“Ah, Lord God! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You shall have peace,’ whereas the sword reaches to the heart” (Jer 4:10). Jeremiah would not be the last one to fail to reconcile God’s promises with his reading of present circumstances. Martin Luther wrote, “At one time I was sorely vexed […]
In Bill Maher’s movie, Religulous, he baits a U.S. senator for believing in “a talking snake in the garden.” But “why should it be thought a thing incredible” for atheists to believe in a snake with the ability to talk? Don’t they believe that a whole species of “animals” arose after millions of years of […]
The INESCAPABLE CHRIST. No one can do as Pilate’s wife suggested, “Have nothing to do with that just Man” (Mt 27:19). Yet it is possible to follow Christ as the Pharisees did—to argue with Him, criticise Him, find fault with Him. Donald Grey Barnhouse wrote: “The magazines of the world carry a constant stream of […]
“Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us” (Ps 90:17). For many years this verse hung by the mirror where we prepared ourselves to meet the day. It often reminded me of another psalm: “They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed” (34:5). H.G. Bosch says, “A […]
Amy Orr-Ewing tells of a conversation her husband had with a woman at a wedding reception: “At one point she had said, ‘The reason I am not a Christian is that I am studying English Literature, and I don’t believe that there is a Transcendental Signified, and so I can make the Bible mean whatever […]
Is it just preachers and missionaries who should live by faith? Jesus says “No.” We’re not just saved by faith; we should all live by faith too. […]
Rarely are the right choice and the easy choice the same thing. God’s will is never said to be easy. At the pivot point in Ezra’s prayer, he says, “And now, O our God, what shall we say after this?” (Ezra 9:10). Have you ever been in a situation where you know something has to be done […]
CHRIST of the MIGHTY NAME. “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). His name was given in JOYFUL PROCLAMATION at His birth: “You shall call His name JESUS” (Mt 1:21). Throughout His life it was used in SHAMEFUL DEGRADATION, as it often is to […]
“May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thess 3:12-13). To be blameless […]