I find in 1 Samuel 5 an example of God’s humor. The people of Israel were using the Ark of the Covenant like a good-luck charm, taking it to battle with them. Their enemies,the Philistines, ended up slaughtering them and capturing the Ark. They place it in their temple before their god, Dagon. … More Who’s laughing?
1 Samuel 3-5 describes a very dark period in the history of Israel. In 1 Samuel 4:10-11 we read, “ So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. And the ark of God was … More Draw near
In Him we have set our firm hope, that he will deliver us, as you join in working for us by prayer, so that the blessing that comes to us from the prayers of many persons might result in thanksgiving to God by many as they see our deliverance. —2 Corinthians 1 Pastor Coty Pinckney asks: … More What is the purpose of prayer?
And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” —Mark 9:35 Pastor Kim Riddlebarger, at the Riddleblog: From these sayings of Jesus, three important themes emerge. First, membership in the kingdom of God is bestowed upon us, we don’t earn it. The very idea that membership … More The cross comes before the empty tomb
For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.—Psalm 95:3 Charles Spurgeon, from the Treasury of David: No doubt the surrounding nations imagined Jehovah to be a merely local deity, the god of a small nation, and therefore one of the inferior deities; the psalmist utterly repudiates such an idea. Idolaters … More All in all
And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. “There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. As we begin our readings of 1 & 2 Samuel this month, … More Praising God, Who has purpose for our pain
What does that mean, that here must be no boasting – no exultation – except boasting and exulting in the cross of Christ? Here is some insight from Pastor John Piper: But Doesn’t Paul Tell Us to Boast in Other Things Also? This word for “boasting” or “exulting” was used in the last text that … More In what should we boast?
Mark 16:6-7 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as … More Hard promises…CHECK!
Psalm 118: Oh give thanks to the Lord……For he is good. C. H Spurgeon comments: This is reason enough for giving him thanks; goodness is his essence and nature, and therefore he is always to be praised whether we are receiving anything from him or not. Those who only praise God because he does them … More Spurgeon: It is not only that He was good, and will be good, but He IS good.
Five Steps Toward Walking by the Spirit by John Piper Let me conclude by mentioning five things that I think we must do so that it can be truly said that we are walking by the Spirit. 1. Acknowledge First, we must acknowledge from our hearts that we are helpless to do good apart from … More John Piper: Walking by the Spirit
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 