luke-15:11-13,-luke-15:17-32-niv

Riches (4149) (ploutos from pletho = to fill) properly denotes abundance, plentitude, and literally is used to refer to material wealth or prosperity (abundance of earthly, temporal goods) which is the meaning in the parable of the seed and the soils (Mt 13:22, Mk 4:19, Lk 8:14 = Material riches are... Read More

Confirm (4741) (stērízō from histemi = to stand as in 1 Pe 5:12 "stand firm in" the true grace of God. Histemi also root of "Resist" - anthistemi and of "firm" - stereos, both used by Peter in 1 Pe 5:9) means to make firm or solid, to set fast, to fix firmly in a place, to establish (make firm or st... Read More

Strong (loud, mighty, severe, strong man) (ischuros from ischuo = to be able) is an adjective which means strong, powerful, mighty (usually referring to inherent physical strength), able, forcible. Strong, having moral power. Inherently strong. Ischuros can describe (1) People - spoken of the powers... Read More

It does not seem a strange thing that the creature and the Creator should meet face to face, and that they should hold intercourse without any obstructing medium. We may not understand the mode of communication between the visible and the invisible, but we can see this, at least, that He who made us... Read More

"The younger son got together all he had, set off for a far country and there squandered his substance in wild living." Luke 15:13 It is not long after a man has shaken off his subjection to God — before he begins his departure from Him. He first gets the reins into his own hands — and then the old ... Read More

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. Parable of the Lost Sheep, vv. 1–7 What was the occasion of our Lord’s uttering these three parables of Luke 15? What one purpose is there in all these parables? (Compare v. 2 with vv. 7, 10, 24, 32.) How do these parables, while having the same general purpose, differ from... Read More

In the present age of grace, everything is "by grace" (Eph. 2:8). Everything being by grace means that everything is done by God. Man does not have to do anything to be saved because "to the one who works, his wages are not accounted according to grace, but according to what is due" (Rom. 4:4). Beca... Read More

IT IS IMPERATIVE that a believer know he has a spirit, since, as we shall soon learn, every communication of God with man occurs there. If the believer does not discern his own spirit he invariably is ignorant of how to commune with God in the spirit. He easily substitutes the thoughts or emotions o... Read More

Jesus said that the right way to enter His sheepfold (His kingdom) was through the door. But He said that some would try to come in by climbing over the wall (John 10:1). The way that God has laid down for man to be saved is by repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the only way. God... Read More

We can never enjoy deliverance from our self-life before we see something of its total corruption. Let us look at the elder son (in the parable in Luke 15), for he illustrates, perhaps better than anyone else in the Bible, the utter rottenness of the self-life. The younger son in the parable is usua... Read More