Here are some pictures of the discipleship hike. We were blessed with twelve hikers and all had a great time. We studied the attributes of Jesus in Paul’s letter to the Colossians, and then we discussed what difference those attributes should make in our lives. We discussed Jesus’ power, His role as creator, His life, and His death. We spent time sharing testimonies of how He has worked in our lives, and we spent alone time in the forest to speak with our Creator. All in all, it was a time of blessing, spiritual growth, fun, and fellowship. Oh, and we also climbed the two highest mountains in Virginia - Mt. Rogers and Whitetop - spanning 20 miles in three days.

Paul here explains one of the primary ways in which Jesus fulfilled the law. Romans 7:1-6 Continue reading this post…

Paul, utilizing his clever dialectic (arguing back and forth between two opposing principles), shows the powerful grace of God and the foolishness of rejecting His gospel. Romans 6:15-23 Continue reading this post…

The way we live our lives as Christians should not be governed by the question, “What do we have the freedom to do?” But rather, “What do we have the freedom not to do? Paul explains in Romans 6:5-14 Continue reading this post…

Romans 6:1-4

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Romans 5:12-21

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I just wanted to say that I was greatly blessed by the fellowship of our church this past weekend.  From the sunrise service, which saw around 30 people enduring the cold, to the 11:00 service, we had a great time.  I saw people working together, caring for each other, and generally enjoying what it means to be in Christ.  As I taught I saw the energy in people’s faces and it re-energized me.  This is a glimpse of the eternal kingdom, people sharing in Christ, and I hope it is a glimpse of greater fellowship to come at Mt. Tirzah.

If there was any remaining pride for Jews or Gentiles left with which to exalt themselves, Paul crushes it here in Romans 5:6-11 Continue reading this post…

Paul outlines some of the effects of justification by faith in Romans 5:1-5; Continue reading this post…

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water”

This is a departure from our study in Romans, but as I read Colossians last evening I was struck by the importance of these verses for the growth and health of the church.  Note Paul’s instructions in Col 3:12-17 Continue reading this post…