How can two brief letters to a church in first-century Macedonia speak to us today?
John Stott believes that Paul's letters to the Christians in Thessalonica offer three main guidelines to churches at the beginning of the twenty-first century; a model for ministry, as Paul's self-giving, prayerful love for the church challenges Chr… Read more…
Times were hard for the first readers of the letter to the Hebrews. Many had been exposed to fierce persecution. They had been assaulted, their homes had been plundered, and some had been cast into prison.
To such people this letter came as an encouragement. The writer of the letter turns their eyes to Christ, and shows how he fulfils the … Read more…
As a good communicator, James addressed his readers directly and pointedly, with vivid images from ordinary life and attention-gripping statements.
The Message of James brings James' letter to life for today's reader. Alec Motyer is himself gripped by James' energy and concern for practical Christianity. The letter shows how a … Read more…
What is the book of Revelation? Does it describe in veiled language events of its writer's own day, or is it largely a prophecy of events still to come? Is it a chart of the whole of history from Christ's first coming to his second? Or does it deal chiefly with principles which are always valid in Christian experience?
And what is … Read more…
The book of Joshua recounts the momentous events of Israel’s entry into Canaan, the promised land: Joshua’s commission and reassurance, crossing the Jordan river, the capture of Jericho and Ai, the grand covenant renewal ceremony at Mount Ebal, the curious treaty with the Gibeonites, and a rapid overview of the campaigns in the south and the north. The s… Read more…
At the beginning of 1 and 2 Kings, Solomon's reign brought peace, prosperity, dynamic international trade and a magnificent center of worship. At the end, by contrast, the people faced a complete reversal: they and their king were in exile; Jerusalem and the temple lay in ruins.
How can this story of reversal, told by the very people w… Read more…
The book of Nehemiah is about starting over again. Nehemiah, one of Israel's great leaders, tells firsthand the powerful story of the rebuilding of ancient Jerusalem's walls after the exile. This rebuilding, in the face of great odds, represented the people's renewal of faith, their overcoming of national shame and the reforming of their conduct.… Read more…
Why do people suffer?
What is God's role in suffering?
How can we help those who suffer?
The fact of suffering in the world challenges us with its questions. The book of Job is all about human suffering. Its portrayal of one man's sufferings, the ineffective responses of his friends, and his struggle for faith and… Read more…
"Go and marry a prostitute." These are the first words God spoke to his prophet Hosea. Why would he ask this of one of his special spokesman? Because he wanted to teach Hosea, the nation of Israel and all of us today a lesson we will not forget, a lesson that is painful yet joyous.
Hosea's somber portrait of the human condition is our … Read more…
The book of Jonah is mostly remembered for its oddity--a runaway prophet swallowed by a whale!
But there must be more to the book than that. And indeed there is. For one thing, it is a book artfully constructed, with one chapter devoted to a psalm. It is a book that will reward careful reading and meditation.
But more th… Read more…
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