Psalm 134 takes us on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When the Jews traveled from Galilee to Jerusalem, they went south along the Jordan River and then west up to Jerusalem. The Jordan River is the lowest river (in elevation) in the world, and Jerusalem is 2,578 feet above sea level. As the pilgrims climbed, they […]
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Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned (Song of Solomon 8:7, NLT). I was 22 years old, three years into Bible college, leading a ministry for young people called “The One Way House,” and with
Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left (Isaiah 30:21, NLT). Hearing God’s voice is a basic right of all believers. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice: I know them, and they follow
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For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2, NLT). I enjoy reading 1 and 2 Thessalonians, especially during one sitting. Not too difficult, as both together contain eight chapters. The word count for the epistles is about 3,000 words, and
Reading 1 & 2 Thessalonians For Data On the Day of the Lord Read More »
To Him be glory forever (Romans 11:36b, ESV). Artificial Intelligence (AI) “searches” on the internet dive deeply. Decades ago, when I researched a topic, I pulled a relevant book off my shelf, browsed its pages to find the needed information, and then typed the quote, often needing to purchase a new book for even more
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For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13, NASB). Mercy can be simply summed up as “God withholds what we deserve.” We all break God’s law, and as Paul writes, “The wages of sin is death.” Fortunately, Paul also writes, “But the free gift of God is eternal life
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The plowers plowed upon my back; They lengthened their furrows (Psalm 129:3, NASB1995). The image used in Psalm 129 to illustrate suffering is plowing. Many of us know little of farming techniques, but the agrarian society of Israel at the time of Psalm 129 would understand two things about plowing: it disturbed the soil so
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To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:12-13, ESV). I did play the numbers game as a pastor:
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If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15, ESV). We follow what we love. It’s easy to say “yes” to the things that we enjoy and “no” to what we don’t like. The New Testament teaches relational holiness or becoming so in love with Jesus that it’s easy to keep His commands. Many
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Every reader of the Bible knows David, and a quick AI check reveals that he is mentioned 970 times in the Bible. David’s rise from shepherd boy to King of a united Israel is overshadowed by God’s ultimate promise to him… Your house [David’s] and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your
Joab: Biblical Hero of Great Deeds and Misdeeds Read More »