CHRIST CONSIDERED FOOLISHNESS: “We preach Christ crucified,…to the Greeks foolishness” (1 Cor 1:23). “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing…” (v 18). H.A. Ironside writes: “I was on a ferry going from Oakland to San Francisco with a group of Christians. Among us was a dear friend who played […]
“I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev 3:1). What’s in a name? Obviously a great deal! When we take the name believer, it ought to mean we agree with God, and that we act on it. When we claim to be saints, our lives […]
Shintoism: The indigenous belief of Japan, from shen-tao, meaning “the way of the gods.” A very ancient concept based on the superiority of the Japanese people to all others. Japan is “the country of the gods and its inhabitants are descendants of the gods.” At the heart of their beliefs is kami, a mysterious creating […]
Between “the law of sin and death” and “the law of the spirit of life” is the Spirit’s call to abide in Christ. You may have noticed that Elihu is the only one who respectfully addresses Job, calling him by his name. He’s also the only one who actually quotes Job’s words (see Job 33:8-11), showing he was paying […]
CHRIST the FATHER of ETERNITY: “And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father…” (Isa 9:6). Certainly one of the most curious titles of the Messiah, the term “Everlasting Father” (Heb, abi ad) is “Father of eternity.” But why should it not be? He provided us with an eternal salvation (Heb 5:9) […]
“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 15:5-6). If I were to give a rustic but reliable paraphrase of this two-fold name […]
Vaughn Shoemaker (1902–1991) was a widely-published American editorial cartoonist. He won the Pulitzer Prize not once but twice for his work, and is remembered for creating the character John Q. Public. During World War II, he had the dubious honor of having his cartoons criticized by the German Reichsmarschall Herman Goering, founder of the Gestapo […]
Miracles—barring the creation of the world—always start with problems. No problems, no miracles. I think we’ll find profit if we spend a few more minutes examining the Person whom Elihu suggests as the Problem-Solver: “a messenger for him, a mediator, one among a thousand” (Job 33:23). The word “messenger” is the common word for angel, and is so used […]
CHRIST my HELPER: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Heb 13:6). Dr. H. Harrington Lees tells about a textile factory where the following instructions were posted: “If your threads get tangled, send for the foreman.” One woman did get her threads all tangled, and attempted to […]