GForce

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Insights:

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (1:22). There's no question that reading and responding to God's Word will benefit our lives by drawing us nearer to Him - that's really what studying the Bible is all about.
For further study, read Psalm 119:97-104. How does James' attitude towards God's law compare to the one described in this passage? In light of what you've read, what is your attitude toward God's law? [Answer as a comment below]

Insights:

He does not go to the temple to offer sacrifice to God for his cleansing, but returns to Jesus. He recognizes that the restorative power of God is in Jesus. (Joel Green)
Only here in all the New Testament are such thanks directed to Jesus. Elsewhere they are directed to God. (Robert Stein)
It was well with his soul and with his body. (Leon Morris)

Journal Click here

Insights:

Cursing the fig tree is an acted parable related to cleansing the temple and conveying a message about Israel. (D. A. Carson)
Unless Israel repents, like the fig tree it will perish. (Craig Blomberg)
Jesus himself replaces the temple as the centre of true worship of God. (Ben Witherington III)
Those who profess to be God's people but live unfruitful lives are warned. (Leon Morris)
When he comes, what will he find? Will he find fruit or just leaves? And will he pronounce judgment upon us? (David Garland)

Journal Click here

Insights:

The faith of the centurion and the Cannanite woman are exceptions in the ministry of Jesus, which is to bring blessing to humankind universally. (John Nolland)
Jesus is willing to reach out to those who are beyond the pale so that the least, the last, and the lost might become the first, the most, and the found. (Ben Witherington III)

Journal Click here

Insights:

He flees from the temptation to secret prayer, for here is the source of his strength to resist evil. (E. M. Bounds)
I had never seen Jesus as I saw him then. I had seen him as powerful. I had seen him as wise. I had witnessed his authority and marveled at his abilities. But what I witnessed last night I know I'll never forget.
I saw God. The God who can't sit still when the storm is too strong. The God who lets me get frightened enough to need him and then comes close enough for me to see him. The God who uses my storms as his path to come to me.
I saw God. It took a storm for me to see him. But I saw him. And I'll never be the same.

Journal Click here

Insights:

Those who believe in Jesus become his possession. As a result of believing in Jesus, there should be a total difference in the way we live, in how we use our money, in how we think, in the TV shows that we watch, in how we treat our families, in how we spend our free time. Believing in Jesus changes everything. (Matt Williams)
The picture of the kingdom of God as a feast is prominent in Judaism and in the synoptic teaching, and the abundance of wine is a feature of the feast. (George Beasley-Murray)
The abundannt provision at these shared meals is symbolic of the joy of God's uncalculating forgiveness, and a pointer to the eschatological messianic banquet.

Journal Click here

Insights:

What a different between the crowds that are curious about Jesus and the few who reach out and touch him! (Mark Fackler)
Jesus speaks of "youth faith"; it is important that the woman understand that she had not been cured by magic... Her cure had been the result of a mighty power in Jesus, but it came to her because of her faith, not because of magic in a touch. (Leon Morris)
The word translated "healed" is literally "saved.". Both physical healing and theological salvation are in mind. (W.W.Wessel)
It was the grasp of her faith rather than her hand that had secured the healing she sought. (William Lane)
In God's kingdom the nobodies become somebodies. (David Graland)

Journal Click here