<p><b>"the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand".  </b> We may admire the all-conquering Nebuchadnezzar but must remember that the true victory is the Lord's. We may mourn the demise of Judah under Jehoiakim but know that it was God's judgment upon the nation. The reign of Jehoiakim was unhappy and his conduct ... Read more

<p><b>"Lydia … heard us".  </b> When God calls and you obey, you usually soon find out what He is about to do. Remember, it is God working in your life: you are not left on your own. Paul and his companions came to Europe for the first time. They had no planned course of action ... Read more

<p><b>"all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps".  </b> In Jesus' Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, all of them woke up and all trimmed their lamps, that is, they all attempted to be ready. There is a day coming when we shall all wake up - wake up to find there is ... Read more

<p><b>"I had nearly lost my foothold".  </b> The Psalmist tells us that he felt his feet slipping from under him when he considered the prosperity experienced by godless men. It seems that he listened to the evil suggestion that there was no point in following the Lord. This is his description of the wicked: Prosperous: ... Read more

<p><b>"but now he has become useful".  </b> The useless slave became a useful and dear brother. When we have something that is useless, we throw it away. There is no reason to keep it. It is of no use. In the same way, our sin has made us useless to God. Our relationship with Him ... Read more

<p><b>"No man can serve two masters".  </b> He can try! But while he is serving the one he will be neglecting the other. He must choose one or the other. We are all given bodies and brains, talent and time. What we do with them indicates who it is we serve. Those who by love ... Read more

<p><b>"the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death".  </b> Spiritual law transcends law in the material realm. In the latter the Prince of the Power of the air has domination. When sin entered our world in the Garden of Eden it opened ... Read more

<p><b>"the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge".  </b> Just as we each one differ from another, so does the way the Lord chooses to bring us to Himself. It is His dealing with Ruth and her response that makes the Book of Ruth what it is. She was courted ... Read more

<p><b>"everlasting life".  </b> The desire we have to live is clear evidence that death is foreign to our make-up. Yet the moment we are born it has been said that we begin to die. Death and the after-life are topics rarely mentioned - so, folk are quite ignorant of what lies beyond the grave. But ... Read more

<p><b>"be filled with the Spirit".  </b> Only possible if there is an emptiness first - 'swept and garnished' is now a glorious experience through the atoning work of Christ. Those who walk in the Spirit do not fulfil the lust of the flesh. The flesh wars against the Spirit anyway, but the victory Christ gives ... Read more