The book of Revelation is a wild ride. It’s an artistic blockbuster full of powerful images. For this reason there are a lot of crazy interpretations. But it is possible to read Revelation! Here’s five keys to reading Revelation so that you can understand history from God’s perspective.
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What is the Armour of God?
It sounds so awesome, the armour of God: swords, helmets and chest plates. In amongst all those passages of the Bible that talk about mercy, compassion and turning the other cheek, here is red-blooded combat. And it is necessary combat. For the devil has his schemes and there are demonic spiritual forces at work, right here, right now in this present darkness.
But, perhaps, before we slip on our chest plates or breast plates we ought to ask, ‘What exactly is the Christian putting on?’
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The Gospel according to Isaiah
Many people think that the Old Testament is all about keeping the rules. But, here’s the thing. The Jews could never keep the rules. And the only way they could be rescued was by God saving them. In Isaiah we discover a God who saves by grace - looking forward to Jesus. Here is the gospel in Isaiah.
Who is Jesus? Mark's Gospel
Who is Jesus? Is he a good man? A teacher? A lunatic? A liar and a deceiver? A pretend Messiah? A man possessed by evil? A short sailing trip breaks all these categories for Jesus’ disciples.
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Reading Deuteronomy 3
Deuteronomy starts pretty clear recapping the history of Israel. Then comes the 10 commandments and what it means to live in the land. But what’s with chapters 12 to 26 - they seem random? But are they?
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Reading Deuteronomy 2 - Chapters 6 to 11
Reading Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy is God’s living word given to us so that we might know God’s grace and love for his people. Read on to discover some of the key ideas and the structure of Deuteronomy. May this help you discover and read Deuteronomy.
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It bears repeating
A really simple key to reading the Bible is to notice what the writer repeats. You’ll learn a lot more from this than from verses of the day or from a Bible streak on an app that throws up random verses each morning.
How to read Mark's Gospel - Reading Guide
Read Mark’s Gospel in just 21 days, taking 10-15 minutes a day. You could read most of these in 5-6 minutes giving you 10 minutes to think about what you’ve read.
BTW - Ignore the headings in most printed Bibles. They are a distraction from the flow and connections!
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How to read Mark's Gospel - Part 2
Does Jesus have the right to rule?
I recently watched the new movie about Henry 5th – The King. He is a young King who wants to unite England under his rule. One of the key questions threaded through the movie is – does he have what it takes to rule? Can be bring the people of England together under his rule and what will it take?
Jesus says he is bringing the Kingdom of God. Does he have the right to rule? Mark’s Gospel answers this question.
How to read Mark's Gospel - Part 1
Over one summer in Sydney, Jesus thundered into my mind. Before that summer, Jesus was insipid in my mind. He was a slight, white figure with no power, no majesty and no strength. Yes, I knew he went to the cross for me, but it seemed a passive path, with a sad inevitability about it. But as I met Jesus in Mark’s gospel I was stunned by the strength of his character and deliberate desire to offer himself on the Cross.
The next few blog posts are written to help you read Mark’s Gospel.
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The Bible is God's living word
In my life the Bible has been a bright light shining in a dark world. It has been a living word in which I’ve heard the very voice of God. Now, many might recoil at this wild and dangerous assertion by a church pastor. So let me show you that this wild and dangerous assertion is made by the Bible itself.
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How to read the Bible
Read and apply these principles and your understanding of God’s word, the Bible, will be transformed.
Dear Marty Sampson - the Bible talks about all those issues
Dear Marty, all those issues that you raised that make you disbelieve and that no one talks about, the Bible talks about them. A lot! I’m so sorry. Your church should have been talking about them because the Bible talks about them.
Leviticus 19:19 and why Christians should wear poly / cotton socks and undies
A friend sent me a meme on Leviticus 19:19. The meme was confrontational and deliberately offensive. Since Christians wear polyester and cotton socks which are a blend of two materials – they break Leviticus 19:19. ‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.’ So, how can Christians say anything about sexual ethics or anything else that might spring from Leviticus as a standard since they break the rules themselves?
Understanding the Whole Bible and reading the Old Testament
The Bible can seem overwhelming but once you know the key theme that gives a framework for the Bible things really start to change. And once you start to understand the timeline (chronology) even more things fall into place. Download these two PDF files to help you read the whole Bible and understand it.
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Children's Bibles
A review of three Children’s Bibles that will help kids understand God’s great love for them in Jesus.
You don't need to fear the future
Most of us fear the future. We fear the unknown. The future is an undiscovered country and no one has been there.
And this fear of the unknown future has caused untold misery in the world. Nationally and internationally as tribes, nations, rulers, companies and individuals have all jockeyed for positions of power and security.
But we don’t need to fear the future.
Original Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash.com. Edited.
Get more gold from Luke's gospel - Reading guide
This is a reading guide for Luke’s gospel. Its goal is to help you get the most gold as you read Luke. Luke is a beautiful piece of writing. It reveals Jesus as the suffering servant king who comes to fulfill God’s promises. We, humanity, are revealed to be lost and far from God, oppressed by spiritual forces of evil and captive to our own sinfulness. Jesus comes to free us - to bring forgiveness. It’s great news worth reading for yourself.
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