John Piper, in a sermon, “Prayer and the Victory of God” helps us understand Isaiah 37, part of our Bible reading plan today. 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 … More The Stunning Effect of Prayer Illustrated
O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble. At the tumultuous noise peoples flee; when you lift yourself up, nations are scattered, and your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers; as locusts leap, it is leapt upon. The Lord is … More Ultimate stability in unstable times
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 (verses 47-53 in our reading plan) J.C. Ryle comments on Luke 22:53– …the time during which evil is permitted to triumph is fixed and limited … More God’s absolute and complete sovereignty
Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.—Isaiah 30:18 (Reading plan is Isaiah 29-30) John Piper’s introduction and conclusion of a sermon, “Battling the Unbelief of Impatience,” Impatience … More Piper: Impatience is a form of unbelief.
O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.—Isaiah 25:1, in our Bible reading plan today John Piper comments: God is a planning God. He gives forethought to what he does. He is wise. And if … More Piper: God never “gets lucky”
Overwhelmed at all the political commercials, ads and election coverage? Frustrated by the general political climate? Here is some encouragement to PRAY for our leaders, no matter what political party they belong to. John Piper, in a sermon, “Pray for Kings and All in High Positions” No king, no president, no premier, no Ayatollah can stay … More Our God reigns, and no politician can stay his hand
As we approach some days of long readings in Isaiah, let’s pause to understand Isaiah’s purpose in writing. Isaiah was a well-educated man, married with two sons and called to preach in Jerusalem during the period of 740 BC until after 701 BC. This was the period after King Uzziah died (ch6) and the succeeding … More Can you see God in these long passages of Isaiah?
Bob Deffinbaugh comments: A slight shift in the events recorded in Esther would have doomed the Jews, except as Mordecai said, “help would come from someplace else.” Nevertheless, success in the small details mattered. As an Agagite, Haman may well have used his position against the Jews at the first provocation, whether it came from … More Seeing God’s hand moving behind the scenes
“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
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 