Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the . . . Continue reading →
Control versus chaos—which is winning? If you scan the world and your life, which one seems to be prevailing? Control is generally the team we want to win; it is the good, and chaos is not. But in this contest or battle . . . Continue reading →
Bumper sticker theology—it does not seem to be as big today, but years ago you would see all sorts of theological statements on car bumpers. Some were better than others, of course. But the problem with all of these slogans was that . . . Continue reading →
We use the phrase, “when the stars align,” as a way to express when everything comes together in just the right way, even though it seemed like an unlikely outcome. Every factor that needed to be in agreement for a particular result . . . Continue reading →
Some people are just larger than life. We have all met them. Whether or not they are celebrities in the world’s eyes, some individuals walk into the room and take over the attention and the conversation. That is Moses in the Old . . . Continue reading →
What David says in Psalm 18:20–30 is a little bit startling, and his statements should probably give us pause before we are willing to say them in reference to ourselves. Continue reading →
“Are we going to make it?” That is a question we all ask from time to time. Will we be able to turn in our paper by the submission deadline? Will our team hold on to their lead until the clock strikes . . . Continue reading →
What motivates us to give thanks? It is when we realize the gravity of some good given to us. Psalm 18 is about the thanks that grows out of God pulling his king from death’s jaws. The previous article looked at how, . . . Continue reading →
Impossible. The word conjures up thoughts of flapping your arms and flying or walking across the Pacific Ocean. Some things just seem impossible. When I was younger, I remember thinking that it was impossible to wait for the month of December because . . . Continue reading →
Zanchi’s explanation of the psalm provides an excellent introduction to his orations and to his thinking about theological education. In it he reckoned that the psalmist’s main message was simply that “we should devote ourselves, with our whole soul, to the pursuit of God’s law and piety and [that] we should meditate upon that law day and night.” As simple as is this plain reading of the text, it is a keynote to which Zanchi returned over and over. Continue reading →
The time when I felt closest to death was years ago as I was swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, trying to get back to shore. The trouble occurred while I was still a long distance from shore and felt this horrible . . . Continue reading →
I remember being a young child walking through the entrance to the church my family attended at the time. Looking up, I saw stained glass, and for the first time I wondered why it was there. I asked my dad, who replied . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 134: Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord! May the Lord bless you from Zion, he . . . Continue reading →
I grew up in Nebraska, a Husker football fan by necessity. I still remember the first game I attended—my family and I saw our beloved Cornhuskers beat the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on a warm September afternoon in 1998. I was part . . . Continue reading →
“When you’re here, you’re family.” So read the old slogan of Olive Garden. Now, I have not eaten at Olive Garden very often, but I remember doubting this slogan because I never saw anyone in a knockdown, drag out argument while eating their pasta (maybe I just went to the less-exciting franchises). Continue reading →
Arrival. It is a beautiful word, is it not? Making it to your vacation spot or returning home after a long journey—it is good to arrive when the destination is desirable. And there is no more desirable destination than God’s presence, and . . . Continue reading →
In the first part of Psalm 32, we were treated to the guilt-ridden experience of David covering his sin and the life-giving restoration of the Lord’s sweet pardon. And now, from the knees of confession, David becomes our instructor, our encouragement. As . . . Continue reading →
“I am not stubborn; I’m just always right.” You have probably seen this saying, which is found on T-shirts, coffee mugs, and memes. And some of you might resemble this. Now sure, stubbornness can be mistaken for things like determination, grit, and . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 31 laid bare in all its ugliness the suffering of the psalmist, and yet amid this soul-wrecking agony, he confessed his trust in the Lord. And his good profession was not shallow, like some cheap Hallmark card, but it was rich . . . Continue reading →
You have most likely noticed a new warning that is out there. On certain movies, video games, and shorts, there is a photosensitivity warning which alerts of flashing lights that might induce an epileptic seizure in some people. Now, Lord willing, this . . . Continue reading →
