JESUS the KING: “Behold your King!” (Jn 19:14). When Pilate said these words, the mockery of the Lord Jesus’ claim to be king was almost complete. He wore a crown of long Judean thorns. A second-hand purple coat had been thrown over His bleeding back. A reed had been placed in His hand as a […]
“And Miriam answered them: ‘Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!’” (Ex 15:21). What a day! After centuries of slavery, at last they were free! Moses’ big sister led the women in this song of praise. They had not merely escaped Egypt, […]
The Jewish daily prayers, called in Hebrew “Sidûr,” include “Thirteen Principles of the Faith,” composed by the famous Moses Maimonides (Rambam). These are to be repeated by faithful Jews with their morning prayers, and include the following: “I believe with perfect faith that all the words of the prophets are true” (clause 6); “I believe […]
CHRIST the GRACE DISPENSER (Heb 4:16): W.A. Cornaby tells of riding with a Chinese boatman on the river Han: The current was strong so, in spite of much poling, we made little headway. Then, having performed a simple operation, we began to speed along. In a tone of innocence, I asked him: “Does putting up […]
“Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments” (Ps 119:164). No petition here: it’s all praise. And yet praise is a kind of petition. Praise seeks access and joy in fellowship with the One we adore. Whenever I read this verse, I think of a visit to Chicago. It was a […]
“Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things” (Isa 40:26). Two renowned physicists acknowledge this. Arno Penzias (1978 Nobel prize in physics), discovered cosmic background radiation, evidence the universe had a beginning: “Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with the […]
JESUS the I AM: “If you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins” (Jn 8:24). Fifteen hundred years before, Moses inquired as to the name he should use to identify to Pharoah the God he represented. “I AM,” said the Lord. “I AM THAT I AM” (Ex 3:14). Illustrated by […]
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand” (Gen 14:19-20). This is the benediction of Melchizedek on Abram. It is a special kind of petition, where we seek the blessing of God on another. Do we realize […]
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 Jn 2:15). In a quaint illustration, C.H. Spurgeon sheds light on our Lord’s comment in Matthew 6:31, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” Both string and brown wrapping paper […]