Bible Study Buts
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But I …
An Excerpt from Chapter 12: A Devotional Thought Read Matthew 10:5–8, 18–20 Matthew chapter 10 contains some unsettling instructions. Jesus speaks of opposition, rejection, arrests, trials, and suffering. Yet woven throughout the chapter are repeated assurances that God is with His people. He knows. He sees. He cares. He will provide words when words are… Continue reading
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But Do Not Use Your Freedom…
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” — Galatians 5:13 Every Fourth of July, Americans pause to celebrate a remarkable gift. Freedom. This weekend we celebrate a milestone—for 250 years our nation has enjoyed liberties that countless generations around… Continue reading
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No Buts About It
Nothing to Everything The Bible begins with Genesis. The first of sixty-six books that together make up the most beloved book in history takes its name from its opening words. Genesis simply means beginning. That seems fitting, because the Bible opens by inviting us into the beginnings of everything. How did all of this come to be? Although the… Continue reading
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But What About You?
Jesus asked many remarkable questions. Some exposed people’s motives. Some invited deeper faith. Some left listeners speechless. Perhaps one of His most personal questions comes in Matthew 16. “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13) At first glance, it seems like an odd question. Surely Jesus already knew what people were saying… Continue reading
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But You Were Washed
This is surely one of the bigger buts in the Bible for the context in which it appears. Check out 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. The context begins, Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God? It is a rhetorical question. Of course you know this! In case you didn’t, a whole list… Continue reading
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But God is the Strength of My Heart
This passage is ‘chock full o’ buts.’ In Psalm 73 the psalmist begins with the assertion that God is good to Israel. Well, of course he would say that; he’s Asaph, chief songwriter and songleader for King David’s choirs. He couldn’t very well have begun, “Um… God is… yeah, well… whatever.” The song begins proclaiming God… Continue reading
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Not Performance, But Presence
An Excerpt from Chapter 7 ~ The Sermon On The Mount Read Matthew 7:21–29 There is something sobering about the way Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount. After speaking about prayer, forgiveness, worry, judgment, generosity, integrity, and trust, He paints a picture of deeply religious people standing before Him saying, “Lord, Lord, look at… Continue reading
