Rev. Tracey shows us how both Jesus and the woman with the alabaster box both demonstrate love in action.

We pray. We fast. We read our Bibles. We do these and other things known as spiritual disciplines, actions fundamental to our Christian growth and development, but we forget about one key discipline, that of celebration, which can bind all the others together. Sometimes, we allow trials, as well as our times of falling short in those trials, to make us forget that we do have things to celebrate God for. No matter what our station in life, if we take some time to celebrate the Lord for His goodness in our lives, no matter how hard that might be, we'll find the strength to continue the journey.

We have already witnessed how the story of Jesus extends beyond the gospels, appearing, either implicitly or explicitly, throughout the entire Bible. After surveying all of scripture to discover how foundational doctrines and concepts connect the story of Christ in both testaments, specific books must be explored to further enhance the understanding of that story. Isaiah is the perfect text to begin that exploration because within it contains a microcosm of both human life and the complete biblical text. A thorough examination of this most-important prophetic book will yield a keen understanding of not only God's plan for humanity revealed in the person of Christ, but also of the times we are living in today and of how we as Christians are to respond to those times.

Isaiah 2-4 continue much in the same vein as Chapter 1, as they contain similar stern warnings from the Lord to the people of Judah. God has high expectations for His chosen people, but again, their arrogance has caused them not to live up to those expectations. Just as in Chapter 1, we can draw many parallels between ourselves and Judah by looking at the strong words God directs toward them.

Comparing our lives to others, especially very prosperous non-believers, can be very discouraging if our spirits aren't strong and our self-image not clearly rooted in Christ. Just as the psalmist Asaph experienced, the only way we can encourage ourselves is by drawing nearer to God and asking for His guidance to help us focus on our own lives, both presently and eternally, rather than on the here-and-now in other's lives. Very simply, our mandate for personal success against the enemy of comparison is this: "Do you, boo!"

At the moment of our Lord and Savior's greatest vulnerability, Jesus demonstrated the epitome of a championship mentality in almost instantaneously maturing from fear to acceptance of His great call to suffer crucifixion for our sins. Jesus showed the heart of a champion by mustering up the courage to face his fate, rather than letting His fears deter Him from destiny. Much in the same way, if we make it up in our minds that we are champions in Christ Jesus, no amount of trial or temptation will disrupt the plan of God in our lives. You are a champion!

We have already witnessed how the story of Jesus extends beyond the gospels, appearing, either implicitly or explicitly, throughout the entire Bible. After surveying all of scripture to discover how foundational doctrines and concepts connect the story of Christ in both testaments, specific books must be explored to further enhance the understanding of that story. Isaiah is the perfect text to begin that exploration because within it contains a microcosm of both human life and the complete biblical text. A thorough examination of this most-important prophetic book will yield a keen understanding of not only God's plan for humanity revealed in the person of Christ, but also of the times we are living in today and of how we as Christians are to respond to those times.

Isaiah 1 is laid out very similar to the entire book; examining that layout and the themes presented in it will provide a good understanding of both the prophetic ministry of Isaiah and the contemporary significance of his message to the Israelites.

We have already witnessed how the story of Jesus extends beyond the gospels, appearing, either implicitly or explicitly, throughout the entire Bible. After surveying all of scripture to discover how foundational doctrines and concepts connect the story of Christ in both testaments, specific books must be explored to further enhance the understanding of that story. Isaiah is the perfect text to begin that exploration because within it contains a microcosm of both human life and the complete biblical text. A thorough examination of this most-important prophetic book will yield a keen understanding of not only God's plan for humanity revealed in the person of Christ, but also of the times we are living in today and of how we as Christians are to respond to those times.

Isaiah 1 is laid out very similar to the entire book; examining that layout and the themes presented in it will provide a good understanding of both the prophetic ministry of Isaiah and the contemporary significance of his message to the Israelites.

The truth is the truth, regardless of who speaks it, where it comes from, and when it's given. It's too bad the people of Nazareth didn't understand this important fact when Jesus announced the beginning of his earthly ministry. Jesus was poised to do great works in his hometown, but the people's preconceived notions about Who Jesus was, based on their familiarity with Him as a child, prevented them from receiving the blessing He had for them. Isn't it the same with us at times? What stands in the way, either internally or externally, of our hearing and acting on the truth we hear?

We have already witnessed how the story of Jesus extends beyond the gospels, appearing, either implicitly or explicitly, throughout the entire Bible. After surveying all of scripture to discover how foundational doctrines and concepts connect the story of Christ in both testaments, specific books must be explored to further enhance the understanding of that story. Isaiah is the perfect text to begin that exploration because within it contains a microcosm of both human life and the complete biblical text. A thorough examination of this most-important prophetic book will yield a keen understanding of not only God's plan for humanity revealed in the person of Christ, but also of the times we are living in today and of how we as Christians are to respond to those times.

When writing a theological paper of scholarly quality, it is necessary to first analyze the historical context of one's text of choice, assess the contemporary significance of the text (also done throughout the analysis), identify the genre(s) employed in crafting the text, and discuss evident themes the text reveals. The same must also be done when doing an in-depth study of one biblical book in particular, as doing so will lend to better understanding of its purpose, meaning, and application.

We have already witnessed how the story of Jesus extends beyond the gospels, appearing, either implicitly or explicitly, throughout the entire Bible. After surveying all of scripture to discover how foundational doctrines and concepts connect the story of Christ in both testaments, specific books must be explored to further enhance the understanding of that story. Isaiah is the perfect text to begin that exploration because within it contains a microcosm of both human life and the complete biblical text. A thorough examination of this most-important prophetic book will yield a keen understanding of not only God's plan for humanity revealed in the person of Christ, but also of the times we are living in today and of how we as Christians are to respond to those times.

When writing a theological paper of scholarly quality, it is necessary to first analyze the historical context of one's text of choice, assess the contemporary significance of the text (also done throughout the analysis), identify the genre(s) employed in crafting the text, and discuss evident themes the text reveals. The same must also be done when doing an in-depth study of one biblical book in particular, as doing so will lend to better understanding of its purpose, meaning, and application.