STRENGTHENED BY GRACE
Menu

​Read the word.
Teach the word.
Preach the word.

- 1 Timothy 4:13

Matthew 11:12-19 – Rejecting Self-Righteousness, We Believe, Receive, and Respond

7/6/2025

 
Picture
Click Here to Watch
​It’s difficult to appreciate just how good the good news truly is without first working through the bad news. Part of that was the responsibility of John the Baptist. He prepared the way for the good news of Jesus Christ by preaching repentance, which meant bringing to the forefront the bad news of sin. 

Some readily received the bad news that they were sinners, which prepared them to receive the good news of complete forgiveness and the gift of righteousness. But some rejected the good news of Jesus Christ because they rejected the reality that they were sinners. In their self-righteousness, they were unable to believe, receive, and respond.

Watch our study from Sunday as we continue our study in Matthew, once again examining the parallel passage in Luke and considering what Jesus has to say about self-righteousness.

Pause & Consider - 075 - Psalm 75

6/28/2025

 
Picture
Click Here to Listen

Inseparable…

6/25/2025

 
Picture
​We often view suffering or the silence of God as a mark of His disapproval or the presence of sin in our lives. But as we consider the life of John the Baptist, we know this is not the case because of God’s grace. 

Jesus thought that John was a great man and knew that he was full of faith and faithfulness, but still allowed him to suffer just like Job (who God offered up to Satan in Job 1:8 and 2:3). In His great grace and for His good reasons, God allowed both of them to suffer in this life and seemed silent in their suffering. And yet, there was a time when He told both of them the same thing amid their suffering: “I AM who I AM.”

That is the answer to the suffering we endure in this earthly life. God is who He said He is. He is gracious. His grace has more to do with who He is and who we are in Him. If God wants to allow a season of earthly suffering so that He can perfect something precious and eternal in you, wouldn’t you desire that, too?

Probably not—but God does not ask for our permission. He gives us the Scriptures so that while suffering, we can be assured of His character and continue to learn the secret of being content in any and every situation. It comes down to who He is and who we are in Him. Nothing we endure in this earthly life could ever separate us from that eternal and immutable truth. 

If you are an adopted son or daughter of the King, settle in your heart who God is and who you are in Him. Knowing His identity and your identity in Him is essential so that you can stand knowing that the wind and waves will never move you from who you are forever in Him. 

In Him, you are greater than even John the Baptist. In Him, you are His son, His daughter. He loves you as much as He loves His Son, Jesus. When the wind blows strong, the waves crash all around, and a season of suffering starts to sway you—remember who God is and who you are forever in Him: inseparable!

Matthew 11:7-15 - Inseparable

6/22/2025

 
Picture
​John the Baptist was the greatest prophet, and yet he still needed to learn how to be content in any and every situation, that God’s grace is sufficient, and that His power is made perfect in weakness.

And yet, John still wondered about Jesus: “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” This wondering and doubt is something that we struggle with, too. Jesus’ answer should be enough for us, but we are still learning the same things that John was learning.

But God’s grace is just as sufficient for us as it was for John—enough for our pleading, wondering, and doubting. Even if His answer seems stern, God is always with you, for you, and in your corner.

Watch our study in Matthew 11:7-15 (and parallel passage in Luke 7:18-28) as we consider just how inseparable God is from those who love Him—even in the midst of our circumstances.
Click Here to Watch

Pause & Consider - 074 - Psalm 74

6/20/2025

 
Picture
Click Here to Listen

Jesus does not always do what we think He should do…

6/19/2025

 
Picture
“Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” 

What prompted John the Baptist to ask this question of Jesus? Maybe it was because he was in prison. Maybe it was because Jesus seemed to be helping everyone else except him. Or did John get it all wrong? Was Jesus who John thought He was?

Keep in mind the things that John might have had in mind when he proposed this question. He was the faithful forerunner of The Messiah. He was the greatest prophet under the Old Covenant. He was the greatest man born among women. He was even related to Jesus! But despite all of this, it seems that Jesus wasn’t doing anything for John.

But Jesus does not always do what we think He should do. Faith has less to do with what He can do for us and more to do with Who He really is—whether or not He does what we want Him to do. 

Tough questions— like the one John asked and the ones we ask—can have tougher answers. But this is what it’s like at times as we’re learning to let His perfect love drive out fear. It’s not always pleasant—it’s terrifying and wonderful, all at the same time as we continue to comprehend what sovereign grace looks like and who God is: “I AM who I AM.”

Matthew 11:1-6 – Tough Questions. Tougher Answers.

6/15/2025

 
Picture
Click Here to Watch
“Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” This is the tough question that John the Baptist asked Jesus. But he didn’t ask Jesus directly because he was in prison. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus, Who didn’t even give an answer right away. 

Have you ever endured so much pain and uncertainty that you desperately attempt to muster up enough strength and faith to move the hand of God? In those times, does it seem like the Lord is silent towards you but responding to everyone else? It’s enough to question whether God is actually God…or if it’s time to look for another.

Watch our study in Matthew 11:1-6 and Luke 7:11-23 as we consider the tougher answer Jesus gives to John's tough question.

Turn the light on…

6/11/2025

 
Picture
​Jesus sees what happens to you. In His omniscience and for His purposes, He doesn’t always shield us from the awful, painful, or unjust things that happen to us. Jesus Himself was falsely accused of being possessed by Beelzebub. And if Jesus was falsely accused, then we can prepare ourselves to be falsely accused as well (Matthew 10:25).

So what should we do? We can take care of our character and let God take care of our reputation. We cannot manage everyone’s perception of us—that would take all of our time and energy (and we’d end up failing and falling right into the trap of the enemy).

Although God may not immediately rescue you or remove you from the difficulty, you can entrust yourself entirely to the One who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23), freeing yourself to give yourself wholly to Him and to His will for your life.

Resist the urge to manage your own reputation. Refuse to fear those who hurl false accusations and insults at you. Refrain from getting into the ring or into the mud to retaliate. Be steadfastly committed to sharing God’s life-giving, life-changing word. Beating the darkness never works. Give yourself to shining the light. 

Pause & Consider - 073 - Psalm 73

6/10/2025

 
Picture
Click Here to Listen

Matthew 10:27-42 – Christian Principles on Mission - Part 2

6/8/2025

 
Picture
​In Matthew 10, we read of Jesus sending the twelve Apostles on their first mission trip and giving them several Christian principles to put into practice. In those principles, we learn that what Jesus was sending them to do had no guarantee of total success. There was a chance that people would treat them poorly.

But what often draws us into a deeper and more reliant relationship with Jesus is the pain that comes when people treat us poorly. Not everyone will listen when you share the love of Jesus with them. As Jesus experienced, some may betray and even persecute you—including the very people that you laid down your life to serve. 

Watch our study from this past Sunday as we considered Matthew 10:27-42 and learned even more Christian principles on mission.
Click Here to Watch
<<Previous

    From Pastor Dom...

    When I first gave my life to Jesus, there were friends in my life who helped me to grow in my understanding of God, through His word, and for those friends
    ​I am forever thankful.

    I want you to know that you have a friend in this fight.

    Someone who is here to help you to grow in your understanding of God, through His word.

    I invite you to enter in to the never-ending adventure of knowing, loving, obeying and enjoying God.

    You will not regret it.

    ​Your friend,
    ​
    Dom

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019

    Categories

    All
    1 Corinthians
    2 Timothy
    Christmas
    Daniel
    Easter
    Encouragement
    Events
    Good Friday
    Hebrews
    Live Stream
    Mark
    Matthew
    Pause And Consider
    Philemon
    Prophecy
    Psalms
    Revelation
    Romans
    Vision Sunday
    Zechariah

    RSS Feed

Strengthened by grace is the Bible Teaching ministry of Pastor Dominic Dinger.

Click Here to Give Online
©2022 - All rights reserved.
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
    • THREE & ONE
    • PAUSE & CONSIDER
  • Refuge
    • Church
    • Radio Station
  • Pastor Dom
    • About
    • Archives
  • Support
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
    • THREE & ONE
    • PAUSE & CONSIDER
  • Refuge
    • Church
    • Radio Station
  • Pastor Dom
    • About
    • Archives
  • Support