“And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace” (Jer 29:7). Are we the first believers who have seen troubled times? Of course not. Every believer in one sense is a “resident […]
My friend John Bjorlie was arrested while preaching from a public sidewalk to some college students at a campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The trial took all day. When the judge came to his summation, he told the packed courtroom that he had found this an unusual trial. It made him take down his Bible […]
Job’s longing for a Mediator and confident hope in a Redeemer point us surely to the coming Christ. Before beginning such an arduous journey up towering peaks and into forbiddingly deep valleys, it would be helpful to have a look at the roadmap of the book of Job. There are three main parts: the Prologue […]
CHRIST the MAN of PRAYER: “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’” (Lk 11:1). The Lord Jesus was the only Man who could have, by Himself, made the right decision every time. But […]
“In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted” (Ps 77:2). Audra Lexin writes: “More people than ever are searching the internet for information on how to pray. Averaging 33,000 searches per month, 2020 has seen more searches […]
“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ…that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Col 4:2-4). Sometimes we shrink from witnessing because we’re afraid of looking stupid; […]
One fact Job will teach us: You won’t really know God is all you need until God is all you have. Because the Bible is arranged as a progressive revelation—“precept upon precept” (Isa 28:10)—we may miss one of Job’s most significant contributions. Although no date or chronologies are given, Job seems to be the first book […]
JESUS the FRIEND of ENEMIES: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Mt 5:44). Mitsuo Fuchida, the Japanese commander who led the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941, sat […]
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor 13:14). Only the Lord knows how many times this request has been borrowed to pray over the people of God. And no wonder! It is marked by succinctness, being just […]