Don’t expect to see the president while touring the White House. So let’s visit Zion instead. We haven’t finished with Psalm 48! The first half (vv 1-7)—before the Selah—is focused on the city. The second half (vv 9-14) brings us into the presence of the King. Verse 8 is the transition: “As we have heard, so […]
CHRIST the LIFE PRINCIPLE: “Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:11). Eternal life was the life which Christ exhibited on the human plane, and it is the same life, not a copy of it, which is manifested in our mortal flesh when we […]
“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps 16:11). Together with Michelangelo and da Vinci, Raphael was one of the trio of artistic greats in the High Renaissance. Orphaned by age 11, he nonetheless began his career at that point, […]
It is feared that much Christian activity is attempted without the work resting on a solid foundation of prayer, holiness, Bible study and dependence on the Spirit of God. In his book “From Death to Life,” William Haslam tells how he was busy with the construction of the new church building were he served. But […]
“…Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for Myself, to put My name there” (1 Ki 11:36). This is the city with many names—Zion (“Conspicuous”), Jerusalem (“the City of Peace”), Hephzibah (“My delight is in her”), Ariel (“Lion of God”), and here simply “the city of our God” and “His holy mountain” (Ps 48:1). It also has had many conquerors—Babylonians, […]
CHRIST the SIN-OFFERING: “…You make His soul an offering for sin” (Isa 53:10). Years ago, I was leading a tour to Israel and we had arranged to spend a day working with some archeologists excavating a Roman villa at Gilo. After we were done, I asked if we could sing a psalm to them. Graciously, […]
“When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his prayer become sin” (Ps 109:7). What a haunting request! This psalm provides a vivid example of an imprecation, the opposite of a benediction. There are at least 21 other Imprecatory Psalms calling down God’s judgment on His enemies. And while this doesn’t seem […]
“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:7). Ravi Zacharias addresses an increasingly common complaint: “‘Why can’t we leave everybody alone to follow the religion within which they were born? Why all this proclamation and propagation?’ Once again, this demand challenges the very core of the Christian faith, […]
Of course Scripture speaks of being still and of quiet contemplation. But sometimes loud is good! You may have grown up, as I did, where a loud sound was acceptable—as long as it was harmonious music and not just noise! I recall the thrill of being at Bible conferences with more than a thousand voices […]