Obeying the Gospel: How (and Why) to Become a Christian
365 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratingsWhy would a person want to become a Christian? And what actually goes into making that commitment? For the non-Christian, the podcast talks about the commitment required of those who seek salvation in Christ, and for the Christian, it emphasizes the need for an ever-growing faithfulness to the commitment that was made in the past.
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Episodes
What Kind of Heart Is the Lord Looking For? (March 28)
March 28, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.33 MBWHAT KIND OF HEART IS THE LORD LOOKING FOR? (MARCH 28) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/what-kind-heart-lord-looking-for-march-28/ "[Samuel] looked on Eliab and thought, 'Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.' But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart'" (1 Samuel 16:6,7). WE CAN BE GLAD...
Which Synagogue? Messiah? Church? (March 27)
March 27, 2024 05:00 - 2 minutes - 2.91 MBWHICH SYNAGOGUE? MESSIAH? CHURCH? (MARCH 27) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/which-synagogue-messiah-church-march-27/ "So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 'Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?'" (John 4:28,29). LIFE IS FULL OF DECISIONS, AND OUR RELIGIOUS LIVES ARE ESPECIALLY SO. If we are serious about wanting to have a right relationship with God, we will have to sort through the many opti...
Studying 'the Church' in the Scriptures (March 26)
March 26, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.29 MBSTUDYING “THE CHURCH” IN THE SCRIPTURES (MARCH 26) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/studying-church-in-scriptures-march-26/ "And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22,23). PAUL WROTE THAT GOD HAS MADE CHRIST “HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH.” This is consistent with what Christ Himself said to the apostles prior to His ascension to heaven: “All a...
Our Faith Must Be Confessed (March 25)
March 25, 2024 05:00 - 2 minutes - 3.09 MBOUR FAITH MUST BE CONFESSED (MARCH 25) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/faith-must-be-confessed-march-25/ ". . . if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" (Romans 10:9,10). CONFESSING OUR FAITH IS A PART OF WHAT JESUS CHRIST REQUIRES FOR OUR SALVATION IN HIM. He said, “Everyone who acknowl...
The Path to Death Does Not Lead to Life (March 24)
March 24, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.47 MBTHE PATH TO DEATH DOES NOT LEAD TO LIFE (MARCH 24) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/path-to-death-does-not-lead-to-life-march-24/ "But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life" (Romans 6:21,22). IF WE COULD SEE OURSELVES AS GOD SEES US, WE WOULD P...
Without Our Savior, Our Sins Will Kill Us (March 23)
March 23, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.32 MBWITHOUT OUR SAVIOR, OUR SINS WILL KILL US (MARCH 23) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/without-savior-our-sins-will-kill-us-march-23/ "I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). TO MODERN PEOPLE, PREOCCUPIED WITH WHAT WE NAIVELY CALL “REAL” LIFE, WORDS LIKE “SIN” AND “DEATH” SOUND HOPELESSLY OLD-FASHIONED. To us, “dying in our sins” is a ridiculous concept. But Jesus really did say these things....
Our Relationship to God: Friendship or Enmity? (March 22)
March 22, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.3 MBOUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD: FRIENDSHIP OR ENMITY? (MARCH 22) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/relationship-god-friendship-enmity-march-22/ "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life" (Romans 5:10). THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST CALLS ON US TO TAKE SIDES. To be more precise, it calls on us to change sides. Jesus was clear that if we have not cast our lot with Him, that amounts t...
The Way of God More Perfectly (March 21)
March 21, 2024 05:00 - 2 minutes - 3.18 MBTHE WAY OF GOD MORE ACCURATELY (MARCH 21) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/way-of-god-more-accurately-march-21/ "[Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately" (Acts 18:26). THERE IS PERHAPS NO GREATER TEST OF OUR HONESTY AND HUMILITY THAN WHEN WE FACE THE KIND OF SITUATION THAT APOLLOS DID. Fervent and faithful, at least to the best of his previous unders...
Deferring to God's Revealed Will (March 20)
March 20, 2024 05:00 - 2 minutes - 3.14 MBDEFERRING TO GOD’S REVEALED WILL (MARCH 20) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/deferring-gods-revealed-will-march-20/ "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death" (Proverbs 14:12). THE BASIC PRINCIPLE IN PROVERBS 14:12 IS APPLICABLE TO LIFE IN GENERAL, BUT IT HAS A VERY SPECIFIC IMPORTANCE IN REGARD TO OUR ETERNAL SALVATION. Our own opinions and feelings can be dangerously wrong, despite our self-confidence about what “seems right” to us. Sin...
Governed by God (March 19)
March 19, 2024 05:00 - 2 minutes - 3.34 MBGOVERNED BY GOD (MARCH 19) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/governed-by-god-march-19/ "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). FREEDOM IS ONE OF THE PRIME BENEFITS OF THE GOSPEL. In a world characterized by rebellion against God, we find ourselves fettered and frustrated by sin. But we can be delivered from this slavery. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Yet freedom is often misunderstood. The very essence of sin is the atti...
A New Creation in Christ (March 18)
March 18, 2024 05:00 - 2 minutes - 3.23 MBA NEW CREATION IN CHRIST (MARCH 18) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/new-creation-in-christ-march-18/ "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). NEW BEGINNINGS SHOULD BE WELCOMED INTO OUR LIVES. It is an exciting, strengthening experience to turn a corner and make a fresh start — and there is no more powerful new beginning than obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Christ, our starti...
An Indestructible Kingdom (March 17)
March 17, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.4 MBAN INDESTRUCTIBLE KINGDOM (MARCH 17) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/indestructible-kingdom-march-17/ "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44). THIS TEXT IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL GIVES US THE MAIN POINT OF A DREAM THAT DANIEL INTERPRETED FOR NEBUCHADNEZZ...
God's Promise to David (March 16)
March 16, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.46 MBGOD’S PROMISE TO DAVID (MARCH 16) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/gods-promise-david-march-16/ "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom . . . And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever" (2 Samuel 7:12-16). THIS TEXT IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS THAT ARE ABSOLUT...
The Sorrow That Seeks Salvation (March 15)
March 15, 2024 05:00 - 2 minutes - 3.4 MBTHE SORROW THAT SEEKS SALVATION (MARCH 15) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/sorrow-seeks-salvation-march-15/ "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24). SORROWFUL. PENITENT. CONTRITE. These don’t sound like positive words. But if we’re looking at life from the perspective of the Scriptures, they are some of the most positive words in the dictionary — not because they are comfortable but because they are conducive to our salvation...
Where the Righteousness of God Is Revealed (March 14)
March 14, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.24 MBWHERE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED (MARCH 14) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/where-righteousness-god-revealed-march-14/ "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith'" (Romans 1:17). PAUL WANTED IT UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WAS NOT RELUCTANT TO COME TO ROME. Rome might have been the most powerful and prestigious city in the world of that day, but Paul was just as willing to preach the gospel ...
Faith: the Mainspring of Righteousness (March 13)
March 13, 2024 05:00 - 2 minutes - 3.1 MBFAITH: THE MAINSPRING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (MARCH 13) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/faith-mainspring-righteousness-march-13/ ". . . but the righteous shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). IN THE WHOLE BIBLE THERE ARE FEW TEXTS MORE BASIC THAN THIS ONE. The principle embedded in this passage from Habakkuk is fundamental and far-reaching. And it illustrates an interesting fact about the Scriptures: the more basic the principle found in a passage, the more different ways ...
Abraham, the Father of the Faithful (March 12)
March 12, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.25 MBABRAHAM, THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL (MARCH 12) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/abraham-father-faithful-march-12/ "And [Abraham] believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). ABRAHAM WAS AN OLD MAN AND CHILDLESS WHEN GOD TOLD HIM HIS DESCENDANTS WOULD BE AS MANY AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN. Sarah, his wife, was well past the age of childbearing. Yet he knew enough of God’s track record to believe that whatever God promised, that’s what would ha...
Born Again (March 11)
March 11, 2024 05:00 - 3 minutes - 3.59 MBBORN AGAIN (MARCH 11) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/born-again-march-11/ "Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God'" (John 3:3). OBEYING THE GOSPEL INVOLVES THE DEEPEST CHANGE POSSIBLE IN A HUMAN BEING’S HEART. Dying to sin and living “in newness of life” (Romans 6:4) is more than adopting a different religious affiliation, accepting a different set of beliefs, or attending services at a different churc...
The Sinner's Prayer (March 10)
March 10, 2024 06:00 - 2 minutes - 3.18 MBTHE SINNER’S PRAYER (MARCH 10) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/sinners-prayer-march-10/ "And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, 'Save yourselves from this crooked generation.' So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:40,41). IN OUR DAY, WHEN PEOPLE ASK “WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?” THEY ARE COMMONLY TOLD TO PRAY THE “SINNER’S PRAYER.” According to its advocate...
Through Jesus Christ, the Forgiveness of Sins (March 9)
March 09, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.32 MBTHROUGH JESUS CHRIST, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS (MARCH 9) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/through-jesus-christ-forgiveness-sins-march-9/ "And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that [Jesus Christ] is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name" (Acts 10:42,43). THE GOSPEL MAY BE DEFINED AS THE PREACHING OF JESUS CHRI...
The Worst Words We Can Imagine (March 8)
March 08, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.2 MBTHE WORST WORDS WE CAN IMAGINE (MARCH 8) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/worst-words-we-can-imagine-march-8/ "And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness'" (Matthew 7:23). HAVING BEEN MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE, OUR DEEPEST NEED IS FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM. He created us as personal beings, and one of the characteristics of personal beings is their need for relationship with other persons, above all with their Creator. If it is...
The Highest (and Hardest) Kind of Honesty (March 7)
March 07, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.15 MBTHE HIGHEST (AND HARDEST) KIND OF HONESTY (MARCH 7) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/highest-hardest-honesty-march-7/ "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). ALL OF US WANT TO VIEW OURSELVES IN A POSITIVE LIGHT. As a result, we often tell ourselves what we’d like to hear rather than what we need to hear. The human heart is exceedingly “deceitful,” as Jeremiah 17:9 says, and it takes an uncommon measure of h...
Seeing the Seriousness of Our Own Sins (March 6)
March 06, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.33 MBSEEING THE SERIOUSNESS OF OUR OWN SINS (MARCH 6) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/seeing-seriousness-our-own-sins-march-6/ ". . . but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). INSIDE ALL OF US IS A DEEP NEED TO SEE OURSELVES AS GOOD PEOPLE. We readily admit we’ve made mistakes, but we like to think that’s all they were: just mistakes. If others knew the extenuating circumstances, they would see how hard we’ve had it ...
Trustworthiness of the Scriptures - 2 (March 5)
March 05, 2024 06:00 - 2 minutes - 3.16 MBTRUSTWORTHINESS OF THE SCRIPTURES - 2 (MARCH 5) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/trustworthiness-scriptures-2-march-5/ "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). WHEN WE SPEAK OF THE NEW TESTAMENT RECORD OF JESUS’ LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION, THERE ARE THREE LINKS IN...
Trustworthiness of the Scriptures - 1 (March 4)
March 04, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.58 MBTRUSTWORTHINESS OF THE SCRIPTURES - 1 (MARCH 4) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/trustworthiness-scriptures-1-march-4/ "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures . . ." (Romans 1:1,2). PAUL UNDERSTOOD HIMSELF TO BE A MESSENGER. As an apostle, commissioned by Christ to proclaim the gospel, he saw his work as faithfully transmitting to others that which...
Why We Study the Scriptures (March 3)
March 03, 2024 06:00 - 2 minutes - 3.21 MBWHY WE STUDY THE SCRIPTURES (MARCH 3) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/why-we-study-scriptures-march-3/ ". . . from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15). THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY WE MIGHT STUDY THE SCRIPTURES, BUT FOR TODAY’S MEDITATION LET’S THINK ABOUT ONE PARTICULAR REASON. The Scriptures are able, Paul says, to make us “wise for salvation through fa...
Zacchaeus: A Lost Soul Needing to Be Saved (March 2)
March 02, 2024 06:00 - 2 minutes - 3.24 MBZACCHAEUS: A LOST SOUL NEEDING TO BE SAVED (MARCH 2) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/zacchaeus-lost-soul-needing-saved-march-2/ "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). IN THE GOSPEL WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH THE FACT THAT GOD ENTERED THIS WORLD AND TOOK UPON HIMSELF HUMAN FORM IN THE PERSON OF JESUS OF NAZARETH. As the apostle John put it, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the F...
The Gospel of God's Kingdom (March 1)
March 01, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.49 MBTHE GOSPEL OF GOD’S KINGDOM (MARCH 1) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/gospel-gods-kingdom-march-1/ "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1:14,15). THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED “GOSPEL” IN OUR ENGLISH BIBLES WAS FAMILIAR IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE. It meant the joyful proclamation of some great event, often one having to do...
This Jesus Is the Christ (February 29)
February 29, 2024 06:15 - 3 minutes - 3.23 MBTHIS JESUS IS THE CHRIST (FEBRUARY 29) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/this-jesus-is-christ-february-29/ "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus, whom I proclai...
The Resurrection of the Messiah (February 28)
February 28, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.19 MBTHE RESURRECTION OF THE MESSIAH (FEBRUARY 28) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/resurrection-messiah-february-28/ "For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption" (Psalm 16:10). SPEAKING IN THE SYNAGOGUE IN PISIDIAN ANTIOCH, PAUL ALLUDED TO THREE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES THAT POINTED TO THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST. To his fellow Jews, he said, “We bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to u...
Perfection, Corruption, Restoration (February 27)
February 27, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.13 MBPERFECTION, CORRUPTION, RESTORATION (FEBRUARY 27) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/perfection-corruption-restoration-february-27/ "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God" (Romans 8:18,19). IF THE GOSPEL IS THE “GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD,” IT’S IMPORTANT TO SEE THAT THE STORY HAS A PLOT OR STORY LINE. In essenc...
Alive Together with Christ (February 26)
February 26, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.31 MBALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (FEBRUARY 26) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/alive-together-with-christ-february-26/ "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-6). WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE PHYSICAL ASPECT OF LIFE AND DEATH, BUT S...
Adam's Helpless Race (February 25)
February 25, 2024 06:00 - 2 minutes - 2.98 MBADAM’S HELPLESS RACE (FEBRUARY 25) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/adams-helpless-race-february-25/ "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6 NASB). TO SAY THE VERY LEAST, WE DID NOT DESERVE WHAT CHRIST DID FOR US WHEN HE DIED FOR OUR SINS. But not only were we undeserving; we were helpless. His death provided a salvation we could never have achieved by any ability that we possessed. We were, as the Amplified Bible ren...
Out of Zion Shall Go Forth the Law (February 24)
February 24, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.41 MBOUT OF ZION SHALL GO FORTH THE LAW (FEBRUARY 24) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/zion-go-forth-law-february-24/ "And many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths.' For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3 NASB). IN THIS TEXT FROM ISAIAH, A DAY IS ENVISIONED WHEN GOD’S TEACHING WOU...
They Shall All Know Me (February 23)
February 23, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.19 MBTHEY SHALL ALL KNOW ME (FEBRUARY 23) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/shall-all-know-me-february-23/ "And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more" (Jeremiah 31:34). HERE WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST OBVIOUS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW COVENANTS. The differe...
Written on Their Hearts (February 22)
February 22, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.31 MBWRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS (FEBRUARY 22) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/written-on-hearts-february-22/ "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Jeremiah 31:33). ALL OF THE PROPHETS EMPHASIZED HOPE. We tend to view them as doomsayers (especially Jeremiah), but the word of God’s judgment up...
A New Covenant (February 21)
February 21, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.29 MBA NEW COVENANT (FEBRUARY 21) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/new-covenant-february-21/ "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 31:31,32). THESE ARE WORDS THAT ARREST...
The Exact Imprint of God's Nature (February 20)
February 20, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.14 MBTHE EXACT IMPRINT OF GOD’S NATURE (FEBRUARY 20) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/exact-imprint-gods-nature-february-20/ "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:1-3). GOD’S REVELATION OF HIMSELF TO MANKIND H...
All the Fullness of God (February 19)
February 19, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.43 MBALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD (FEBRUARY 19) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/fullness-god-february-19/ "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9). THE CHURCH IN COLOSSAE WAS BEING THREATENED BY A DESTRUCTIVE TEACHING THAT CALLED INTO QUESTION THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST FOR THE SALVATION OF MANKIND. Paul, however, emphasized that Christ is absolutely supreme, not needing to be supplemented in any way. In fact, He is the full embodiment of God Himself...
The Knowable God (February 18)
February 18, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.25 MBTHE KNOWABLE GOD (FEBRUARY 18) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/knowable-god-february-18/ "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known" (John 1:18). WHILE AN INFINITE GOD COULD NEVER BE KNOWN COMPLETELY BY HIS CREATURES, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT NOTHING CAN BE KNOWN ABOUT GOD AT ALL. Other than the facts of His existence and power, which can be inferred from the creation (Romans 1:20), we could not know much by our own unaide...
Like a Lamb (February 17)
February 17, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.29 MBLIKE A LAMB (FEBRUARY 17) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/like-lamb-february-17/ "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). IT WAS A BASIC PRINCIPLE OF THE LAW OF MOSES THAT THE VICTIM OF A CRIME WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PUNISH THE WRONGDOER — OTHERS WERE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. We have the same principle in our law...
With His Wounds We Are Healed (February 16)
February 16, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.74 MBWITH HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED (FEBRUARY 16) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/with-his-wounds-healed-february-16/ "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). AS A JEWISH RABBI, PAUL STUMBLED OVER THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST IN THE SAME WAY THAT MANY HAVE. The Messiah was to be the King, God’s “Anointed.” How could He even be killed, let a...
Despised and Rejected by Men (February 15)
February 15, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.63 MBDESPISED AND REJECTED BY MEN (FEBRUARY 15) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/despised-rejected-men-february-15/ "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (Isaiah 53:3). IF THE WORLD HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO DESIGN ITS OWN MESSIAH OR SAVIOR, IT WOULD HAVE COME UP WITH SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT GOD ACTUALLY PROVIDED. Jesus was, to say the least, a ...
Appeal to God for a Good Conscience (February 14)
February 14, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.68 MBAPPEAL TO GOD FOR A GOOD CONSCIENCE (FEBRUARY 14) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/appeal-god-good-conscience-february-14/ "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21). ACCORDING TO PETER, BAPTISM SAVES US. Its effectiveness does not lie in the washing of dirt from the body, and even as an action that is considered spiritua...
Beginning with This Scripture (February 13)
February 13, 2024 06:00 - 2 minutes - 3.01 MBBEGINNING WITH THIS SCRIPTURE (FEBRUARY 13) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/beginning-with-this-scripture-february-13/ "And the eunuch said to Philip, 'About whom, I ask you, the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?' Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'See, here is water! What prevents me from being bapt...
Trusting God's Chosen Means (February 12)
February 12, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.48 MBTRUSTING GOD’S CHOSEN MEANS (FEBRUARY 12) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/trusting-gods-chosen-means-february-12/ "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.' So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live" (Numbers 21:8,9). THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW WHY GOD CHOSE THIS WAY OF SAVING THOSE WHO HAD BEEN SNAKEBI...
The Horrible Lie We Tell Ourselves (February 11)
February 11, 2024 06:00 - 2 minutes - 3.08 MBTHE HORRIBLE LIE WE TELL OURSELVES (FEBRUARY 11) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/horrible-lie-tell-ourselves-february-11/ "The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?' Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord" (Obadiah 3,4). THE PROBLEM OF PRIDE ADDRESSED IN T...
Sowing and Reaping (February 10)
February 10, 2024 06:00 - 2 minutes - 3.35 MBSOWING AND REAPING (FEBRUARY 10) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/sowing-reaping-february-10/ "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:7,8). ONE OF THE WORST MISTAKES WE CAN MAKE IS TO DISCONNECT OUR ACTIONS IN THE PRESENT FROM OUR DESTINY IN THE FUTURE. The doctrin...
What If We Could Solve Every Problem but One? (February 9)
February 09, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.34 MBWHAT IF WE COULD SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM BUT ONE? (FEBRUARY 9) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/solve-every-problem-but-one-february-9/ "And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, w...
Do We Deny the Lord's Diagnosis? (February 8)
February 08, 2024 06:00 - 3 minutes - 3.28 MBDO WE DENY THE LORD’S DIAGNOSIS? (FEBRUARY 8) View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/deny-lords-diagnosis-february-8/ "I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent" (Revelation 3:18,19). IF THE GOSPEL IS ABOUT GOD SAVING US FROM...