood – not the blood of goats and calves – he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.                                                                                            Hebrews 9:12 NLT Everyone who takes the Bible seriously and at face value recognizes that Jesus’ death and resurrection are of ultimate importance if we humansContinue reading “Atonement”

I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. How happy I was with the world he created; I rejoiced with the human family.                                                             Proverbs 8:30-31 NLT What is the price of two sparrows – one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to theContinue reading “He Cares”

Henry Van Dyke, poet, preacher, author, published a beautiful hymn in 1911. It is full of triumphal optimism, an optimism that sounded perfectly normal at that moment in time. Western Christian culture, European and American, had in the previous century, the 19th, seemingly conquered every conceivable challenge, whether in science or philosophy or mechanics orContinue reading “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”

 ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.”                                                                                                                              Isaiah 58:3 NLT TheContinue reading “Fasting”

“If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”                                                                                                                                                  1 John 1:9 NLT Should Methodists confess their sins? The answer is a resounding yes. We will never in this life reach the place where we are sinless, as pureContinue reading “Confession”

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.                                                                                                                                                   Hebrews 10:35-36 For many people, “faith” is a means ofContinue reading “Faith”