In our last meditation we noted that Jesus does not forsake us in our moment of weakness even if we stumble; rather He intercedes for us before the Father as in Romans 8:34. Today we turn our attention to John 17 where we find Jesus praying for His followers, including us as verse 20 makes […]
Psalm 19 speaks of two specific ways in which God has revealed Himself to the world. First in verses 1-6 He gives us a general revelation of Himself, His Power, Might, and Goodness through what we call “nature”. Though incomplete, the Apostle says “Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness…” Acts 14:17. No matter […]
During the Christmas season the heart of our attention seems often to be focused on the coming of King Jesus to this earth, on the joy of birth, on the joy of new life; but unlike the first Adam who was created to live but entered into a contract with the enemy and death, Jesus […]
If we consider Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Jesus, let us consider what His birth really means. We have a tendency to focus our attention on the humble surroundings of that magnificent occurrence, the heavenly annunciations of it, and the visitors that came in witness of it. His birth was not […]
As we approach the day we call Christmas we hear much said and sang about shepherds, angels, sheep, the manger; these however are not the real “Christmas” story, they are only props surrounding the real message of the occasion, the message delivered by the angel to the shepherds in Luke 2:11 was, “For there is […]
As we approach the Christmas holiday let us pause and think about the day we call “Christmas. First we are quite sure that Jesus was not born on December 25 or January 7 (Orthodox Christmas), and there is really no Biblical command to set aside a special day to celebrate His birth; now that does […]
As followers of the Lord Jesus we have been commissioned to carry on His ministry here on earth while He prepares a place for us in heaven (John 14:2-3). This is illustrated to us in the parable of the minas in Luke19:11-37 in which the nobleman equipped his servants and instructed them to “Do business […]
In Matthew 25:1-13 Jesus teaches us about His return, likening it to a Hebrew marriage. The betrothal had been made, then during the engagement period the bride stayed at home with her parents and prepared her trousseau while the groom went to prepare a home for them. Jewish weddings usually took place at night, beginning […]
As we travel through life we often find it filled with sorrows, pain, hurt, and heavy burdens. The Bible recognizes this in Job 5:7 saying, “man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.” The same sentiment is expressed in 14:1. There are two different Hebrew words used in these verses, respectively meaning trial, […]
In John 10:3-4, Jesus, portraying Himself as a shepherd leading his sheep, says, “he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And … he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” We are like sheep that when left to wonder on their own become disoriented, scattered, […]