Showing results by narrator "Bill Foote" in All Categories

The Book of Romans is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul to explain that salvation is offered through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is by far the longest of Paul's epistles, and is considered his most important theological legacy. 

The Book of Philippians, written by Paul to the church in Phillipi, an early center of Christianity in Greece. They were very attached to Paul, just as he was very fond of them. 

The Book of Philemon is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to Philemon, a leader of the Colossian church. Paul writes to him on behalf of Onesimus, Philemon's slave, who ran away from him and now seeks reconciliation. This epistle shows the compassionate nature of Paul and is based on forgiveness.

The Book of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and depicts the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The narrative tells how Jesus left his profession at a middle age and gathered an inner circle of disciples, commissioning them to teach throughout the world. It also describes Jesus' rejection from the tribal government and his execution under Roman jurisdiction. It is said to have the fullest and most systematic account of the life and teachings of Jesus. 

The Book of Mark is the second book of the New Testament and narrates the ministry of Jesus from his baptism to his death and resurrection. This account portrays Jesus as hiding his messianic identity more than in the other three Gospels and contains much hidden knowledge for those with spiritual insight. It focuses particularly on the last week of his life and shows the suffering of Jesus in greater detail. It is the shortest of the four Gospels. 

The Book of Third John, attributed to John the Evangelist, is the shortest book in the Bible. It is a letter composed for Gaius, a member of one of the churches in Asia Minor that John adopted after Paul's death. The epistle begins with commendation and encouragement for Gaius, who showed hospitality to itinerant preachers of the gospel who were strangers to him even though a certain Diotrephes had stopped other church members from doing so. John reminds Gaius to show hospitality to messengers of the truth and commends his actions.

In Second Timothy, Paul urges Timothy to not have a "spirit of timidity" and to "not be ashamed to testify about our Lord". He exhorts his "son Timothy" to be diligent and steadfast in the face of false teachings, to be patient under persecution, and to be faithful in all the duties of his office. Paul clearly anticipates his being put to death and the realities beyond in his valedictory found in 2 Timothy 4:6-8: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith".

Second Thessalonians was written between 52 and 54 AD; shortly after 1 Thessalonians. Paul praises this church for their faithfulness and perseverance in the face of persecution. The Thessalonians were faced with a false teaching, saying that Christ had already returned. The letter contains a whole chapter regarding the second coming of Christ in which Paul tells the Thessalonians that a great tribulation must occur before Christ's return. He encourages the Thessalonian church to stand firm in their faith.

The Book of Second Peter was written by the Apostle Peter to address the problems of false teachers and concerns on the delay of the Second Coming of Christ. It is not addressed to a particular region but to all the churches in general, encouraging them to study the scriptures and persevere through trials, resist false teachers, and live faithfully in anticipation of the Second Coming.

The Book of Second John was attributed to John the Evangelist and contains a warning to the churches about investing in preachers who taught different doctrines, such as those who believed Jesus was not flesh-and-blood and also warns them not to lose the reward they have worked so hard for.

The Book of Second Corinthians gives great insight into the personal life of Paul. It contains the longest discourse on giving in the New Testament. Paul made a trip to Corinth after writing the first letter because the problems he had addressed had not been resolved. Many of the people in Corinth still held on to their false teachings and sinful ways. In this letter, Paul praises God for giving him comfort and deliverance from his troubles and professes his integrity and the integrity of those that labor with him for the Gospel. Paul concludes with an appeal for repentance.

In the first book of Timothy, Paul encourages him in his ministry of pastoring in the Ephesus Church. Paul had planted the Ephesus church himself, working there for more than three years, and as Paul becomes more aware of his impending end at the hands of Nero, he is setting things in order for the next generation. Major themes include the use of the law, warnings against false doctrine, instructions for prayer, roles of women in the church, and qualifications for leaders of the church, among others.

The First Letter to the Thessalonians was likely the first of Paul's letters, probably written by the end of AD 52, making it the first written book in the New Testament. For the most part, the letter is personal in nature, with only the final two chapters addressing issues of doctrine. Paul's main purpose in writing is to encourage and reassure the Christians there. Paul urges them to go on working quietly while waiting in hope for the return of Christ.

The Book of First Peter was written by the Apostle Peter during his time as Bishop of Rome to the churches of Asia Minor to address the problems of suffering and persecution. He counsels them to be steadfast under trials and explains some of the reasons why Christians suffer persecution.

The Book of First John was attributed to John the Evangelist and contains a wide variety of theological concepts. The epistle was written to counter Docetism, the belief that the body of Jesus only appeared to be human but was in fact a spirit, and encourages Christians to discern true teachers by their ethics, their proclamation of Jesus in the flesh, and by their love.

The Book of First Corinthians is the seventh book of the New Testament. This epistle contains some of the best-known phrases in the New Testament, including "all things to all men", "without love, I am nothing", "through a glass, darkly", and "when I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child". Throughout the letter, Paul presents issues that are troubling the Corinthian church and offers ways to fix them.

According to tradition, Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome around AD 62. Paul gives practical advice in how to live a holy, pure, and Christ inspired lifestyle. The unity of the church, especially between Jew and Gentile believers, is the keynote of the book. Ephesians is also notable for its domestic code covering husband-wife, parent-child, and master-slave relationships. Many devotional thoughts and sermons that are addressed to the practically minded individual have been drawn from this section of the New Testament.

The book of Colossians was written to the church in Colossae, a small Phrygian city near Laodicea and approximately 100 miles from Ephesus in Asia Minor. Like some of his other epistles, this seems to have been written because of reports Paul had heard of the internal state of the church there. During the first generation after Jesus, Paul's epistles to various churches helped establish early Christian theology. 

The Book of Galatians is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of early Christian communities that he had founded in the Roman province of Galatia. After Paul's departure, the churches were led astray from Paul's teachings by individuals proposing "another gospel" which centered around salvation through the Mosaic law. The Galatians appear to have been receptive to the teaching of these newcomers, and the epistle is Paul's angry response to what he sees as their willingness to turn from his teaching.

Midway into their ownership journey, nearly all business owners I’ve worked with express a latent desire to carry significantly less financial burden, become less involved in the day-to-day, and be able to do so without worry. Many also express a desire to more fully enjoy the meaning associated with what they and a handful of people have created. Leading from the Edge of the Inside is written to help owners, executives, and their coaches and guides achieve this goal by creating sustainable companies.