“O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me!” (Isa 38:14). At its root, the word “undertake” means “to braid.” This is the only reference where the word is so translated. Usually it has the idea of pledge or surety—when someone with resources guarantees a loan for another. Such a person braids their hope and future […]
Edward Studd, after making a fortune in the tea business in India, returned to England to raise his family in a life of lavish excess, living for the world that is soon to be burned. But in 1875, that changed when their father was saved under the preaching of D.L. Moody. The three eldest boys, […]
Imagine that–saved one moment and sure the next! The young girl got it, and it’s better than having a theology degree. You too can be safe and sure! […]
“Still I stand the tempest’s shock, For my anchor grips the rock.” —W.C. Martin Like a compass needle seeking north in the midst of a storm, Job refused to give up on God. In this section (Job 30:24-31), he once again, like Paul in the teeth of Euroclydon’s gale, shouts into the wind, “I believe God” (Acts […]
CHRIST the UNYIELDING LOVER: “…having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1). C.H. Spurgeon tells of traveling to visit an elderly farmer. The preacher was surprised to see that the barn had an unusual weather vane. Instead of a bird or an arrow or a ship, […]
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Prov 21:2-3). Perhaps you’ve heard the adage, “When all is said and done, more is said than done.” I’ve found these lines from the Proverbs […]
How were the books of the Bible selected? “Canonicity” refers to the standard used to include these writings. God determined canonicity by inspiring certain men to write the Bible. Norman Geisler and William Nix give the questions used by the early church to determine this: 1. Is it authoritative? Though the writers claimed no authority […]
Some years ago, I was invited to speak at a girls’ school in the picturesque town of Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. I could tell the students were very sharp and fully engaged. As I presented to them the reasonableness of Christianity, there was some serious pushback. Many of the students had been convinced of scientism, the […]
The Lord has called us in some measure into “the fellowship of His sufferings” (Php 3:10). Not long ago, Job gave us a snapshot of his life before “there was a day” (Job 1:13). What an accomplished and attractive fellow! He now provides us an update of himself after his catastrophic collision with unyielding providence at very high speed. […]