Contemplations
The Burden of Sin and Shame Christ Bore for Me
“But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.”(Psalm 22:6) In ancient Hebrew texts, the idea of “bearing iniquities” is not about assuming the guilt for sin intrinsically but rather bearing the burden of its external debt and due...
The Lord’s Eternal Name: Remembering Jehovah in the New Year
“Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.” (Hosea 12:5) The prophet Hosea calls our hearts to reflect on the majesty and faithfulness of our God by referencing His eternal nature and identity as the Lord of Hosts and Jehovah. These names speak to God’s...
A Year in Perspective
“Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” (Psa. 26:2) Our God is omniscient, which means he holds an infinitely perfect, divine, all-seeing understanding of himself and all things. 1 Samuel 2:3 says, “For the Lord is a God of knowledge.” His...
Is Christ My Lord?
“Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.” (1 Timothy 6:15) The recognition of Jesus as “My Lord” is far more than a mere label. It is a profession of faith that defines my life and informs my...
Strength to Carry On
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1 NASB) Paul opens his second letter to the church at Corinth with words of comfort and encouragement for what they were going through. That greeting must have been a welcome relief to those...
What is My Purpose, Lord?
"Give unto the Lord, ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” (Psalm 29:1-2) Do you ever find yourself asking, “Why am I here? What is my purpose?” These questions...
The Glory of God in Christ
"Give unto the Lord, ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." (Psalm 29:1-2) At some point in life, every person asks: Why am I here? or What is my purpose? The world...
Witnessing Heavenly Glory
"Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him." (Luke 9:32 NASB) The transfiguration of Christ on the mountain was unlike anything Peter, James, or John had ever...
The Redemptive Work of the Trinity
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen."(2 Corinthians 13:14) The doctrine of the Trinity, that God is one in essence (Isa. 44:6) and eternally exists as three distinct Persons—the Father,...
The Trinity Unveiled
"…baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) The doctrine of the Trinity is among the most profound and mysterious truths revealed in Scripture. How God is one in essence yet three distinct Persons surpasses the...
Invest in Forever
"As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (Psalm 42:1-2) One of the greatest challenges we face in staying spiritually focused is that we are naturally drawn to the physical world. The demands...
The Eyes of God
"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13) Our eyes serve many purposes, but their most essential function is to keep us aware of our surroundings. Of course, God...
The Everlasting God
"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17) One of the most profound and insightful names for God is the one He declared to Moses in Exodus 3:14—"I AM"—which helps us realize some of...
God Our Preserver
“You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.” (Nehemiah 9:6) John Arrowsmith, a very astute...
God as Life-Giving
“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Job 33:4) Contrary to the proponents of deism, God did not create the universe and then leave it alone. He continues to be actively at work in His world, intimately involved with you and...
God Our Governor
“But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” (Psalm 115:3) Suppose you’re an artist who paints a masterpiece. As the creator, you value your painting. You go to great measures to preserve your painting. And as the creator and owner, you alone have the...
God Our Source
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16) The saints of God are needy people. And no one knows better than God Himself just how needy we are. In fact, Scripture compares us...
God Lives
"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (Psalm 42:2) God is eternal. There has never been—and there will never be—a time when God is not, because He is forever the "I AM," the timeless, eternally-existing God. Man, on the other hand, is mortal. We don’t like to...
The Infinite Power Behind God’s Providential Care
“It was not you that sent me here, but God.” (Genesis 45:8) The account of Joseph’s life is one of the most prominent displays of the providence of God in all of Scripture. Though the stories of such notable figures as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob fill the...
A Distinction with a Difference
“God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” (2 Peter 2:4) Multitudes of celestial beings, more commonly referred to as angels (“messengers” or “agents”) in Scripture,...
God’s Unsearchable Greatness
“Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” (Psalm 147:5) Psalm 147:5 reminds us of the vastness of God’s nature—His strength, wisdom, and presence extend beyond anything we can grasp. When we pause to consider who He is, we are drawn to...
The Promise of Belonging
“And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.” (Romans 9:26) Romans 9:26 is a beautiful demonstration of God’s mercy, love, and grace in action, “And it shall...
The Mountain of Myrrh and Hill of Frankincense
“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.” (Micah 4:1) What a treasure of hope is found in this...
The Lord’s Certain Coming
“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 66:23) Christ’s return to earth, referred to in Scripture as “the day of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 5),...
How to Tell the Difference
“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” (1 John 3:4) The third chapter of this first letter of John to the church is characterized by antitheses: the sinfulness of the Christian versus the sinlessness of Christ...
God’s Promises at Work for Our Good
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) The promise of Romans 8:28 delivers a comforting and powerful reality—that no matter what we face, God orchestrates every...
Born Again by God and Believing by Faith
“Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3) Jesus answers the curiosity of Nicodemus with words that hold the key to eternal life: “Except a man be born again, he...
Through Christ Alone
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Though the world wants to promote the notion that all religions lead to the same destination and that sincerity in...
Christ – King Over All Nations
“When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, ‘Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.’” (Acts 11:18) Acts 11:18 marks a major turning point in the life of the early church—the stunning realization that...
Chosen and Secure in the Father’s Love
“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” (1 Peter 1:2) In the first chapter of his first epistle Peter shares...
The Work of God Alone
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” (1 Peter 1:23) Just as a newborn infant cannot effect its physical birth, believers cannot effect their “new birth.” Scripture makes it clear that...
The Weight of Sin and Need for Satisfaction
“I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?” (Job 7:20) Job’s words from this text vividly captures our universal struggle with sin and its consequences. Because when...
The Word That Instructs and Guides
“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) The sufficiency of...
Humbled and Lifted by His Grace
“I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.” (Job 42:2) Job, one of the oldest books in the Bible, recounts the life of a godly man by the same name who, after a long period of suffering, questioning, and humbling,...
The Power of Hearing
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) One of our highest pursuits as believers is to grow in faith, which is accomplished by actively and consistently planting God’s Word in our minds and hearts. Indeed, Scripture teaches...
Living for the Glory of His Name
“For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not...
Our Glorious Future With Christ
“Which is his body, the fulness of him that fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:23) A wondrous future awaits believers—where God’s fullness fills everything and where every aspect of our being reflects His glory. In eternity, we will be fully transformed into the glorious...
Seek His Morning Mercies
“O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” (Psalm 90:14) This plea of the psalmist captures the heart of those who recognize their deep need for God’s presence and favor. It also reminds us that the satisfaction our souls long...
Chosen for Sanctification
“But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13) This powerful verse lays out God’s...
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...
Sanctified Through Truth
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) The believer’s journey to holiness—i.e., our sanctification—is directly linked to the truth of God’s Word. This process of sanctification is so much more than just the Christian call to be morally...
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.” (1saiah 15:23) In a fallen world filled with countless distractions and temptations,...
The Beauty of Those Who Preach the Gospel
“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15) Those called to proclaim the gospel accept an extraordinary mission to declare...
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 divine attributes of...
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...
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...
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...
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) Scripture is replete with the promises of God to His people – promises of protection, peace, and joy when we love, trust, and obey Him. But in addition to His many promises, divine...
Finding Strength in God’s Promises
“He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.” (Psalm 102:17) In the depths of their exile in Babylon, God’s people faced unparalleled trials and tribulations (Ps. 102). Yet the psalmist in verse 17 is reassuring them that they have both...
God Meant It for Good
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Genesis 50:20) Genesis 50:20 tells the historical narrative of both pain and redemption. Looking back on all the hardships...
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 we as believers ever gather in places of worship, we must prepare our hearts to be open and our minds to be ready...
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 unfathomable truths of Scripture is that an all-sufficient God chose in eternity past to create...
The Most Fearful Circumstance of All
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31) Earlier in chapter 10 of Hebrews, the Apostle goes to great length to compare the superiority of the once-for-all, sufficient sacrifice of Christ over the lesser, perpetual sacrifices...
Thirsting for What Truly Satisfies
“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.’” (John 7:37) On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stands in the midst of the crowd and cries out for all to hear, “If any...