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The purpose of this session is to get a sense from the entire Bible of who the Holy Spirit is and what He does; to discover the Person and purpose of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we can isolate the Holy Spirit to a few passages of scripture. When we do that it’s like thinking of […] The post Discover The Person And Purpose of The Holy Spirit Part 1 appeared first on Corby Stephens.

The following text comes from my teaching notes from this session. The audio is available via the podcast at The Blue Thread and in the player below. The video is from a Facebook Live feed. Bible Overview – super summarize The Bible 66 books… One book, One Author, One Story. The OT wouldn’t make sense without […] The post Finding Joy In Not Being A Jerk appeared first on Corby Stephens.

This is the first post in a series called, “In Your Facebook Bible Feed.” On the first Monday of the month, I will be hosting a Facebook Life event where I teach through the Old Testament. In this inaugural post, I take you through a survey of the Old Testament from 30k feet. All of […] The post Gaining A Bird’s-Eye View Of The Old Testament appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights 3:1-2 Purpose of the writing. Peter puts the words of the apostles on the same level as the prophets. walking – follow after something, a journey, carry over The motivation of the scoffer – not truth, but self. Amazing how this letter and Jude parallel one another. Creation – by Godʼs word, communicated by Godʼs word. […] The post 2 Peter 3 The Lord Is Not A Slacker appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights false prophets – pseudo prophets false teachers – pseudo teachers. Genuinely deceived, and not heresies – to chose, to elect to believe something different from the majority. “I donʼt want to believe this, I want to believe that.” bought-purchased,nowunderthecontrolofthebuyer. An exchange. Key point. follow – imitate. Supposed to imitate Jesus. destructive – as the result of […] The post 2 Peter 2 Savior AND Lord appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Peter is going to remind us of the certainty of the basis for all of this. Not a philosophy, code, moral ethic. Really, really real. stir – agitate. Sometimes we need that. Encountering someone we disagree with can help correct us, or further establish us in the truth. You are never too young to think about […] The post 2 Peter 1:12-21 The Prophetic Word Confirmed appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Stuff must have happened between two letters. Very different. What? A lack of diligence in their walk combined with persecution. Weakened them to be deceived by false teachers promising them easier way. Resulting in them bailing on Jesus and forgetting the promises concerning Godʼs love and justice. They needed reminders. knowledge – epignosko. clear […] The post 2 Peter 1:1-11 Give All Diligence appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights 5:1-4 Context of leaders in a time of persecution not as being lords – not domineering, having dominion (5:11), being the boss of, Michael Scott glory – carries the idea of approval. “You did it!” “Well done, good and faithful servant.” submit yourselves – command, repeated in letter humility – thinking of ourselves as we actually […] The post 1 Peter 5 The True Grace of God appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights When it comes to the things of and the people of God sometimes we have the wrong expectations. 7-9 Expecting Jesus to come back right now, and living like it. We can have a problem loving, but also letting other love us, letting them in. 10-11 Expecting God to work through and among us. 12-18 Expecting […] The post 1 Peter 4:7-19 Living with Expectations appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Mini narrative of Jesus death, post death, resurrection, exaltation The more we appreciate how much we deserve to go to Hell, the more we will appreciate what Jesus has done and provided for us. We are carried through judgment in the resurrection of Jesus. Weʼve spent enough time before following Jesus living for self apart […] The post 1 Peter 3:18 – 4:6 Just for the Unjust appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights 3:8 One mind – think the same thing, same understanding. How do we have this one mind? 1 Cor 2:16, Philippians mind of Christ. Romans 12:2. If we are all being transformed we should all be of one mind. having compassion – sympathetic resonance. Like notes resonating on a piano’s strings. We need to have […] The post 1 Peter 3:8-17 Sympathetic Resonance appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Living as an example of Jesus among unbelievers. Peter is emphasizing the need for believers to submit themselves, even to unbelievers. Let them see Jesus in you. Even in marriage. Marriage is the first institution/organization God has given to mankind. The foundation for all society and culture. Who was on the ark? Four married couples. […] The post 1 Peter 3:7 Therefore, Submit Yourselves, part 3 appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Living as an example of Jesus among unbelievers. Some topics have a lot of baggage attached to them. This is one. Problem is we think in terms of opposites, extremes. Bad thinking. Men and women are different. Duh. Not better/worse than, not more/less valuable/significant. Given different roles by God. As in a play, all roles […] The post 1 Peter 3:1-7 Therefore, Submit Yourselves pt 2 appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Context – living as an example of Jesus among unbelievers 2:13 submit yourselves – imperative, you do it to yourself. Subjugate. put under the authority of another, cooperate, subordinate, yield, obey, assume responsibility, carry a burden. Military usage; to arrange troops under a leader. 2:21 Christian – one of Christʼs. Disciple – a student, one who learns the […] The post 1 Peter 2:13-25 Therefore, Submit Yourselves part 1 appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights sojourners – nomads passing through, not residents pilgrims – like Abraham, made his dwelling in Canaan but was a stranger fleshly lusts – not just the “bad” stuff, anything that… war against the soul – flesh vs. spirit. Not living life to please others, but to be an example to them, to be what is […] The post 1 Peter 2:11-12 I Surrender All appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Are you/we coming to Him or are you just around Him? Living stone – lively, active, enduring, not dead, inactive. In this context a building stone, chiseled and shaped. “When I look at the stone I see the finished sculpture. My job is to clear away the extra bits.” Thatʼs what God does with us. […] The post 1 Peter 2:4-10 God’s Chiseled Body appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Babies innocent and incapable of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking. They long for unadulterated, unmixed (opposite of list above), milk of the word, pure spiritual milk. They grow up. Reminded to desire the pure word of God instead of the junk food of the flesh. Originally taught June 14, 2009. Audio Video [callout]Don’t […] The post 1 Peter 2:1-3 What Babies Can Teach Us About Following Jesus appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Fear not only drives us away from the truth, it drives us away from one another. Truth drives us to faith, hope, and to love one another. When we are in trials and trouble we shouldnʼt go back to the world and especially should not isolate ourselves from the Body. Reminder – Godʼs word equips us […] The post 1 Peter 1:22-25 New Life Means New Living appeared first on Corby Stephens.

Highlights Not only do we put our hope in the wrong things, we do the same with our fear. We donʼt put any value in things that donʼt have any value. The problem is, we donʼt recognize what has value and what doesnʼt. The only thing that our faith and hope can be in is […] The post 1 Peter 1:17-21 Bought & Paid For appeared first on Corby Stephens.