by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
Nehemiah: Chapters 1-8. The story of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of desolate Jerusalem is the greatest case study of the power of partnership in the Bible. In the time of global crisis we face Nehemiah’s story is highly relevant. In the sectors where our...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
I guess you could say I’ve been a serial entrepreneur. I’d never thought of it as expressly being a Holy Spirit directed thing. In my case it seemed to be more of sickness that got diagnosed one night after dinner a few years ago when I was 67. For years I’d been...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
In The Journey of Faith We Only See The Back Side. Only HE sees the front. A four week study It is a big, complicated world. Have current events caught God off guard? Can we trust ourselves to His hands? Are you ready to put yourself in the hands of...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
Context When reviewing the 2,000 year history of the Church, we face two questions. First, how do we account for the fact that, looking at the whole world, in region after region lasting spiritual breakthroughs have seemed so infrequent? Among many major blocs of...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections, Collaborate-Plan-Local-Church
Consider any significant issue or problem in your town or city that is or should be of concern to your church – something you think God’s people should think about and, if possible, take action in Christ’s name. Then, as yourself a very simple question; “Is this...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
How a Search for a Semitic King Marked the Start of a Global Revolution Matthew 2:1-12 © 2022 Phill Butler It is only in Matthew’s gospel that we have the story of the “Wise Men” and their visit to honor the new-born Jesus. It’s part of the Christmas story that has...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
Genesis 1-3 Events and John 17: the destruction and redemption of relationships. Today’s Implications: for the Church globally. God lives in community outside of time (cf. Genesis, Job, Daniel, Ephesians and others) In Genesis 1-3 “Let us make man in our image.” The...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
A torrent of words have been generated over the years in commentary on Jesus’ well-known prayer in John 17:1-26. Any further attempt to explore the passage may then be, at best, superfluous or at worst presumptuous. However, acknowledging those possibilities I would...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
Stories, resource materials, and connections to strategic Kingdom networks available on this site repeat Jesus’ theme in many different way. When real, lasting, Kingdom partnerships and networks are launched, things change. Not just trivial things but...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
My Background I was born and raised in the fishing village of Capernaum. We’re located about 40 miles NE of Jerusalem on the NW corner of the Sea of Galilee. It’s actually a fresh water lake fed by the Jordan river. It’s about 13 miles long and about 8 miles wide....
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
My sense is that Joseph, Mary’s husband and head of Jesus’ earthly family, was a man of extraordinary qualities. It was his character and action that provided the framework for all of the major events leading up to the launch of Jesus’ public ministry. For obvious...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
PHILIPPIANS 2:1-6 Day 1: The Principle of Paradox Taking the very nature of a servant…he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place” (Philippians 2:7-9). A man is tallest when he kneels—so...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
ROMANS 12:1-8 Day 2 • Reasonable Service “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1, KJV). Why, we ask, is presenting our bodies...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
ROMANS 12:1-8 Day 3 • Locked into the System “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-make you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed” (Romans 12:2, PH). There’s nothing so out of step with the world’s...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
LUKE 7:1-10 Day 4• Does He Really Care? “When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die” (Luke 7:1-2). Thus opens one of the...
by Phill Butler | Biblical Reflections
HEBREWS 11:1-6 In Someone Else’s Hands “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). “The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). When we become servants, we really are...
