The Bible constantly reminds its readers to beware of false prophets and false teachers. But it also reminds of false conversions or people who profess faith in Christ, but from the inside they are not genuine Christians. In this passage, we learn how to identify a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
Many Christians approach the topic of fasting as a legalistic practice, trying to please (bribe) God into favor toward us in some way or the other. But the Bible is more nuanced on fasting than we usually tend to think and practice. In this passage, we learn what kind of Spiritual importance Fasting holds.
In the Bible, even though God opposes the proud or the one who rejects Him, God still expects His people to show love towards unbelievers because He himself is merciful and benevolent towards them. In this passage, we learn how to love unbelievers and also those people who intentionally persecute us.
What will you do when you are persecuted and your life is at stake especially because of your obedience to Jesus Christ? Most of us can try to be diplomatic and save our lives if we’re summoned by the government authorities. In this passage, God describes how a true disciple remains to faithful to Him in the midst of persecution.
The Bible is filled with God’s promises. These promises are not primarily about God promising to provide for material things. It is about God promising to keep the covenant which He made to His people. However, it’s not just important to see how God kept His promises and will continue to keep them, but also realizing that even His children are called to be faithful to the covenant keeping God of the Bible.
Bible is not an instruction manual on how to go to Heaven. It’s a Book given to us by God through His servants, primarily meant to reveal Himself and His plan of redemption for the sinners. It’s only then that the Bible is meant as God’s law for redeemed sinners like us, to walk in the path of righteousness. In this passage, we learn how the Bible is also meant to bring us comfort.
It is so easy to confess that nothing is too hard or impossible with God, and that is true. But it is one thing to confess it but entirely another thing to demonstrate our faith in God’s power, or His ability. In this passage, we learn how to demonstrate and also experience the power of God in our lives.
In the Bible, Israelites living in exile was often a result of their disobedience and their lack of trust in Yahweh. Instead of repenting of their sins, they grumbled against God without understanding His purpose for their lives even during their state of exile. This passage reminds us how we can be like Israelites, but also shows us the remedy to live a purposeful life.
God often uses man as a vessel for His own Holy purposes. But He not just uses people for His purposes, God also shapes them into a particular vessel so that His children can fulfill their intended purpose in life. In this passage, we learn how God is a potter, and we are His clay who are shaped into Christlikeness as vessels of His glory.
Most of us in theory accept the ten commandments, but in practice observe only the nine commandments. The most neglected commandment by Christians is on observing the Sabbath. In this passage, we learn how God designed Sabbath for His people, and why it still remains to be observed by Christians today.