No gift is too small There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 1 Corinthians 12:4–6 (NLT) What do you think of when you hear the phrase “spiritual gifts”? Are there certain gifts that come …
1 Corinthians (NIV) Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians gives us a vivid snapshot of a real church with real struggles. There were conflicts, misunderstandings about worship, questions about Christian living, and confusion about spiritual gifts. Sound familiar? That’s what I’ve always loved about 1 Corinthians: it’s real. Their church is not too different from our church today. From the Lutheran perspective, 1 Corinthians highlights our deep need for Christ’s grace, the work of the …
Love Letters from Paul God’s plan and practical Christian living As we continue through Romans, chapters 9–16 read like a set of heartfelt letters. Paul writes to a church he has never met, yet his affection is obvious. These chapters remind us that God keeps his promises, the Gospel welcomes everyone, and Christian love shows itself in everyday relationships and practical service. Martin Luther once said, The Gospel is not what we do, but what …
Paul’s love letter in suffering No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37–39 (NIV) Powerful, all-encompassing …
A note about the Bible Studies for 2026 The theme for the Bible Studies this year is “Love Letters from Paul”. Throughout the year we will be looking at various letters from the Apostle Paul to Christian congregations. The words that Paul wrote, inspired by the Holy Spirit, reflect on many important themes of the Christian faith including who God is, what God has done for us in Christ, our life together as “church”, and …
Paul’s love letter for mutual encouragement First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported over all the world … constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift …
Psalm 121 – A pilgrim song My help comes from the LORD We are pilgrims on a journey to our heavenly home. Psalm 121 is a hymn of trust and faith in God from the book of Psalms. It expresses the belief that God is always watching over and protecting those who put their trust in him. The psalmist acknowledges God’s care and assurance, emphasising that the Lord is their help and protector. Psalm 121 …
The Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 146–150) Introduction Have you ever heard people criticising that Christian praise songs are too repetitive? Well, the five psalms that the Book of Psalms concludes with are also a bit repetitive! Each psalm starts and ends with the Hebrew word: Hallelujah. In your English translation, you should have “Praise the Lord” or something similar. (Hallelujah means Praise the Lord.) The Book of Psalms concludes with 10 Hallelujahs (opening and closing of …
Psalm 139 (God our biographer) I am an open book to God The man in this psalm has experienced the scrutiny of God. God knows everything about him, down to the most trivial of details. He knows when the man sits down to dinner and when he gets up to go to work. Even when the man isn’t thinking about God, God is thinking about him and knows what he is thinking about. Before the …
Psalms – Hymns and Prayers of God’s People Book 5 (Psalms 107–145) Introduction Many see this collection of psalms as having the theme of “return from exile”. When compiled, they would have been of great comfort to those during the Babylonian/Persian captivity and to those who returned to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem. However, this is also a common theme in Scripture. The Exodus can be seen as a return to the land after an …
Book 4 (Psalms 90–106) Psalm 103 – Thanksgiving for God’s goodness Let’s begin our time of studying God’s Word with prayer: Gracious Heavenly Father, be with us as we come together to study your Word, and also protect our loved ones who are not with us. Through the Holy Spirit open our hearts and our ears so that we may be nurtured and sustained by your Word that is spoken through the psalms. In Jesus’ …
Psalm 103 David’s psalm celebrates what the Lord does for us and speaks again of God’s mercies to his people, Israel. These mercies are showered on us, in and through Jesus. We meditate on the goodness of God and how we ought to worship the Lord because of his goodness. David expressed this in the opening words, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! David wanted …