no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and to the Lord. Philemon 16 Flesh – Only once. This verse, in this shortest of Paul’s letters, holds the distinction of being the only place in the entire…
I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. Luke 18:8 Speedily – If it weren’t for this word, we would have no argument with Jesus. If it weren’t for this word, we would stand beside Martha at the tomb of her brother and acknowledge the last judgment. If it weren’t for…
Those who make them will become like them, everyone who trusts in them. Psalm 115:8 Like Them – There is an inexorable law of God’s universe found in every creative act. It applies to everyone. There are no exceptions. Put simply, it is “You are what you make.” The Psalmist summarizes a long description of…
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly Psalm 84:11 Uprightly – I want tov in my life – all those prosperous, useful, beneficial things that God has designed into my plan and purpose. Amazingly, God wants to give them to me. But there are two ends to the delivery chain –…
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly Psalm 84:11 Good – “Live long and prosper,” is the Vulcan greeting in Star Trek. Spock might as well have used the Hebrew word tov. Occurring 738 times in the Old Testament, the general idea of tov is utilitarian. To be “good” is to…
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly Psalm 84:11 Withhold – Start now! Save. Watch your resources carefully. Retirement, the golden age of relaxation, is a big seller these days. Entire communities are billed as “retirement living.” The advertisement on the radio says, “Will you outlive your money or will your…
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies Psalm 23:5 Enemies – Who is my enemy? Is he the one who stands against me with sword in hand? Is he the one with a bomb concealed in a bag? Is he the one with a finger on the trigger? Or the…
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies Psalm 23:5 In the presence of – If you are going to enjoy the feast God is arranging, you will have to give up your microwave mentality. God is a gourmet chef. He takes His time. And when everything is ready, He presents…
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies Psalm 23:5 Before – God knows that the best part of a meal is cooking, not eating. Of course, it’s wonderful to enjoy the fruits of the chef’s labor. But it’s far more engaging to be in the kitchen while the meal is…
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies Psalm 23:5 Table – What kind of table does God prepare for those who walk uprightly (take a peek at Psalm 84:11)? It’s not a trivial question. And it’s not about the table construction. Wood, glass, steel – it doesn’t matter. The word…
