Contemplations
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...
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...
The Mighty Power of God
“And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God.”(Luke 9:43) The period between the Old and New Testaments is commonly referred to as the silent years, a time when God’s revelation to His people temporarily ceased. For the space of four hundred years between...
Christ the King
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”(John 12:13) No one would ever expect that a baby born to a peasant Jewish woman in a smelly barn on a cold night could ever be the king of anything. This lowly beginning is not...
God’s Thoughts and Ways
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”(Isaiah 55:9) Astronomers have means of observing and measuring galaxies and planets. They can determine the parameters of our solar system. And...
Giving Glory to Christ
“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’”(Revelation 5:13) In God’s sovereign...
God’s Living and Active Word
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”(Hebrews 4:12) The sum and substance of the Gospel message...
God Does the Impossible
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37) Many years ago, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary with a message from the Lord that defied all human reason and biological expectation. On hearing that she would bear a son while still a virgin, Mary asked, “How...
Approaching an Unapproachable God
“Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”(1 Timothy 6:16) The sun’s brilliance, even from 93 million miles away, is so powerful we can’t gaze at...
Blessed are the Forgiven
“When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy,Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” (Mark 2:5) Before healing the paralytic man of his physical infirmity, Jesus addressed a far deeper need: his guilt of sin. “Be of good cheer,” He said, “thy sins be...
God’s Will Abides
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father.”(Matthew 10:29) How concerned is an all-knowing God with the incidentals of your life? Matthew 10:29 gives us some insight into that question. In this verse Jesus...
The Patience of Jehovah
“The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in the whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.” (Nahum 1:3) One of the most difficult tests believers face is that of being patient and...
God’s Word for Life Now and Ever After
“But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) Jesus’ public ministry began with His baptism by John in the Jordan River. But rather than moving directly into preaching or...
Our Helper
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26) Although the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, and...
Increasing in the Knowledge of God
“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:10) To seek to know God in a way that leads to holiness, love, obedience, and worship is the greatest of all pursuits....
Patient Bearing of Affliction
“And now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5) Affliction for God’s children doesn’t occur randomly or by accident; it is the result of God’s providence. Whether...
Incomprehensible Power
“Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job 26:14) God’s supremacy surpasses every measure known to man. His greatness is unsearchable, His strength unfathomable, and His authority...
Learning the Fear of the Lord
“Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” (Psalm 34:11) The fear of the Lord is a holy, joyful reverence of God born out of a knowledge of who He truly is. Scripture tells us that proper godly fear is the foundation of wisdom (Prov....
The Marriage of the Lamb
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7) Not only is the Lamb of God our Savior and King, He is also our Bridegroom. And His bride, composed of all the redeemed...
Do You Worship God in Vain or in Truth?
“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:9) There is no subject more serious or more solemn than worship of the One who created all things, sustains all things, and governs all things by the word of His power. For...
My One Lord
“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6) The mystery of the Trinity is beyond human comprehension—and yet Scripture grounds the believer...
Christ Our Deliverer
“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10) Jesus Christ is our Deliverer, the promised Messiah who willingly left heaven’s glory that He might rescue us from the...
Abounding in Knowledge
“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment.” (Philippians 1:9) A growing love, anchored in truth and guided by spiritual discernment, is the aim of Paul’s prayer for the Philippian believers. In fact, he prays that...
Justified with Christ’s Righteousness
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4:25) Few truths in Scripture should stir thanksgiving in the believer’s heart more than the declaration that we are justified—made right with God—not by our own efforts but by...
The Foundational Nature of God’s Covenant
“But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’” (2 Tim. 2:19) The foundation of a thing is critical to its integrity, strength, and longevity. In...
Growing Through Prayer
"Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan," (Psa. 55:2). Oppressed by enemies and deserted by friends, the writer of Psalm 55 cries out for help, “I mourn in my complaint.” C.F. Pfieffer said in his commentary on this passage, “In...
Reconciled to God
“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him.” (Colossians 1:21-22) Just how destitute is our condition...
God Sees You and Me
“For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.” (Job 34:21) Right now, this very moment, God sees you and me. While Christ has a glorified body, He is also like God the Father as an eternal spirit and as such He is infinitely and eternally...
The Omniscience of God
“And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13) God sees and knows everything everywhere, for He fills both heaven and earth. He inhabits eternity – every space at every...
God’s Righteous Works
“Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.” (Daniel 9:14) The righteousness of God is not just one attribute among many; it is intricately woven...
Giving Thanks for the Family of God
“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) As Paul reflects on the salvation...
Awareness of God’s Providence
“He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.”(Daniel 2:21) Rather than focusing on resolutions for personal improvement, the transition into a new year...
Born of a Virgin
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”(Isaiah 7:14) More than seven centuries before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah declared a promise so astounding that it could...
Greater Condemnation
“Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.” (Mark 12:40) One of the most sobering realities revealed in Scripture is the nature of God’s just judgment—particularly the truth that His punishment of the...
Exalting God’s Holiness in Our Holiness
“Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.” (Psalm 99:9) One of our ongoing duties as believers is the solemn responsibility of assessing whether our inner desires, outward actions, and daily conduct exalt the holiness of the...
Christ the True God
“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20) The word “Trinity” may not appear in...
The Reason for Thanksgiving
“Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.”(1 Chronicles 16:8) The heavens continually resound with praise, for the angels and elders, the hosts of heaven, and all created beings round the throne of God are lifting...
God Draws Near a Broken Heart
“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) Those who are truly contrite and broken because of sin are in a state of grace. How do we know this? Because Scripture tells us the Lord is near to them. The one who is...
Praise to the Lamb
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” (Revelation 5:12) The fifth chapter of Revelation begins by describing a heavenly courtroom—God seated on His throne, holding a scroll in His right...
Which Side Are You On?
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has...
God’s Enduring Covenant of Grace
“…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”(Ephesians 1:4) From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture weaves a single, unbroken thread—that of God’s enduring covenant of grace. This covenant...
Rejoicing in God
“My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:47) Picture a poor outcast, sitting outside the city gates in the sorrow and shame of an ash heap, begging for his next meal. Filthy, gaunt—a mere skeleton of a man—his hollow eyes reflect only desperation and need....
Out of the Darkness and Into the Light
“Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” (Ephesians 4:18) A full moon on a clear night is both a thing of beauty and a marvel. Recently, as my family and...
Yahweh is Salvation
“You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21)“Of [David’s] offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as He promised.” (Acts 13:23) A poor, young Jewish girl in Nazareth, around the year 5 B.C., received an...
God Our Hero and Avenger
“I the LORD am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 49:26) Our culture is captivated by heroes. Nearly every story, every film, centers around a figure who fights for justice, overcomes evil, and delivers the weak from harm. This is evident...
Our Filthiness for His Righteousness
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6) We desperately want to believe we are good people—that our sincerity, kindness, and best efforts count for something before God. But if we were to gather all our...
The Gift of God
“And because of Him [God] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (1 Cor. 1:30) We are accustomed to earning our way in society – we earn a living…we earn respect…we earn the trust of another…we...
King of Kings
“…who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.” (1 Timothy 6:15) One of the most comforting truths in all of Scripture is that the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) has no rights to creation and no power to deceive and destroy beyond...
The Prophet Who Fulfills
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1-2) When we think of...
The Secret to Imitating Christ
“For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done…” (John 13:15) How are Christians to demonstrate Christ-likeness? Christ said in John 15:5, 8: “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit,...
Christ Our Sacrifice
“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt… the will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.” (Isaiah 53:10) One of the most effective ways to teach a new concept or principle is with a picture. It...
Forgiven
"If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." (Psalm 130:3-4) It might seem unusual that the psalmist’s response to God’s forgiveness is one of fear rather than immediate devotion,...