by Jim Kerwin
on May 24, 2022
James Nicholson
(c. 1828–1876)
In God I have found a retreat
Where I can securely abide;
No refuge, nor rest so complete,
And here I intend to abide.
Chorus:
Oh, what comfort it brings,
As my soul sweetly sings;
I am safe from all danger
While under His wings.
I dread not the terror by night;
No arrow can harm me by day; [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
hymns,
hymn,
James Nicholson
by Jim Kerwin
on May 23, 2022
The John the Baptist Experience
Book 1: The Exceptional Messenger
Chapter 5: Squaring John with Elijah
Copyright © 2022
by
Jim Kerwin
A Question for You
Matthew 11 relates the story of the imprisoned John sending two of his disciples to Jesus with this question: “Are you the Expected One?” (Matthew 11:2-3) They see some of Jesus’ miracles, receive a prophecy-based word of encouragement for John, and they leave to report back (vv. 3-7a).
Jesus then turns to the crowds and launches into an unfolding of John’s ministry and its importance. Do you remember Jesus’ final statement regarding John in this passage?
- 14“And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. 15He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
- Matthew 11:14-15
In that phrase “Elijah who was to come,” Jesus is referring to [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Mark 12:37,
Luke 1:5-25,
Matthew 14:12-13,
1 Kings 18,
Luke 3:14,
2 Chronicles 7:1,
Acts 13:24-25,
2 Kings 2:3-7,
Luke 1:57-80,
Mark 6:29,
Mount Carmel,
Luke 7:20,
Judges 13:19-20,
John 1:21,
1 Kings 18:43-44,
martyrdom,
Luke 1:35,
Acts 18:24-26,
Acts 1:15-26,
1 Kings 11:26-43,
Malachi 4:1,
Acts 10:37,
1 King 19:3,
fire of God,
Luke 1:41-44,
Apollos,
discipling,
1 King 12:12-27,
Matthew 3-8-10,
Jim Kerwin,
Matthew 11:14-15,
1 Kings 19:8,
Great Commission,
2 King 1:7-8,
Acts 19:1-7,
The John the Baptist Experience,
2 Chronicles 11:13-40,
Acts 2:32-36,
Persian Empire,
Matthew 11:2-7,
1 Kings 19:16-21,
Luke 1:80,
Matthew 11:8,
Matthew 3:5,
1 Kings 16:31,
2 Kings 2:1-18,
Alexander the Great,
Malachi 4:5-6,
2 Kings 3:11,
Luke 11:5,
Luke 11:1,
Luke 15:10,
miracles,
1 Kings 18:4,
Romans 5:7,
Prayer,
Luke 7:28,
John 1:35-40,
Matthew 11:11,
fasting,
1 Kings 18:24,
Revelation 12:11,
1 Kings 19:2,
Revelation 2:10-11,
John the Baptist,
Genesis 14:18-22,
John 3:22-36,
John 10:41,
Luke 5:33,
Leviticus 9:24,
Matthew 28:18-20,
Ahab Jezebel,
Revelation 6:9-11,
Elijah,
Hebrews 7:3,
Mark 2:18,
Matthew 3:4,
1 Kings 19:1-7,
Judge 6:21,
Maccabees,
John 15:13-14,
Elisha,
James 5:17-18,
Luke 7:18-24,
Matthew 3:11-12,
1 King 19:14,
1 Chronicles 21:25
by Jim Kerwin
on May 21, 2022
Isaac-Watts
(1674-1748)
Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove,
With all Thy quick’ning powers;
Kindle a flame of sacred love
In these cold hearts of ours.
Look how we grovel here below,
Fond of these trifling toys; [continue reading…]
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Perfect Love,
hymn,
dove,
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Isaac Watts
by Jim Kerwin
on May 17, 2022
Edna Worrell
(1873–1961)
A friend I have called Jesus,
Whose love is strong and true,
And never fails howe’er ’tis tried,
No matter what I do;
I’ve sinned against this love of His,
But when I knelt to pray,
Confessing all my guilt to Him,
The sin clouds rolled away.
Chorus:
It’s just like [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Love of God,
hymn,
Edna Worrell,
hymns,
confession
by Jim Kerwin
on May 16, 2022
16 May 2022
Dear Friend,

Jesus is
still doing good!
April flew by, May is accelerating, and I have a plane to catch early this Friday, May 20th, for my teaching trip to Guatemala (May 20-31). Let me take a break for a few minutes, sit down, and share with you some of April’s highlights.
I’m reminded of a line from Peter’s sermon at Cornelius’ house. Speaking of the Lord’s earthly life, Peter said, “God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power… He went about doing good and healing…”
What a down-to-earth description of the Lord’s ministry! Jesus is [continue reading…]
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The John the Baptist Experience,
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LendAHand Mission Teams
by Jim Kerwin
on May 15, 2022
Ellen Lakshmi Goreh
(1853-1937)
Take my heart, O Great Refiner,
Plunge it in the cleansing flame;
Heat the furnace seven times hotter,
I shall still adore Thy Name;
I shall hail its hungry roaring,
’Twill be music in mine ear,
If, amid its fiery [continue reading…]
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sanctification,
holiness,
trials,
heart purity,
hymn,
Ellen Lakshmi Goreh,
purification,
hymns
by Jim Kerwin
on May 13, 2022
Civilla Martin
(1866-1948)
29“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”
Matthew 10:29-31 nasb
6“Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 7Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.“
Luke 12:6-7 nasb
Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely,
And long for Heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is He—
His eye is on the sparrow, [continue reading…]
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Matthew 10:29-31,
Civilla Martin,
sparrows,
Luke 12:6-7,
hymns,
Love of God
by Jim Kerwin
on May 9, 2022
Eleanor Schroll
(1878–1966)
There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
There’s a place that is wondrously fair,
For it glows with the light of His presence —
’Tis the beautiful garden of prayer.
Chorus:
Oh, the beautiful garden, [continue reading…]
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Prayer,
communion with God,
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by Jim Kerwin
on May 6, 2022
Albert Reitz
(1879-1966)
It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”
Luke 11:1 nasb
“Teach me to pray, Lord, teach me to pray” —
This is my heart-cry day unto day.
I long to know Thy will and Thy way;
“Teach me to pray, Lord, teach me to pray!”
Chorus:
Living in Thee, Lord, and Thou in me,
Constant abiding, this is my plea.
Grant me [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Albert Reitz,
hymns,
Prayer,
Intercession,
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Luke 11:1
by Jim Kerwin
on May 4, 2022
George A. Young
(18??-19??)
In shady, green pastures
So rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along;
Where the water’s cool flow
Bathes the weary one’s feet,
God leads His dear children along.
Chorus:
Some through the waters,
Some through [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
hymns,
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Divine guidance,
George Young
by Jim Kerwin
on April 25, 2022
The John the Baptist Experience
Book 1: The Exceptional Messenger
Deeper Dive 6:
Verb Voices and Violent Versions
Copyright © 2022
by
Jim Kerwin
Matthew 11:12 —
A Thorny Translation Challenge
As we have seen, Matthew 11:1-19 is that wonderful passage in which Jesus teaches about John the Baptist. First, He sends a message of encouragement to the imprisoned John. Then Jesus uses the opportunity to point the crowd to John’s fulfillment of the prophecies in Malachi 3:1 and 4:5-6 (the latter being the “Elijah prophecy”).
Matthew’s account of the events and teaching that day is very clear — except for one verse that has proven to be something of a thorny challenge to translate and interpret. That verse is Matthew 11:12—
“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.”
What makes it “thorny”? Because [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Jeremiah 41:5,
Genesis 37:34; Genesis 44:13,
2 Kings 11:14,
Luke 16:16,
Matthew 26:25,
Numbers 14:6,
2 Kings 19:1,
Matthew 11:1-19,
Acts 14:14,
Judges 11:35,
Jim Kerwin,
2 Kings 22:11,
active voice,
rending of garments,
2 Samuel 1:2,
John the Baptist,
2 Kings 22:19,
middle voice,
2 Samuel 1:11,
Ezra 9:3,
passive voice,
2 Samuel 3:31,
Ezra 9:5,
Malachi 4:4-5,
2 Samuel 13:19,
The John the Baptist Experience,
Job 1:20,
John 6:15,
2 Samuel 13:31,
Matthew 11:12,
Job 2:12,
Deuteronomy 6:5-6,
2 Samuel 15:32,
Isaiah 36:22,
Joel 2:12-13,
2 Kings 2:12m 2 Kings 5:8,
Isaiah 37:1,
Genesis 37:29,
2 Kings 6:30
by Jim Kerwin
on April 11, 2022
The John the Baptist Experience
Book 1: The Exceptional Messenger
Deeper Dive #5: “Malachisaiah”?
Copyright © 2022
by
Jim Kerwin
Two Prophecies, Two Readings
Please let me share Mark 1:1-3 from two translations, the King James Version and the New American Standard Bible:
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2As it is written in the prophets,
“Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face,
which shall prepare Thy way before Thee.
3The voice of one crying in the wilderness… etc.
[kjv]
1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way;
3The voice of one crying in the wilderness…’ ” etc.
[nasb]
As we can see, Mark introduces “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” by immediately [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
James 1:1,
Malachi 3:1,
Isaiah 10:22-23,
Hebrews 2:6-8,
Psalm 106:16-17,
1 Peter 1:1,
The John the Baptist Experience,
Matthew 21:5,
Psalm 8:4-6,
Numbers 16:1-33; Numbers 26:9-10,
Jude 1,
Matthew 21:1-5,
Hebrews 4:4,
Acts 23:22,
mnemonic trigger,
Zechariah 9:9,
Genesis 2:1-2,
Jim Kerwin,
1 John 1:1,
Isaiah 62:11,
Exodus 20:11,
John the Baptist,
2 John 1,
Psalm 9:14,
Hebrews 1:5-13,
3 John 1,
Isaiah 40:3,
2 Kings 19:21,
Hebrews 3:7-11,
Romans 9:25-26,
Mark 1:1-3,
John 12:15,
Hebrews 10:15-17,
Romans 11,
Hosea 2:23,
Textus Receptus,
Numbers 16:1-33,
Hebrews 6:14,
Hebrews 4:7,
Hosea 1:10,
Majority Text,
Numbers 26:9-10,
Hebrews 10:5-9,
Hebrews 3:15,
Romans 9:27-28,
Biblical inerrancy,
Deuteronomy 11:1-6
by Jim Kerwin
on April 7, 2022
Ellen Lakshmi Goreh
(1853-1937)
In the secret of His presence
How my soul delights to hide!
Oh, how precious are the lessons
Which I learn at Jesus’ side!
Earthly cares can never vex me,
Neither trials lay me low;
For when Satan comes to tempt me,
To the [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
hymns,
communion with God,
hymn,
Presence of God,
Ellen Lakshmi Goreh
by Jim Kerwin
on April 6, 2022
5 April 2022
Answered Prayer for the Honduras Trip!
Dear Friend,

The La Joya church-plant worship band warming up on Sunday evening, 13 March
Consider this communique a praise report! While you were praying for last month’s Honduras trip, God was answering and blessing. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been Covid-restricted in my travel for two years, but it really seems like this trip took the prize for the number of God-timed and God-ordained arrangements.
Plus, the Lord kept me in the best of health, and He preserved us on the road — we witnessed (but didn’t participate in!) two head-on collisions. All thanks to God and many thanks to you all for your prayers.
I fired off many pages of narrative to my wife Denise while I was gone — way too much to condense here.
Perhaps the story can best be [continue reading…]
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Bobby Hoyle,
Rony Funes,
Honduras,
Ilvis Chimino,
La Joya,
Antonio Rodriguez,
Angel Alvarez,
Yoro,
Tegucigalpa,
Joel Aguilera,
Jim Kerwin,
David Moore,
missions