"Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? ". Some attempt to bring the Sovereign Lord down to our level, both in our address and our attitude. It is a familiarity that can breed contention if not contempt. The mistake can arise from the fact that Jesus mingled and ate and drank with ... Read more
"He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly". It comes down to the adage we all know yet patently fail to practice, namely that what we do today decides what we will have tomorrow. We try to believe that we can start afresh tomorrow. But when tomorrow comes we find we are building upon today ... Read more
"all Israel shouted with a great shout". It isn't the amount of noise we make that counts, but what we are doing that is important. The Israelites had been smitten in battle by the Philistines. So they fetched the ark of the covenant from Shiloh where it should be kept and brought it into the ... Read more
"God charges no one with wrongdoing". That was Job's opinion when trying to reason his way out of the distress that beset him. Job was commenting on the way that God had not yet preferred a charge for wrong-doing in the lives of those who seemed to go through life godlessly and free from restraint. ... Read more
"you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck". Daniel was also promised a position as third ruler in the kingdom. But these were of no interest to Daniel. Belshazzar had the sentence of death hanging upon him: his kingdom that he promised to share with Daniel would be ... Read more
"Lord, remember me". What was there to remember about him? His life as a robber? It was not his transformed life since conversion - he had none. He could not move a muscle - he was pinned to the cross, yet he had as great a conversion as anyone. That any idea of Christ's kingdom ... Read more
"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy". It should be pointed out at once that this is not a promise for all who weep. It is for those who sow seeds of righteousness and water them with their tears. Seeing the need, they pray about it and do what they can to meet ... Read more
"I come to you in the name of the Lord". David with his stones and sling must have looked very vulnerable against the armour-clad giant, Goliath. Five smooth stones seemed little match for a coat of mail weighing 5,000 shekels of bronze. Yet, as in all of life's conflicts, appearances can be deceptive. The exchange ... Read more
"Repent, and believe in the gospel". Have we emphasised the need to have faith and believe in Christ at the expense of neglecting the first step of repentance? Jesus tells us to repent and believe. Believing without repenting may bring short-term blessing but it can make for disillusionment. All who would be saved need to ... Read more
"Your eyes ... will see the land that is very far off". This prophecy was given by Isaiah to the besieged inhabitants of Jerusalem where king Hezekiah and his suffering people longed for deliverance. It speaks prophetically to everyone who loves Jesus, of the land of heaven and God's eternal kingdom. When surrounded by the ... Read more