“This people says, ‘The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.’ Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai…, ‘Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?…Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little; […]
The prisoner had been known as “king of the garotters” for his history of strangling his victims. He seemed utterly without mercy. He had asked the chaplain to bring him a certain book to read, but the chaplain suggested the Bible already lying in his cell. “It would do no good to the likes of […]
“Apply yourself wholly to the Scriptures, and apply the Scriptures wholly to yourself.” —J.A. Bengel As the Lord concludes the first part of His appeal to Job, He poses a challenging question: “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?” (Job 40:2). The Hebrew word for “contend” comes from a root meaning “to toss or grapple.” If […]
CHRIST the PASSIONATE PREACHER: “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Mt 3:7). Christ did! Though they were a “brood of vipers,” He still wept over them and warned them. Take John Wesley’s Journal as an expression of passion turned to compassion by the love of Christ for the lost. “There is […]
“Let Your hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts” (Ps 119:173). The Christian lives a hand-to-mouth existence. The good thing is, it’s His hand to your mouth! The Lord’s hand, or His right hand, is mentioned about 40 times in the Psalms. There are many more instances throughout Scripture. It would be […]
Why did God, who professedly loves all His creatures, not give such overwhelming evidence of Himself that everyone capable of knowing such a God would find it impossible not to know Him? This is essentially the argument of J. L. Schellenberg in what he calls “the hiddenness of God.” It is based on certain false […]
CHRIST the INHERITANCE SHARER: “If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17). Think of it, Christian! James Hastings writes: We are heirs of our Lord’s attributes. Is He omnipotent? His omnipotence is ours, to be our defence. Is He omniscient? His infinite wisdom is ours, to guide us. Is He […]
“O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chron 20:12). Jehoshaphat gets down to basics here! We have no power to stand against the foe, and we […]
Good illustrations or demonstrations can be very effective in making the gospel plain. Our Lord used them all the time. But you better be sure of your facts before you use one in public. John MacArthur tells one of a woman who lived back in the hills. One day, to her surprise, a vacuum cleaner […]