One treasure for which the heart longs is the security of unchanging love. It is the believer’s certainty that there is nothing that “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:39). George Matheson, in spite of a deteriorating eye condition, graduated from Glasgow […]
“You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold” (Ps 68:13). As noted in our overview of Psalm 68, Stanza 1 (vv 1-6) portrays the God of heaven riding forth on His great rescue mission. “Let God arise,” and let no one stand in His way (v 1). Defeat is not […]
CHRIST the BELIEVER’S PASSION: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him” (2 Cor 5:9). The passion of Christ is the only passion we can give ourselves to wholeheartedly and it won’t corrupt us. Instead, it will enlarge our hearts and refine our desires. Jim Elliot (1927–1956) […]
“After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight” (Hos 6:2). How desperately we need reviving! And what is its basis? How does God revive His people? Adam Clarke comments: “These words are supposed to refer to the death and resurrection […]
One of the reasons that sinful or worldly habits are so expensive is that they shut our mouths as gospel witnesses. King David knew this. In one penitential psalm, he wrote, “Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, […]
CHRIST our CHAMPION and the DEVIL’S CHIEF ADVERSARY: “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor 16:9). Notice the “and” in the center of this sentence. Paul does not write “but”; the “and” would indicate that these two ideas actually come together: great opportunities for the […]
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph 3:20-21). Who has not thrilled to the words by Edward Perronet, “All […]
“What will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mk 8:37). Rowland Hill (1744-1833) had preached to large crowds before. Once, it is recorded, he preached to 20,000 at Calton Hill in Edinburgh. On this occasion, the scene is Moorfields Common and he is preaching when the carriage of Lady Ann Erskine approaches. Every […]
CHRIST the ANTIDOTE to FEAR: “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Heb 13:5-6). “I will not fear” reminds us of a similar line in Psalm 23. “Shall” would be […]