We are living in changing and perilous times. As followers of the LORD, we must discern properly. In this message, Abri focuses on the importance of having Bible based discernment.
In our walk with the LORD, we gothrough various stages of spiritual growth. Not only do individuals go throughthese stages, but churches and even cultures do as well. Understanding thestages will help you extend more grace and mercy to those around you who arenot at the same Stage you are. Here are the four stages of spiritual development.
A father anchors the family with stability, direction, and protection. His words and actions shape how his children understand love, responsibility, and faith. By leading with integrity and presence, he builds confidence and security in those who depend on him. A father’s quiet strength and steady guidance often become the unseen foundation on which the whole home stands.
The Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, commemorates God dwelling with His people in the wilderness, and it prophetically points to Jesus as the true Emmanuel, God dwelling among us, who provides living water and eternal shelter for all who believe in Him.
This is part 3 of a series entitled "Go tell the world". In this session, Abri will share how to structure your testimony. It is all about sharing your testimony as a witness to others. This series aims to help Christians share their faith in Jesus Christ practically and straightforwardly. We will focus on the salvation of people and how you can play a role in guiding someone to Christ. Although the information I will be sharing is “basic” and “simple,” it will be life-changing if applied to your life.
Many well-known verses in the Bible are often poorly obeyed. One such example is found in Matthew chapter 28, "Go and make disciples...". As believers, it is not enough to merely believe; we must also act in accordance with our convictions and beliefs concerning Biblical truth.
This is part 2 of a series entitled "Go tell the world". It is all about sharing your testimony as a witness to others. This series aims to help Christians share their faith in Jesus Christ practically and straightforwardly. We will focus on the salvation of people and how you can play a role in guiding someone to Christ. Although the information I will be sharing is “basic” and “simple,” it will be life-changing if applied to your life.
Many well-known verses in the Bible are often poorly obeyed. One such example is found in Matthew chapter 28, "Go and make disciples...". As believers, it is not enough to merely believe; we must also act in accordance with our convictions and beliefs concerning Biblical truth.
This is part 1 of a series entitled "Go tell the world". It is all about sharing your testimony as a witness to others. This series aims to help Christians share their faith in Jesus Christ practically and straightforwardly. We will focus on the salvation of people and how you can play a role in guiding someone to Christ. Although the information I will be sharing is “basic” and “simple,” it will be life-changing if applied to your life.
Many well-known verses in the Bible are often poorly obeyed. One such example is found in Matthew chapter 28, "Go and make disciples...". As believers, it is not enough to merely believe; we must also act in accordance with our convictions and beliefs concerning Biblical truth.
This is Part 2 of the Episode entitled, "The Tallit".
For us to understand he Bible better, we must adopt a hermeneutical (Bible interpretation) approach that prioritises interpreting the Bible within its original ancient context. This means that we should aim to interpret the Bible through the historical and cultural lens of its original audiences. To achieve this, a careful examination of the contextual background, original languages, and the surrounding ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman cultures is required to gain a deeper understanding of how the biblical writers and their contemporaneous audiences would have interpreted the text. The Tallit, also known as the Jewish prayer shawl, is a traditional garment worn by men during prayer. It symbolises several things, including reverence, obedience, and a sense of covenantal identity. The Tallit is prominently featured in several biblical texts. Still, because many Christians are not familiar with the Tallit, they read over those passages without understanding the deeper “heartbeat” of the Biblical story. Let’s explore the meaning, symbolism, and purpose of the Tallit, as well as its usage within Jewish customs. This study will shed light on how this garment enriches our understanding of various biblical narratives and enhances our interpretation of Scripture in its original context.
For us to understand the Bible better, we must adopt a hermeneutical (Bible interpretation) approach that prioritises interpreting the Bible within its original ancient context. This means that we should aim to interpret the Bible through the historical and cultural lens of its original audiences. To achieve this, a careful examination of the contextual background, original languages, and the surrounding ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman cultures is required to gain a deeper understanding of how the biblical writers and their contemporaneous audiences would have interpreted the text. The Tallit, also known as the Jewish prayer shawl, is a traditional garment worn by men during prayer. It symbolises several things, including reverence, obedience, and a sense of covenantal identity. The Tallit is prominently featured in several biblical texts. Still, because many Christians are not familiar with the Tallit, they read over those passages without understanding the deeper “heartbeat” of the Biblical story. Let’s explore the meaning, symbolism, and purpose of the Tallit, as well as its usage within Jewish customs. This study will shed light on how this garment enriches our understanding of various biblical narratives and enhances our interpretation of Scripture in its original context.
When it comes to the most prominent and significant events in Scripture, God’s pattern is one of intimate protection. He walks with His people through fire, flood, famine, persecution,and wrath while judging the world around them. “You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 23). That is something to rejoice over. Jesus never taught escape theology. He promised persecution and His presence in it. AsGod’s children, it is imperative that we anchor ourselves in the pattern of God’s divine protection.
Parallels between Sinai and Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2.
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Chapter 1: God commands Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against its wickedness. Jonah disobeys and boards a ship to Tarshish. A violent storm hits; Jonah tells the sailors to throw him overboard. As soon as they do, the sea calms, and Jonah is swallowed by a great fish.Chapter 2: From inside the fish, Jonah prays a poetic prayer of repentance and thanksgiving. After three days and nights, the fish vomits Jonah onto dry land.Chapter 3: God gives Jonah the same command to go to Nineveh. This time he obeys. He delivers a message: “Forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The people of Nineveh believe, repent, fast, and even the king puts on sackcloth. God sees their repentance and spares the city.Chapter 4: Jonah is angry that God showed mercy. He sits outside the city, hoping to see its destruction. God causes a plant to grow for shade, then sends a worm to kill it. Jonah is more upset about the plant than the city. God uses this to teach Jonah about compassion.One of the central themes of the book of Jonah is “God’s offensive mercy to sinners and to Israel’s enemies”. In this sermon message, we take a closer look at this aspect of the book of Jonah.
Understanding Bible verses and passages withintheir historical and cultural contexts is essential for grasping their true meaning. Without an awareness of the customs, religious practices, and worldview of the time, we risk misinterpreting the significance and depth of the text. In our exploration of why the Hebrews created a golden calf in thedesert while Moses was meeting with God on Mount Sinai, we need to familiarise ourselves with the mindset of the Hebrews. We have to understand Egyptian culture and religious practices because that is the setting in which the Hebrews found themselves for about 400 years.
Throughout ancient history, no civilisation understood the power of art, image and form quite like the Egyptians. For them, art was not merely decorative. It was a sacred“technology”, a tool used to influence, summon, bind, or repel supernatural beings and spiritual forces. The Egyptian belief that art influences the supernatural would extend far beyond Egypt’s borders. It exists to this very day. When the Hebrews crafted the golden calf in the wilderness, they were notinventing a new religion but replicating an ancient Egyptian practice, which God told them not to do.
If we claim to be Christ followers, we must develop the courage to assess and analyse what we believe and why we believe it. We must ask ourselves the question, “Am I right in what I believe the Bible says or am I following a popular view within the church or my Christian community that seems to be what the Bible is saying, but in fact is not. This exploration can be beautiful, but needless to say, also extremely challenging.
Why is it important to examine your beliefs and theology about truth and what you think the Bible is saying? It is important because your beliefs shape your life and steers it.
The Rabbis of Jesus’ day were famous for using specific teaching techniques when communicating God’s Word to people. The first-century rabbis were master storytellers and taught God’s Word using clever techniques. Through these teaching techniques, Jesus claimed to be God, their Messiah. Because we do not understand Jesus’ teaching techniques, we fail to see just how often Jesus claimed to be God. Let’s explore some of Jesus’ teaching techniques.
REMEZ
For the first-century Jewish disciple who has a good knowledge of the Text — the rabbi has hidden a special treasure that is unlocked with a familiarity with the Text. The rabbis often assumed that the audience knew the Text. If the audience does not know the Text, they will not understand the deeper meaning of what the rabbi is trying to say. Also, the rabbi buries what is called a Remez into the teaching. Remez is a Hebrew term that means “hint” or “suggestion.” The Bible is full of hidden treasures waiting to be uncovered, and understanding Remez is a way to uncover these treasures.
In the context of the Bible, Remez refers to a teaching technique where a word or phrase hints at something more profound, often pointing to a larger scriptural context. Remez links the disciple to a passage in the Hebrew scriptures that will give context to the more profound meaning the Teacher is driving at. I trust that you will enjoy this insightful session.
We often do not understand Jesus' teaching because we do not understand his teaching techniques. In this episode, we will explore some of the techniques Jesus used to share His message.
What did discipleship look like in Jesus's day? In this episode, Abri explores the first-century culture and views regarding discipleship.
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The Bible is filled with parallels. These parallels teach us various lessons about the nature of God, humanity, and the overarching themes of the Scripture. Looking at the parallels, we realise that someone greater than “man” was involved in putting the Bible together. It shows us that His plans for us were made since the beginning of time and are exact down to the last detail. That is a great comfort to us because it indicates that He is deeply involved in our everyday lives.
What was Jesus doing in and through this miracle? This miracle has multiple layers and purposes. Jesus did not only perform this miracle mainly to give the blind man sight but also to reveal his true identity to the people.
