Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34 Sword – How inappropriate is the message of Jesus in this age! Years ago Francis Schaeffer said that the culture of the West was characterized by two things: the pursuit of…
but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:2 Delight – Intimate excitement. Emotional pleasure. Compelling desire. Are those the kinds of expressions that come to mind when you think about God’s law? Haphets is a Hebrew word that finds its way into…
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the path of sinners Psalm 1:1 Stand – One last look at the first Psalm tells us the rest of the story. Now we know that this psalm is directional. But there is another thought here. This…
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the path of sinners Psalm 1:1 How Blessed – Isn’t it nice to know that God has a sense of artistic symmetry? He is the author extraordinaire. Throughout Scripture, He demonstrates His literary skills with tiny subtleties…
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the path of sinners Psalm 1:1 Wicked – OK, so who are the wicked? Are they the corrupt officials, the serial rapists, the terrorists and the corporate swindlers? Are they the ones who don’t go to church,…
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the path of sinners Psalm 1:1 Does Not Walk – Halak is the verb of motion. I go, I come, I walk. Metaphorically, halak is about the pathways of my life. It’s about my choices and my…
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the path of sinners Psalm 1:1 Counsel – It’s hard to know where to begin with this verse. We want to know what David means by “blessed”. It must be important if he chose it as the…
Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. Psalm 16:1 Take Refuge – Yesterday Nahum told us that God knows those worshippers who willingly turn their lives over into His hands in the day of trouble. Now we can see what David thought about this kind of refuge. There is an implication in…
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him. Nahum 1:7 Take Refuge – Does God know you? Before you are quick to reply, consider the words of the prophet Nahum. Our theologically attuned church culture says, “Why, of course. God knows everything. Certainly…
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3 Commandments – Now we know how we keep the commandments – by guarding, attending and obeying. Now we know when we keep the commandments – today. And finally, we are ready to ask what…
