Author: Josiah Ott
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1/8/25 Bible Thought: Astonishing Faith (Matt. 8)
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn Matthew 8, Jesus’ ministry of miracles as the Messiah comes on the scene in drastic fashion. He heals a leper (8:1-4) a sick servant (8:5-13) a fever (8:14) and many who were sick (8:16). He likewise casts out demons (8:16, 28-34). And as if this weren’t enough, He also commands nature!…
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1/7/25 Bible Thought: The Disciple’s Father (Matt. 7)
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn Matthew 7, the Lord Jesus finishes His famous sermon on the mount continuing with hard teachings on the life of discipleship. It closes with a powerful presentation of two camps, one with Jesus, and one without. The ESV Study Bible points this out nicely.[1] There’s a narrow gate and a wide…
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1/6/25 Bible Thought: The Motive of the Heart (Matt. 6)
Reading Time: 3 minutesMatthew 6 continues Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount” where He gives instructions on what the life of discipleship under Him ought to look like. Although there are quite a few themes that are brought up, the chapter begins with a stark warning. “Beware!” Jesus says. This word means, “to be in…
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1/3/25 Bible Thought: The Life of Discipleship
Reading Time: 3 minutesMatthew 5 begins Jesus’ famous sermon on the mount that consists of chapters 5-7 in Matthew’s Gospel. After many crowds followed Jesus, He took His disciples up onto the mountain to teach them (5:1). The Greek word mathetes, which underlies our English, “disciple” means, “one who engages in learning through instruction from…
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1/2/25 Bible Thought: Passing the Test
Reading Time: 2 minutesEvery human being that has ever lived has at some point faced temptations to sin and all except One have caved at one point or another. Adam and Eve were given one command in the Garden of Eden and they disobeyed. The first man, Adam, fell into sin and thus the whole…
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1/1/25 Bible Thought: The Kingdom at Hand (Matt. 3)
Reading Time: 2 minutesIn Matthew chapter three we see a brief record of John the Baptist’s ministry and the commissioning of Christ into His public ministry with His baptism by John. A message comes forth from John, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). This was a climactic time in world…
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12/31/24 Bible Thought: The True King (Matt. 2)
Reading Time: 2 minutesFrom the beginning of our introduction to Jesus Christ we know He was unlike any other, being the literal embodiment of the phrase, “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). In the second chapter, Matthew goes to show us in great lengths how climactic the coming of Christ is. In the perfect plan and…
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12/30/24 Bible Thought: The Scandal of Grace (Matt. 1)
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe New Testament opens with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, and His virgin birth. We often like to blow past genealogies, but there’s something significant about this one we don’t want to miss. While most genealogies in Scripture include only male names, there are four women who are listed here in the…
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12/28/24 “Leftovers for God” (Mal. 1-4)
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe prophet Malachi’s writing lacks clear signs as to when his ministry occurred, but many believe based on some contextual evidence that he served approximately 80 years after Haggai and Zechariah. Malachi addresses a group of Israelites whose worship, although present, was lacking in many ways. I want to focus on the…
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12/27/24 “Hope in the Midst of Mess” (Zech. 11-14)
Reading Time: 3 minutesZechariah’s prophecy ends on a largely positive note. After an almost parabolic denouncement of the shepherds (leaders) in Judah by Zechariah in chapter 11, there comes a message of hope for Judah in the final chapters. This is incredibly significant when we consider the historical context of Zechariah. Zechariah’s ministry occurred around…