There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; … More Do you enjoy the gifts or the Giver?
O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to thee shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: “Our fathers have inherited nought but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit. Can man make for himself gods? Such are no gods!” (Jeremiah 16:19-20 … More Seeing and Knowing God For Who He really is
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:17-18 Steven Cole comments: Settling arguments peacefully in English pubs has often been a difficult task. So, in … More Settling arguments vs sowing wisdom
John 2:24-25 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. John Piper comments in a sermon “He Knew What Was in Man” Three statements. First, the sweeping general statement in … More Jesus is infinitely more impressive!
Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king … More True Satisfaction
Ray Stedman takes us on a tour of Jeremiah 14-15, the reading for today: The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: {Jer 14:2 RSV} He goes on to describe the land, how the cisterns have no water, the ground is dismayed, there is no rain on the land, the crops … More “What are you going to do with a God like that?”
Pastor Steven Cole: On a windswept hill in an English country churchyard stands a drab, gray slate tombstone. The faint etchings read: Beneath this stone, a lump of clay, lies Arabella Young, Who, on the twenty-fourth of May, began to hold her tongue. Let’s hope that we learn what that woman never did, to tame the tongue! … More Needed: Makeover of the Mouth
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep … More A Wedding Blessing
Jeremiah 13:23 says, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.” In the same way, the nature of a tree determines or defines the kind of fruit it produces. Jesus said in Matt 12:33 that the tree is known by its fruit. Apple trees do NOT produce oranges. … More God of the Impossible
From the conclusion of John Piper’s sermon, “Does James Contradict Paul?” When Paul teaches in Romans 4:5 that we are justified by faith alone, he means that the only thing that unites us to Christ for righteousness is dependence on Christ. When James says in James 2:24 that we are not justified by faith alone he … More Does James Contradict Paul?
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 