Contemplations
Living Faith
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51:1) David’s heartfelt plea in Psalm 51:1 demonstrates the level of faith and trust the psalmist had in the goodness of...
The Supremacy of Christ
“And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:17) The beauty, excellency, and supremacy of Christ does not simply flow from the reality that He is God, though He is. For as John tells us in his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and...
Fortifying Faith
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward You; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8) The trials and difficulties believers encounter through the course of life are often well-disguised...
God’s Bountiful Gifts
“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” (Psalm 86:15) This verse in Psalms beautifully showcases those attributes of God like compassion, grace, longsuffering, mercy, and truth which are...
The Eternal Comfort of Forgiveness
“And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty;...
The Divine Demand for Righteousness
“And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”(Ezekiel 7:4) Much can be learned from history if we take the time to...
A Superior Priesthood
“And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord swore and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec).” (Hebrews 7:20-21)...
Grasping Grace
“Destruction and misery are in their ways.” (Romans 3:16) Scripture testifies plainly to the desperate state of man apart from God, affirming that his ways are filled with destruction and misery. The depths of human depravity, described in Romans 3:16 as ruined,...
Heard by God
“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee,” (Psalm 86:5). God’s promise to hear the prayers of His people brings comfort in the midst of life’s storms. Psalm 86:5 reveals a God who is good, ready to...
Presuming Upon Grace
“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4) Jude’s words warn the church...
Illumination of Grace
“Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul.” (Job 3:20) Light in Scripture is often used to describe how the Holy Spirit makes known the grace of God and the transforming power of His Word. This light shines into the darkness...
God’s Standard of Justice and Love
“The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.” (Psalm 37:21) Human society has always been marked by greed, covetousness, and the endless pursuit of gain. Of course, Scripture confronts this reality head on, not only...
The Calming Assurance of Providence
“Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.” (Ecclesiastes 8:6) God’s providence is the bedrock of my faith for it assures me that every event, from the fall of a sparrow to the course of my life, is governed by...
Illuminated by Grace
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) Forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God is possible only through the blood of Jesus Christ....
Born Anew to a Lively Hope
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) This praise-filled passage in 1 Peter speaks to the heart of our...
The Importance of Remembering
“They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.” (Psalm 78:10-11) Psalm 78:10-11 details the tragic downfall of Ephraim, one of the 12 tribes of Israel whose story serves as a solemn...
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...