By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

Our Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself for us, so we will give ourselves to Him.1. Exemplary generosity. (v.1-7)2. Excelling in generosity. (v.8-12)3. Equalizing by generosity. (v.13-15)Where do we best see generosity displayed?What is the cure for being self-seeking? 1 Cor. 13:4.Who is the most generous giver? Phl.2:6-7.How do we respond if one has to…

God gives us the strength to move forward, beyond our affliction.What are we supposed to do after our suffering? 1. Stand on the enduring foundation of The Word. (v.89-91)2. Be refreshed by the preserving power of The Word. (v.92-95)3. Rejoice in the freeing nature of God's commands. (v.96)How do we move forward from here?What is the one thing of w…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

God helps us to hang onto His promises, while we wait for Him to fulfill them.What should we do while waiting for God?1. Stay focused on God's promises. (v.81-82)2. Talk to God and state our case. (v.83-85) 3. Remember God's love for us, and act accordingly. (v.86-88)How can we keep on hoping while we are waiting?When are we tempted to think God is…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

Our God gives us caring hearts, and then He comforts our caring hearts. 1. God gives us true repentance of heart. (v.8-10)2. God teaches us the clues and blessings of repentance. (v.11-13a)3. God comforts us, causing us to rejoice still more. (v.13b-16)Why do some people care so much?Who had bitter sorrow, but not true repentance? Hebrews 12:16-17W…

Since our Creator and Redeemer's love for us is deeper than our suffering, we are comforted.How does God comfort us?1. Our Creator comforts others by giving us hope in our suffering. (v.73-74)2. Our Redeemer shows us the source of comfort: His love. (v.75-77)3. Our covenant LORD comforts us when we: a) meditate on the Word, b) fellowship with belie…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

Since our God comforts the downcast, we can move from turmoil to comfort and joy.1. Afflictions outside and inside. (v.5)2. God comforts His people. (v.6)3. Rejoicing still more. (v.7)What does being downcast look like?Where do we turn when the cares of our hearts are many? Ps. 94:19.Who has promised to comfort us? Isaiah 49:13How do we move from b…

By Various Speakers

Our affliction is good for us, for our God teaches us by faith to see that He is good and that He does good for us, even in our affliction.1. In the Lord's good hands, our affliction is corrective. (v. 65-68)2. Through God's goodness, our affliction is instructive. (v.69-71)3. When God is good to us, we place more value on His Word. (v.72)Why does …

The resurrection of our King Jesus changed our outlook from dark sadness to bright joy.1. The miracles. (v.1-4)2. The message. (v.5-7)3. The meeting. (v.8-10)From dark sadness to bright joy:Jesus looked like lightning. Who is He? Daniel 7:9-10.In what ways did Christ help us? Hebrews 2:10-17.Why would Jesus want the brothers to be told? Romans 8:29…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

All that we need or want is The LORD God Himself.1. We seek His face with all our heart, and we have Him. (v. 57-58)2. We center our lives on God's Word. (v.59-62)3. We identify with others who seek God in the Word. (v.63-64)What do we need?Have we found God? Have we sought Him? Psalm 27:7-9What is the place of the Bible in our daily lives? John 8:…

We praise our King Jesus Christ for coming to rescue us.1. We praise Christ by obeying Him. (v.1-6)2. We praise Christ by admiring Him. (v.7-9)3. We praise Christ by trusting Him to do what He said. (v.10-11). Why should we praise Christ?What information do we have about Christ? Zech. 14:1-11How will His Second Coming differ from His First? Rev. 7:…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

Through remembering His promises, our God comforts us in our suffering.1. Hope during our suffering. (v.49)2. Comfort during our suffering. (v.50-52)3. Enough cheerfulness to sing a song of praise during the nighttime of our suffering. (v.53-56)How can we endure times of suffering?What is the source of hope during suffering? Rom. 5:3-5Where is our …

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

Since Jesus loved us and reconciled us to God, we believers have a committed love for each other. 1. love seeks truth, resulting in closer fellowship. (v.2)2. love does not condemn others, but goes through life together. (v.3)3. love bubbles up into joy, even during times of affliction. (v.4)When there is genuine love, what are the natural results?…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

God loves us so much that we actually need to pray for more ability to absorb His love, which is best displayed at the cross.What changes in us, when we better absorb God's love?1. We become willing to take action based on the promises of God, because we believe Him and hope in Him. (v.41-44.)2. We become convinced of the truth that freedom is only…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

Because Christ brought us from darkness to light, we cannot be both a) the temple of the living God and b) idolaters. 1. What harmony exists between darkness and light? (v.14-16a)2. We have the living God inside of us, and He remains consistent with His own covenant blessings and commands! (v.16b-17)3. We keep bringing holiness to completion by cle…

The secret to daily strength is daily training in the words of life from Jesus our Savior.What is the secret?1. We train our hearts to delight in holiness as the pathway for the rest of our lives. (v.33-36) 2. We train our eyes to turn only to God's promises for fulfillment. (v.37-39) 3. We long for Jesus, who is the Word of life. (v.40)How do we u…

Since God's heart is open to us, He provides us with the ability to open our hearts to each other.1. Opening our words, opening our hearts. (v11)2. A limit is caused by our own withholding of affection. (v.12)3. An apt reply to an expanding heart, is to expand our hearts too. (v.13)How do we achieve uninhibited, frank conversations?When the mouth e…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

The Great Commandment: How's Your Love Life?I. Love God Completely – The Heartbeat of True DevotionII. Love Others Genuinely – The Evidence of a Changed HeartBy Richard Britton

By Elder Bill Curren

1. The Law reveals God's holiness2. The Law reveals our sin3. The Law drives us to Christ for mercyBy Richard Britton

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

Christ calls each servant of God to keep on enduring multiple troubles.1. The credentialing of the servant of God for enduring. (v.3-4a)2. The arena of the servant of God for enduring. (v.4b-5)3. The equipping of the servant of God for enduring. (v.6-10)a. his character. (v.6)b. his resources. (v.7)c. his two-fold reaction from others. (v.8-9a)d. h…

God gives us strength from The Word.What kind strength?1. The strength of reviving our lives. (v.25) 2. The strength of providing us with perspective. (v.26-28) 3. The strength of bridling us, to stay on the right road. (v.29-32) Drawing on God's strength:When we get tired out, what energizes us? Deuteronomy 8:3What teachings do we follow scrupulou…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

God teaches us to pray to see the power of His Word.1. To see that access to God is our lifeblood! (v.17)2. To be enabled to see wondrous things that formerly we could not see. (v.18-23)3. To see God as our daily life coach: His Word is our delight! (v.24)Go home determined to change something:What is needed to live in this world, obeying God? 1 Pe…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

Jesus died and was raised, so that by faith we would embrace our rescue.1. Teaming up with our new Team-mate. (v.1a)2. Gratefully welcoming our new and urgent encouragement. (v.1b)3. Embracing our new era of rescue, long-awaited. (v.2)What does thankfulness show? Col. 2:7How do we know believers cannot lose their salvation? Eph. 4:30How is our fait…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

Anyone seeking to live a pure life pleasing to God in a broken world, will need the purifying power of God's Word as the gracious 'guardian of my way.'1. From youth to old age, His Word powerfully guards our pure living. (v.9)2. Our whole lives, we continue to hide God's powerful Word in our hearts, in order to not sin against Him. (v.10-11)3. Thro…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

For our sake Jesus died and was raised, so that by faith we enter a new realm of reality in Christ.1. Our new view of people: no longer according to the flesh, but rather as spiritual beings. (v.16-17)2. Our new status before God: no longer with sins to be forgiven, but rather with righteousness received. (v.18a, 21)3. Our new message to share: ann…

Since Christ died and rose again for us, our right motivation is to live for Him! 1. Right motivation: healthy fear of God, not fear of man. (v.11-13)2. Right motivation: the love of Christ for us. (v.14)3. Avoiding a wrong motivation (living for self), instead living for Christ. (v.15)Where do our motivations fit into the Christian viewpoint?What …

Whenever we walk through affliction, Christ walks with us by His Spirit/Word, which is why we love The Book of Truth!1. By Christ's grace, we take to heart His instructions that shape us. (v.1-2)2. By Christ's grace, His commands direct our ways. (v.3-4)3. By grace, we ever re-learn, trust and obey His gospel. (v.5-8)When we suffer, what help is th…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

No one else compares to the love of our God: He pardons our sins! 1. Our shepherding God. (v.14-15) 2. Our terrifying God! (v.16-17)3. Our compassionate, forgiving, faithful, loving God. (v.18-20) In what specific ways is God second-to-none?Name God's classic unique act. Ex. 15:11, Rev. 15:4In what ways is God unparalleled? Psalm 71:19, 1 John 3:20…

By Benjamin J. Snodgrass

We can rest, because we are sheltered under God's wings.1. We rest in God, even in bad circumstances. (v.1-8)2. We rest in God's care. (v.9-13)3. We rest in God's peace. (v.14-16)By Benjamin J. Snodgrass