Paul’s Visions-Conversion
The book of Acts records seven visions of the Apostle Paul. They are not dreams or hallucinations. They are moments and/or seasons of heightened focus and clarity. The first of these visions is found in…
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Educate Yourself
Paul’s Visions, An Overview
In the next six posts we are going to explore the visions of the Apostle Paul as they are recorded in the book of Acts. We must first lay the foundation of defining the meaning…
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Fierce in Prayer
The apostles and followers of Jesus Christ at the first century birth of the church were fiercely devoted to prayer. It is the book of Acts that reveals this to us. It was in praying…
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Wildly Ingenious!
Every parable that Jesus told stretches the imagination, challenges priorities, and provokes acclimation to His authority. Some of these stories include a surprise or an unexpected twist. No other parable catches us so off guard…
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The Vineyard and the Marketplace
In Jesus’ parable found in Matthew 20:1-16, we find multiple characters: the house master, the laborers, and the manager (foreman). There are two settings: the vineyard and the marketplace. There are several elements to the…
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“Rather-than” or “Alongside-of”?!
Stereotyping the characters in the parables of Jesus will thwart the genius and the purposes of His teachings. In the story of the Pharisee and the Publican [Luke 18:9-14] we must be aware of this…
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Vengeance!
Jesus is the master story teller. In each of His parables He gathers up what has come before (the revelation of the Old Testament), and He casts it forward into the revealing of His present…
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The Neighborhood
In today’s culture, the term “good Samaritan” is synonymous with individual and corporate charitable do-gooders. Some even take a measure of pride that “we Samaritans” help “them” the marginalized poor and needy. The original context…
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A Father Had Two Sons
The parables reflect the genius and the authoritative nature of the teaching of Jesus. They prod us to imaginative thinking. We assess the thoughts of others while simultaneously re-assessing our own ideas. These stories challenge…
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