Author: Stephen Ricker

All my brother and sisters in Christ and I are the temple of the living God. The Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the Father live in me. I am a son of the Lord Almighty. God dwelling in his people is only by grace. No matter my life circumstances nor my past, present, or future God […]

Every human who has ever lived has experienced events that they never wanted to happen whether self-imposed or because of nothing they had done or failed to do. In this world everyone has troubles. Troubles will come. Jesus’ apostles experienced perhaps some of the worse life events. Paul lists some of his life pains here. […]

I had estranged myself from God. I did this by not believing he loves me and that His ways are best. I harbored lust, envy, greed, and other kinds of godlessness in my heart. I thought about these and occasionally acted on those thoughts. God told me not to do these for it was harmful. […]

God created humans with 3 parts; a physical body, a soul, and a spirit. The soul is my emotions, thoughts, and will. My spirit was dead until Jesus gave it new life when I first believed in him many years ago. My physical body temporarily contains my soul and spirit. My physical body is like […]

Life with Jesus is a split identity existence while in this world. The duel existence is not like the fictional Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde who had a bad character and a good character. Nor is it like a split personality disorder where two entirely different personalities exist in one body. Also, it is not […]

The Old Covenant is compared to the New Covenant. The Lord God presented the Old Covenant to Israel at Mt. Sinai thru Moses on two stone tablets (Ex. 19-20) and the first five books of the Bible (though some are history). When Moses came down the mountain to present the Old Covenant his face was […]

  Paul had given instructions in his first letter to the Corinthian congregation in chapter 5 concerning a man engaging in a particular offensive sexual immorality. He said they should cast him out. Here Paul reveals two motives behind that directive. First, he did not want to be grieved by them when he arrived (3-4). […]

Acts 20:1-2 also records this time.   Reading these verses it is clear that Paul changed his plans several times on his third missionary trip. Paul’s plans developed when different ever-changing circumstances developed. Since he often changed his plans it is clear that he did not always know what God’s specific will was for him. Events […]

Paul wrote this letter to the new congregation at Corinth shortly after he wrote the first one. He wrote it in the middle of his third missionary journey in 56 AD while residing in the Roman province of Macedonia. Paul wanted to visit Corinth to the south again, but had not done so and thus […]

  Paul concludes his letter to the congregation at Corinth with an instruction, a personal request, and final greetings.  The Corinthian congregation meets on the first day of the week, Sunday. That is when he told them to gather together money to help the believers in Jerusalem. Judah was experiencing a severe drought. They were to […]

People live after the body dies. It’s a fact.  Jesus bodily died and was buried. It’s a fact. Jesus rose from death bodily. It’s a fact. Those who believe in Jesus will die and then receive a resurrection body. It’s a fact. The resurrection body is far better than the body I currently have.  It’s […]

Paul is continuing and concluding his point about gifts of the Spirit with how the gifts are to be used when they come together as a group. Some congregations call the gathering a mass, a worship service, a joyful celebration, a Bible study, or simply a gathering. First, he states that speaking in tongues should […]

“And now these three remain; faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  This verse is the basis for my manuscript, “The Believers Future, Hope that Inspires” which is on my website (https://stephenricker.com/novels/the_believers_future.htm. It’s also there in PDF.). Now I find my hope fading like fog in the morning as the sun […]

The chapter is easy enough to understand. All believers are in Jesus. Each has been given a gift to be used for the greater good of the congregation. The least part should be honored more than the greater part. Each should use their gift accordingly. All are a part of Jesus. There is unity in […]