Daniel Burton Archives - Page 36 of 48

Luke 5:1-11 Abundant Obedience

February 5, 2018

As the famed teacher had finishing speaking, he looks directly at Peter and told him cast out his nets. How could this be? They had been fishing all night and caught nothing of any substance for their evenings work. There were simply no fish. While Peter protested he still remaining obedient to the words of Jesus Christ. They made no sense to a fisherman, but to a God, the catch was merely an act of obedience. While he acted in obedience, the results were beyond the expectation of Peter’s imagination.

Making All Things New: From The End to Eternity

January 29, 2018

At the end of time, we will arrive at the beginning of our eternity. Everything that God has done throughout the course of mankind has sought to return humanity to eternity with Him. Out of love, Christ made a way for our salvation, for our redemption, and for our sanctification. All of this in order that we would rest in eternity in the ecstatic presence of God. There is no area that God showed himself to be unsuccessful and no action that was not accounted for before hand. Jesus Christ was slain before the foundation of the world and heaven will collide with earth in pursuit of the people of God.

Exodus Week 10: God’s People Do As He Says

January 25, 2018

At the beginning of Exodus, the situation appeared fairly bleak for the Israelites. Enslaved and held captive by the power-hungry Pharaoh, the Israelites were facing their death and oppression. And God heard their prayers. He sent Moses and gave him specific instructions on how to handle the release of His people. In faith, Moses and the Israelites followed God and were saved. During their plight in the desert, as the people feared for their safety, the Lord provided for them in miraculous ways. Again, in faith, Moses and the people of God followed instructions for their own salvation.

Making All Things News: From Bones to Living

Making All Things New: From Bones to Living

January 22, 2018

Ezekiel 37, with its familiarity causes us to glaze over the full depth of the passage. We often are able to intellectually understand the idea of dry bones will rise and walk again. We picture images of skeletons standing up like cheap halloween specials but miss the significance of where we are in this story. As God shows Ezekiel the dry bones, God asks “Can these dry bones live?” Ezekiel while answering God, undoubtedly came to the same understanding and fear that we all face. We come to understand that we are the dry bones and fear that the answer is no.

Exodus Week 9: God Dwells In Our Midst

January 18, 2018

God had met His people on Mount Sinai. He did not join them through metaphor or representation, but the presence of God descended from heaven on Mount Sinai. This divine invasion had spurned and annoyed the broken world that ceased being righteous long ago. As God’s presence came near, the very earth groaned in the expectation of perfection that would soon be coming. The mountain smoked. There was thunder and lightning. The righteous God had come to an unrighteous world for the salvation and blessing of His people.

Making All Things New: From Old To New

January 15, 2018

The author of Hebrews connects the prophesies of old with the works of Jesus Christ. For the old prophets, God revealed a future where the old covenant would disappear and a new covenant would be established. Where people once studied the word of God, in the new covenant, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the covenant would become a part of their DNA and their very identity. The sins will be forgiveness and they will be established for eternity. The old will be made new and restoration will come for the people. Through Jesus Christ, the Old Covenant established between God and His people will be fulfilled and a new covenant will be established by the grace of God. Our response to this new covenant is nothing short of following wherever God leads us and submitting to His will.

Exodus Week 8: God’s Covenant Code

January 11, 2018

As the Israelites looked upon the Egyptian army bearing down on them with their backs to the Red Sea, their enslavement or death looked imminent. The situation for the Israelites appeared to be fatal. It had only been one day since they were led by the hand out God out of Egypt. Yet, having been rescued through the sovereign grace of God, the people immediately began to doubt that God had even sent Moses.

James 3:13-18 Both Sides of Wisdom

January 10, 2018

James continues his discussion of wisdom and how we apply it to our lives as Christians. James begins with a rhetorical question challenging to the reader to take a look inward and ask “Am I wise?” Wisdom goes beyond a simple understanding of what is right. While wisdom includes understanding, it goes beyond that. Wisdom, and thus a wise person, applies what they have learned. Yet, this wisdom is easily contrasted with the wisdom of the world. The world will encourage us to pursue selfish gain over and at the expense of others. The wisdom of Heaven, though, strives for a greater and deeper expression of a life changed and redeemed by an everlasting God.

Making All Things New: From Death To Life

January 8, 2018

Towards the end of John’s Revelation he understood God’s desire for the salvation of His people. God was making all things new. The plan wasn’t to attempt to tidy of or to make a used car to be like new, but to reform and remake a person new. There is a difference between new and like new and God would be making all things new. God, on His sovereign throne, would command existence itself to be restored to fullness by His powerful might and His wondrous grace. Though sin had been introduced to the world and through it death, God removes the decay for the restoration of mankind.

Exodus Week 7: God’s Self-Revelation

January 4, 2018

Three months have now gone by since the people of Israel were saved from the mad king tyrant of Pharaoh. During that time, the people had followed the guidance of God with a pillar of smoke and fire guiding them day and night. The presence of God was with them and guiding them to safety. Even more so than that, God had made provisions for them for both food and water, to provide for them supernaturally. Clearly, God intended for the Israelites to not only survive but to live a thriving life.