" (He) would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple". Jesus chose the occasion of His visiting the temple to protest against the desecration of the court by tradesmen. It was a day those who witnessed it would not forget. Things are going on today that the Christian cannot condone. ... Read more
p>"Why are we sitting here until we die? ". I think the emphasis on these words spoken by four lepers was that they were sitting doing nothing. They were waiting for something to happen, for others to do something, when it turned out they were to resolve the matter. Samaria was besieged and they were ... Read more
"so great salvation". It is great because without it man had no hope whatever of extricating himself from the quagmire of sin. Great because it is all embracing. Salvation in Christ may be experienced by anyone who will believe and accept it; no means test or qualifying period. Furthermore, it is great because there is ... Read more
"he walked on the water, to go to Jesus". Very spectacular! But his walking on the water was short-lived and soon ended in beginning to sink. We may not get the chance to show our trust in Jesus as Peter did when the Lord said to him "Come." Yet we all are called to be ... Read more
"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life". Few, if any, of us escape trouble: we don't have to look far to see it. If it does not affect us directly it is experienced by those dear to us. Life keeps going and we need to keep walking too. We are ... Read more
"your God will be my God". It does seem as though Naomi was a person about whom, if a Christian, you would say, 'If that's a Christian, I want to be one'! Ruth had seen Naomi as mother in the home and as widow at the graveside. She had no doubt learned to lean and ... Read more
"he said, 'Go again seven times' ". The confrontation Elijah had with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel is well known. When these prophets had been slain, Elijah received the assurance that the nation-wide drought was to end. He told his servant lad to go and look out for a cloud in the sky, ... Read more
"the sword of the Spirit". Not a ceremonial sword to be worn when on parade. The sword of the Spirit is a vital piece of the Christian's armour. It is the God-breathed Word of God which Jesus used to cut down the Devil's evil insinuations when tempted in the wilderness. It is the means whereby ... Read more
"Come to me". The wonder of the Gospel is not merely that we may come to the Lord, but that He invites us to do so. And the more wretched and unworthy a person feels, the more pressing is the invitation. Jesus came not to call righteous people: He came for sinners - the failures, ... Read more
"After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves". Seeking advice is commendable: seeking and taking the wrong advice is folly. Jeroboam was crowned king over Israel. He immediately felt he had a problem - if his subjects went up to Jerusalem to worship they might revert to Rehoboam, king of Judah. So he sought ... Read more