He Prepares A Table Before Me

“Then they spoke against God; they said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?”” Psalm 78:19 Wilderness- Can He? Can God prepare a table?  Life as it comes to us says, “No!  God is not able to provide in the midst of our empty places.”  And we go on wandering.  Looking for the answer…

Dangerous and Divine

“They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region” Psalm 107:4 Dangerous and Divine Desert Region – For most of us, the idea of wilderness recalls pictures of the Arizona desert or the Sahara or the Northern Territories.  We think of wilderness as a place where men cannot live.  But what we really mean is…

Personal Apologetics

“Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense” Acts 26:1 Personal Apologetics Make a Defense – Apologetics is the technical term for providing defense of the claims of the Bible.  If you go into a Christian bookstore, you are more than likely to find several works on apologetics.  Some rather famous…

The World According to ?

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”  James 4:8 The World According to? Double-minded – Spiritually schizophrenic.  The Greek is dipsuchos (from dia meaning two, and psyche meaning mind or soul).  Are you a split personality Christian?  Sometimes we aren’t…

Three Steps – Number Three

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”  James 4:8 Three Steps – Number Three Purify – James aims his command for purification at a particular kind of person – the double-minded.  Why does he pick out this aspect of sinful…

Three Steps – Number Two

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 Three Steps – Number Two Cleanse –  Do you remember the leper?  “Lord, if you are willing, you are able to cleanse me.”  Jesus responded, “I am willing.”  The outside needs…

Three Steps – Number One

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 Three Steps – Number One Draw – When James reflected on the desire of God, he thought of a passage in Isaiah:  “because this people draws near to me with its…

Purity Outside

“Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Luke 5:12 Purity Outside Make me clean – The leper used the right word for his need.  Katharisai.  Cleanse.  From our cultural perspective, we would probably have expected something else.  Heal me.  But in the Gospels, the words for healing are used of every disease…

Is He Willing?

“Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Luke 5:12 Is He Willing? Willing – Few people who know anything about God doubt that He is able.  After all, if He is God, He has the power to do whatever He wishes.  The question that haunts us is not, “Is God able?”  The…

The Numbers Game

“The king is not saved by a mighty army; a warrior is not delivered by great strength” Psalm 33:16 The Numbers Game Saved – When David wrote this verse, his heart must have been crushed.  This is personal testimony, not a spiritual platitude.  David’s greatest sin was not with Bathsheba.  The immediate punishment for his…