Contemplations
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,...
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...
Creator and Preserver of All
“Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preserve them all; and the host of heaven worships thee.” (Nehemiah 9:6) The...
Why Men Cannot Stand Before God
“The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.” (Psalm 58:3) Scripture makes it patently clear that those who persist in their sin cannot stand before a holy God … that is, they cannot be counted among the redeemed. And...
The Soul’s Journey to Spiritual Renewal
“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (Revelation 5:6)...
Pleading for Courage
“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels… And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” (Revelation 12:7-9) The Christian...
Fleeing From What God Has Condemned
"For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it." (Genesis 19:13) The destruction of Sodom is a sure testimony to the holiness and justice of God. The city that had long...
Redemption from the Curse
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13) Scripture teaches that the mediatory work of Christ includes both His active obedience in fulfilling the law...
Humility That Lifts Us Up
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:14) This simple statement by Christ recorded in Luke 18 not only signifies the...
Mercy and Truth Written Upon the Heart
"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart." (Proverbs 3:3) The Lord requires that mercy and truth possess the heart and govern the life of His children. These inward graces must therefore be rooted in the...
From Humility to Honor
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:10) James 4:10 reveals a profound truth—that humility is the path to honor. This was modeled perfectly by Christ as Philippians 2:5-9 declares, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in...
Providence That Placed Me Where I Stand
“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” (Acts 17:26) No one arrives where they are by chance. One’s birth, family, nation,...
The Joy of Entering Christ’s Presence
"His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:21) The “joy of the Lord” that awaits the believer is beyond all...
Christ’s Connection to His Own
“For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” (Hebrews 2:11-12) What a...
Christ Our Mediator as Prophet, Priest, and King
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things...
Christ, the Appointed Judge of All
"And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead." (Acts 10:42) Christ is not only the Savior of His people, He is also the appointed Judge of all mankind. The One who was...
An Undivided Heart
“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” (Luke 16:17) The words of Christ in this passage cause us to consider a phenomenal truth—that heaven and earth, which appear so fixed and enduring to our eyes, are not as permanent as...
Christ, the Way to Heavenly Glory
"And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." (John 3:13) These words in John 3 direct our attention to the glory of Christ and the great salvation He purchased for His people. For the Son of God...
The Eternal Purpose of God’s Rest
“The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” (Psalm 33:11) This verse reminds us that God’s plans are eternal and unshakable. No matter what happens in our world or how uncertain circumstances may seem, His purpose remains...
The Foundation For Lasting Prosperity
“Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his...
Light That Finds the Heart
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) The same God who once spoke light into existence at the creation of the...
The Great 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) When God names Himself to Moses, He does not offer an explanation or a comparison. He gives a declaration, “I AM THAT I...
Chosen in Christ Before the World Began
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4) Before the foundations of the earth were laid, before the heavens were stretched out by the hand of God, before sin...
The Manifestation of God’s Glory
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3) Hebrews 1:3 offers a majestic...
Known by God – A Love That Endures
“But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” (1 Corinthians 8:3) In the parable of the ten virgins, five were left outside the door, unprepared when the bridegroom came. Their desperate plea, “Lord, Lord, open to us,” was met with a dreadful answer: “I know...
The Call to Reflect Our Heavenly Father
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) The command of Christ to be perfect as the Father is perfect urges the believer to grow beyond a simple profession of faith toward a conformity to the character of God in...
Alpha and Omega, Lord of All
“For I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8) God, as He is in Himself, cannot be understood by us because there is an essential, infinite distance between...
The God Whose Years Never End
“But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” (Psalm 102:27) One of the most soul-steadying truths of Scripture is the fact that God does not change. While everything around us is wearing out, shifting, declining, or passing away, the Lord remains exactly...
God’s Loving Discipline
“Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.” (Psalm 74:18) God’s love is not indulgent or careless—it is holy, patient, and refining. Which is why His affection for His people is not measured by the...
Dwelling in Thick Darkness
“Then spoke Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.”(1 Kings 8:12) From the beginning of revelation God’s presence has been veiled in thick darkness, an overwhelming mystery that no man can fully understand. Scripture makes it clear that His...
Chosen by Grace: God’s Covenant People
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9) Unlike the Covenant of Works (God's initial agreement with...
The God Who Refines and Restores
“And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:3) In Malachi 3:3 we’re reminded of the refining process God...
The Almighty Who Was, and Is, and Is to Come
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8) In this first chapter of Revelation God Himself declares, without qualification, that He is Alpha and Omega, the...
Salvation by His Mercy
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Titus 3:5) Titus 3:5 stands as a bold declaration of the true ground of salvation: “Not by works of...
A Better Choice
“For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”(Hebrews 11:10) In his unending search for happiness, the unbeliever is continually chasing after worldly gain and temporary pleasures, often devoting himself entirely to these pursuits....
Life in Himself: Father, Son, and Spirit
“For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.”(John 5:26) God is revealed not only as Creator and Governor, but as the everlasting Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is precisely in this relationship that His glory...
By His Power
“Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”(Zechariah 4:6) When faced with challenges and temptations, our natural tendency is to rely on our...
An Unchanging Savior for Every Hour
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) We are restless by nature. We assume that what has lasted a long time must surely wear out. That instinct will follow us into our thinking about salvation unless Scripture corrects us. And...
The Promises and Providences of God
“And the LORD hath performed his word that he spoke, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.”(1 Kings 8:20) Every line of redemptive history...
Christ in the Midst
“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14) At the center of redemption stands the living Christ, who “gave Himself for us” not only to forgive sin but to purify a...
The Ultimate Ransom
“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) Matthew 20:28 reveals the heart of Christ’s mission: He came to serve and to give His life as a ransom sufficient to satisfy God’s justice...
A Heart Renewed by Divine Grace
“And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people,...
Knowledge without Action
“I know ye not, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity.” (Luke 13:27) Among the many warnings given by Christ, few are as sobering as His words in Luke 13:27: “I know ye not, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity.” Here the Lord exposes the spiritual tragedy of...
The God Who Dwells With the Broken
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isaiah...
Held Together by the Eternal Christ
“And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:17) In Colossians 1, Paul carefully distinguishes a twofold preeminence belonging to Christ, necessary for guarding both His glory and the truth of the Gospel. The first preeminence is...
The Word That Searches and Sanctifies
“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...
Sanctification to Holiness
“This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.” (1 John 5:6) In 1 John 5:6, the Apostle declares, “This is he that came by water and blood,...
The Assurance of Election
“Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” (1 Thessalonians 1:4) In an attempt to understand the often overwhelming doctrine of election, we need to not see it as God’s hidden will or a matter of uncovering His secret decrees. Rather, in seeking to know for...
Neglecting Christ While Pursuing the World
“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:11) Fallen man, by nature, continually looks for excuses to...
The Residence of God
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John...
Reverently Fearing God and His Goodness
“Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” (Psalm 26:2) Psalm 26:2 reveals a heart bold enough to invite God’s omniscient scrutiny, one that trusts His goodness while fearing His holiness. Jonathan Edwards, in his Resolutions, urges believers to...
The Living God Who Quickens All Things
“I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickens all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.” (1 Timothy 6:13) God is called the “living God” to distinguish Him from all false gods, and to set Him apart from every...