As we continue our fast paced journey through the beatitudes we hear Jesus saying, “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons (children KJV) of God” Matthew 5:9. Being a peacemaker is imitating our Father, Ephesians 2:14. I believe this takes on two different aspects; one is peace between ourselves, peace among men […]
May, according to Webster, is not only the fifth month of the year, but it also describes the springtime of youth. When it is spelled with a lower case “m” it is often replaced with the word can, which is one of its synonyms, another synonym is might, which is used often in the original […]
A garden is a place of beauty, and productivity. God has a garden with two aspects; the first is that into which we enter and find the beauty, peace, rest, and refreshment of His presence as we fellowship with Him. It is here that we are fashioned and incorporated into His garden as the seed […]
Sheep comprise a large part of the agricultural life and livelihood of the Near Eastern people, including the Hebrews, and are mentioned in the Bible more than 500 times. They are also a very fitting symbol of the people of God. David, the Psalmist, and king of Israel, had been a shepherd in his youth […]
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” 1 Timothy 1:15. There was only one reason that Jesus came into the world and that was to deliver from the consequences of sin. He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” Luke 19:10. He stepped into the turmoil and chaos of the […]
Three things God desires for us, among many others, are that we experience the fullness of Love, Joy, and Peace. These are exactly what God sent Jesus into this world to bring to us. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son …” His coming was heralded […]
In Psalm 119:165 the Psalmist cries out, “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.” He had found a place where there is an abundance of peace (Hebrew Shalom, to be safe, figuratively well, happy, to have friendship and, abstractly, welfare, i.e. to have health, prosperity, and peace). Are […]
The final name or title given to Jesus in Isaiah 9:6 is Prince of Peace, which, in Isaiah’s language, meant that as Prince He would be the head person, such as a chief or captain, of Shalom which includes safety (and figuratively) well, happy, friendly (and abstractly) welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, and peace. As His […]
In Luke “the Lord said, Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.” Repetition of a name was considered an expression of love, and I suspect that it would also spark attention to the importance of the message that would follow. Jesus spoke directly to Simon, possibly because […]
In 1 Peter 1:3-7, Peter addresses Christians with praise to “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope…” Why is it a living hope? First, because it is established in a living person, “…through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from […]