Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. … More “If God wills…”
Ray Stedman on Jeremiah 20-22: So it is a number of years later, and Zedekiah, weakest of all the kings of Judah and the last of the line, is now on the throne. Nebuchadnezzar is sending up another army against Jerusalem, the city is under siege, and king Zedekiah now sends a hasty word to … More God is not a heavenly genie
John Piper, in a sermon, “Prayer and the Victory of God” helps us understand Isaiah 37 Now to fix this truth vividly in your minds—that the victory of God is coming and that it is coming by means of our prayers—look with me at Isaiah 37 and one stunning illustration of prayer and the victory … More The Stunning Effect of Prayer Illustrated
When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” —Luke 22:53 ESV J.C. Ryle comments on Luke 22:53– …the time during which evil is permitted to triumph is fixed and limited by God. We read that … More God’s absolute and complete sovereignty
“The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.”— Proverbs 16:33 “God’s dice always have a lucky roll,” said Sophocles, one of classical Athens’ three great tragic playwrights. Here’s what Charles H. Spurgeon has to say, in Morning and Evening: If the disposal of the lot is the … More The events of our lives are in His hands
On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to … More Divine Insomnia
John Piper, in “A Hunger for God” p 166: Israel had been taken into Babylonian exile. They had been there for decades. Now the time had come, in God’s reckoning, for their restoration. But how could this happen? They were a tiny, obscure ethnic minority in the massive Persian empire. The answer is that God rules empires. And when … More Piper on Ezra: “Massively hope-giving”
In 2 Kings 8, we read of the Shunammite woman‘s obedience to Elisha to sojourn “wherever you can, for the Lord has called for a famine.” Elisha knew good and well who causes famines. God does.Leviticus 26:3–4 says, If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you … More Sovereign over famine and restoration
In 1 Kings 12, we read that after Jeroboam joined the people, they asked King Rehoboam to “lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” (vs 4) Notice that they didn’t ask that he end it altogether, just that he lessen the load. If he … More A turn of events from the LORD
The reading for today, 1 Samuel 29-31, brings us to the end of this book. Bob Deffinbaugh offers this encouraging commentary at Bible.org- God’s sovereignty is so apparent in the rescue of David and his men from military service, service to the Philistines and against Israel. God uses David and even his sin to achieve His … More Thousands of unguessable ways God rescues
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 