Contemplations
My Dependency and His Sufficiency
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) The Christian life is characterized by an ongoing tension between human striving and divine...
Eternal Choices
“Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness.” (Titus 1:1) The doctrine of predestination, often misunderstood, stands as a cornerstone of divine grace in...
The Glorious Mystery of Christ’s Incarnation
“Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4:25) The incarnation of Christ is foundational to the Christian faith, as it is the glorious mystery by which the eternal Son of God took upon Himself true humanity in order to...
Unparalleled Humility
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6) In a world that applauds ambition and self-promotion, the call to humility stands as a radical counterpoint. Nevertheless, Romans 12:2 urges me not...
The Beauty of Graceful Speech
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29) Song of Solomon 4:3 likens the bride’s lips to “a thread of scarlet” and her speech to something...
The Everlasting Embrace of Christ
“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.” (Jeremiah 32:40) The assurance of salvation, anchored in Scripture and secured in the...
Knowing Nothing But Christ Crucified
“For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2) The church at Corinth serves as both an encouragement and a warning. Encouragement, because it was rich in gifts, knowledge, and outward ability. Warning,...
Seeing God in the Rhythms of Nature
“Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:17) Nature’s rhythms—spring’s renewal, summer’s warmth, autumn’s harvest, and winter’s...
The Spotlight that Shines on Christ
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me.” (John 15:26) When Jesus promised the Comforter, He spoke of the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit,...
The Eternal I AM
“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:14) God’s self-revelation as “I AM THAT I AM” unveils the infinite mystery of His eternal, self-existent nature. This...
A Call to Humility
“As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that...
Evidence of God’s Commitment
“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalm 100:3) The history of redemption is the history of God’s unwavering commitment to His people. From the beginning, Scripture...
Implications of the Divine Covenant
“And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.” (Exodus 20:21) The giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai marks a defining moment in God’s relationship with His people, establishing a covenant that binds them to Him...
Anchored in His Love
“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.” (John 15:9) Scripture consistently emphasizes the necessity of steadfastness in the life of a disciple. Jesus makes this clear in John 8:31, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my...
Our Divine Mediator
“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.” (John 10:17) God’s eternal plan of redemption hinges on the singular role of His Son, Jesus Christ, as the sole Mediator between a holy God and sinful humanity (1 Tim. 2:5)....
Paths to Repentance
“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.” (Philippians 2:16) The road to true repentance is not traveled in isolation. Though it is a personal experience, God in His providence...
Harmonizing with the Word
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16) In Colossians 3:16, Paul gives us an example of one way in which...
The Inestimable Sword of the Spirit
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) As this passage in...
Obedience: The Heart of True Worship
“But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” (Luke 11:28) Obedience is not typically the first word that comes to mind when we think of thanksgiving. But in the words of Christ recorded in Luke 11:28, it becomes clear that...
Helmet of Hope
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”(Ephesians 6:17) Beginning in verse 10 of Ephesians 6, Paul exhorts the believers at Ephesus to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” And then he proceeds to lay...
The Unwavering Truth of Scripture
“But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.”(Daniel 10:21) In this tenth chapter of Daniel, the prophet describes his experience of a vision from God in which he...
Instruments of God’s Grace
“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”(1 Peter 4:11) The...
Gifted the Oracles of God
“Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” (Romans 3:2) In his letter to the Romans, Paul raises a pointed question: what truly sets the Jew apart from the Gentile? Amid the debates and the pride surrounding the Jewish...
Reflections of God’s Love
“The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.” (John 3:35) God’s infinite love and delight for His only begotten Son is displayed in glorious clarity throughout Scripture. In this verse from John, we encounter a statement of amazing simplicity...
Do You Have the Mind of Christ?
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16) To “have the mind of Christ” means to think in accordance with God’s truth, wisdom, and will. But this is not possible by human reasoning alone,...
To Whom Will You Liken God?
“To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?” (Isaiah 40:18) Perhaps the simplest and yet most comprehensive name for God in all of Scripture is that solemn declaration of Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14—“I AM.” This majestic name...
The Everlasting Beauty of God’s Timing
“He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) The wisdom of Solomon in Ecclesiastes reaches into the heart of every...
The Path to Sanctification
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”(Colossians 3:5) The believers in Colosse were young converts navigating the difficult terrain of...
The Believer’s Inner Struggle
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the...
The Eternal Christ
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”(John 8:58) The first verse of the Gospel of John beautifully mirrors the opening of Genesis: “In the beginning.” Yet John adds a phenomenal truth—“the Word was with God, and the Word was...
Understanding Times of Suffering
“Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.”(Psalm 102:8) In Psalm 102 the author uses a series of vivid poetic metaphors to convey the depths of affliction and sorrow he is experiencing, “my days disappear like smoke,...
Complete Obedience to Divine Directions
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”(1 Samuel 15:23) In a fallen world filled with countless distractions and...
Incessant Praise for His Holiness
“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”(Revelation 4:8) Holiness is one of the most noted attributes...
Him With Whom We Have to Do
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that...
Christ the Fulfillment of God’s Covenant of Grace
“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.” (John 15:9) The divine covenants of Scripture form a golden thread through the whole fabric of redemptive history, yet none shines more brightly than the covenant of grace—the eternal...
Embracing the Covenant – God’s Unfailing Promise
“Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?” (Isaiah 40:13) Of all the treasures revealed in Scripture, God’s Covenant of Grace stands as one of the most profound and assuring truths ever given to His people. This divine...
Understanding Christ’s Timeless Nature
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58) No words more directly and clearly assert the eternal divinity of Christ than His declaration in John 8:58: “Before Abraham was, I am.” In a single sentence, Christ lays bare...
Finding Strength in God’s Promises
“He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.” (Psalm 102:17) Psalm 102 is a cry arising out of the affliction of captivity, and it is wrought with grief, loneliness, and weariness. Yet from within that groaning a beam of hope shines...
Embracing God’s Reforming Word of Life
“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.” (Philippians 2:16) Before the congregation ever gathers, before a single psalm is sung or a prayer is lifted, the heart must be prepared to...
Christ the King Over His Church
“But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.” (Daniel 10:21) We’re reminded throughout Scripture that the governance of the Church is not left to human speculation...
Finding Beauty in Divine Providence
“He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) Life unfolds under the sovereign hand of God as a series of providential...
The Unchanging Promise of Christ
“For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.” (2 Corinthians 1:19) In his second epistle to the Corinthian church, Paul reminds his readers that the message he and...
Anchored in God’s Sovereign Will
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) One of the most staggering truths of Scripture is that an all-sufficient, all-knowing God chose from eternity...
The Christian’s Wardrobe
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29) The Christian life may be pictured as a progression of garments—each one symbolizing a vital stage of the...
Power in Faith’s Assurance
“For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.” (2 Corinthians 13:4) The greatest biblical definition of faith stands over the entrance to Hebrews...
Growing in Grace through the Means of Grace
“What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:18) In eternity past, God intricately designed the path by which fallen man might be reconciled...
The Glory of Christ’s Redemption for Us
“These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said,Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.” (John 17:1) In the grand narrative of redemption that reaches beyond time, there is perhaps no moment more pivotal than...
Unchanging Promises, Unending Love
“And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD but serve the LORD with all your heart; And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they...
The Eternal Gospel
“And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.” (Revelation 11:11) The timeless truths of the Gospel serve as an unbreakable link between the pages of time...
Atonement Ultimately Fulfilled by The Lamb
herefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?”(Leviticus 10:17) We know from multiple passages of Scripture that in...
Implications and Evidences of the Fall
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Romans 5:12) Down through the ages mankind has grappled with this most significant question: Why do we bear the burden of Adam’s...
The Healing Stripes of Christ
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”(Isaiah 53:5) In all of human history, the spotless life and sacrificial death of Christ is untouched and...
How to Rest in Eternal Certainties
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”(Revelation 20:10) Our ever-changing world leads to a number of concerns and...
Do You Enjoy a Vital Union with Christ?
“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:6) There’s a magnificent beauty in the simplicity of nature. Consider, for example, the splendid display of...