<b>"and they received the Holy Spirit". </b> It was not enough for the new believers in Samaria to receive the Word of God brought to them by Philip the Evangelist. Not enough for them to feel and be happy. All should be happy when they experience sin forgiven and peace with God. They needed the ... Read more

<b>"Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? "</b>.  God loves to do new things in the lives of His people. Sometimes we get confused and disappointed because we do not appreciate God's time schedule. He may alert us to what is going to happen sometime ... Read more

<b>"Are you greater than our father Jacob … ? ".</b>  Yes, Jesus is greater than all who have gone before. Pile the achievements from the great ones of history and you have not begun to equal what the Lord has done. Greater because no one else left heaven to come to earth and be our ... Read more

<b>"Be not afraid of their faces".</b>  The Lord repeated these words to Jeremiah at the outset of his ministry and He would repeat them to every disciple who goes forward to serve the Lord. A look at the faces of his hearers can frighten the most eloquent preacher. The servants of the Lord must draw ... Read more

<b>"the children of Israel … had feared other gods".</b>  They could only do this because they stopped fearing or worshipping the Lord Jehovah. It happened after a number of evil kings had ruled in Israel and the nation was carried captive into Assyria. You cannot worship other gods unless you turn away from the Lord ... Read more

<b>"until". </b> Jesus used this little word with great effect. In the days of Noah they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage UNTIL the day Noah entered the ark. Jesus told us in His parable that God allows wheat and tares (good and evil) to grow together UNTIL harvest. The Psalmist realised ... Read more

<b>"The Prince of Peace".</b>  This name is experienced when you receive the forgiveness of sin and peace with God that He offers. The heathen rage and the nations engage in war as the Psalmist said. National peace is an illusive goal. To understand this title we must look at the conflict between good and evil ... Read more

"king Ahaz … saw an altar that was at Damascus". He journeyed to Damascus to visit the king of Assyria whose help he had sought in resisting armed incursions from the king of Israel and from the Syrians. While in Damascus he saw an altar which he liked so much that he sent the pattern ... Read more

"the clay was marred in his hands”. Marred or imperfect clay did not matter when it was still in the hands of the potter. The prophet described the Master Potter remaking the vessel, not doing a repair. God does not patch up those who put themselves in His hand, He makes them anew. Anyone in ... Read more

"Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you”. Peter's third answer was to the effect that Jesus already knew the answer: he did love Jesus. It was not that Jesus should know but that Peter should know, that the question was asked three times. What the Lord had done and was yet ... Read more