Our Daily Bible Readings bring us today to look at the letter from Jesus’ and James’ brother Jude, who considers himself “a slave of Jesus Christ” who was writing to all who had been called by God the Father. (Jude 1:1) Using a very similar language as the second letter of Peter, which was written… Read More Today’s thought “Crisis among believers” (December 20)
It is God’s inspired scriptures that are the only source in our Godless world for “building (y)ourselves up in (y)our most holy faith”, as Jude wrote so long ago. But first let us see how our chapters today in Job are very special. Job was inspired to write of God’s creation and describe how the… Read More Today’s thought “Building yourselves up in your most holy faith” (December 20)
Today’s thought “I never knew you” (July 6) Many of the things Jesus said are very challenging, but few are more so than the words we read today about what will be said to some “on that day” (Matthew 7:22), i.e., the day of judgement. Jesus speaks of those who will come before him, but… Read More Today’s thought “I never knew you” (July 6)
James 3 Preaching and teaching the Word of God is a serious “job”. Willing to be “servants of God” we are fully aware of the particularity but also of the seriousness and possible consequences of our task. Those who want to teach in the ecclesia should know or be aware of the strictness or strict… Read More Today’s thought “Teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others” (December 09)
Today’s thought “Rise and have no fear” (July 16) What must it have been like to be one of the disciples of Jesus! The unexpected was always happening – and sometimes it was way beyond human experience. The end of yesterday’s chapter 16 in Matthew has a strange statement by Jesus, “Truly, I say unto… Read More Today’s thought “Rise and have no fear” (July 16)
Today’s thought Jacob and Esau (January 15) There is a degree of contrast between the brothers we read of in the Old Testament compared to the New. We read today in Genesis 27 of the friction between the twin brothers Jacob and Esau. We read earlier that Esau had despised his birthright (25:34) and Jacob… Read More Today’s thought Jacob and Esau (January 15)
In completing our reading of Habakkuk we noticed the ‘footnote’ that concludes the last verse, “To the choirmaster …” this indicates that the last three verses are a hymn or song. It has always been in our hymn book, yet, for many years we have rarely heard it sung. It seems to us that we… Read More Today’s thought “Yet I will rejoice …” (December 14)
Today’s thought “Things known from of old” (November 4) Today we read details about the extensive missionary work of the Apostle Paul; first with Barnabas, then with Silas. Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch and “declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles”… Read More Today’s thought “Things known from of old” (November 4)
Today’s thought “Faithful in keeping themselves holy” (November 2) What a challenging set of readings we have today! 2 Chronicles 31 details the extensive work of Hezekiah after the success of the great Passover we read about yesterday. “All Israel”, we read today, that had participated in this Passover “went out … and broke …… Read More Today’s thought “Faithful in keeping themselves holy” (November 2)
Today’s Thought “When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive …” (June 13) Today we read the concluding chapters of Peter’s first Epistle. What a challenging message Peter conveys to the “elect exiles of the Dispersion” (1:1). As Paul was the apostle “to the Gentiles” (see Galatians 2:8,9), so Peter is the Apostle to the… Read More Today’s Thought “When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive …” (June 13)
Today’s Thought “Receive with meekness the implanted word” (June 07) Today we started reading the challenging epistle of James which is so full of practical advice for living a Christ-like life. Paul says that when he later visited Jerusalem he “saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19), so we… Read More Today’s Thought “Receive with meekness the implanted word” (June 07)
People have to cope with the cultural influences of their age and have to form for themselves a state of mind and take on a certain attitude and behaviour, which is going to be decisive if they are walking along God’s path or according to the flesh and this world, making them to sin. The Apostle John when referring to the human tendency to sin calls it the devil.… Read More Human Desire Personified
The consistent Biblical view is that this world is ruled by human desires gone wrong.… Read More What Causes Sin?
Today’s thought “Not afraid of bad news” (March 5) The Psalms abound with challenging and positive thoughts in them. But our lives are often invaded by situations that provoke negative thoughts. We need the positive inspired words of the Psalms, Israel’s hymn book that David began to compile more than 3,000 years ago. They are… Read More Today’s thought “Not afraid of bad news” (March 5)
As the Jewish political organization tottered towards its end, the call of the Gospel was dramatically widened: for the first time, Gentiles were invited to share in the privilege of knowing the eternal God. Paul was the foremost and most energetic leader of this preaching to the Gentiles. “It was necessary that the word of… Read More The Return of Israel
Brother Tim writes: I have had 40 years of making a regular contribution as a brother & part of the brotherhood – Youth Weekends, Camps, Bible Class, Presiding, Exhorting … I am about to retire from my day job. Should I also stop or slow down ecclesial involvement? Surely I’ve done enough? Perhaps I should… Read More Retirement from God’s Service?
The last few weeks we looked at three ‘I am“s which are often considered to be one person or by others could be seen as two characters. English people are often confused by the saying “I am”. In Belgium and many countries where the mother-tongue is not English the problem does not seem to pose.… Read More Looking at three “I am” s
Belgian Ecclesia Brussel - Leuven 