<p><b>"Let my prayer come before you".  </b> The Psalmist seems to express the fear of so many, namely that his prayers are intercepted and never reach the Lord Himself. As though there is a selection committee deciding which petitions are worthy of attention. Can God, who describes the nations as a drop in a bucket ... Read more

<p><b>"his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation".  </b> The Infinite God has an exhaustless supply of mercy and grace to those who honour Him, giving Him His rightful place in their lives. These words of Mary remind us that no matter by how many generations we are removed from the ... Read more

<p><b>"strength to go in and take over the land".  </b> Since the Lord created everyone with a job to do there must be every prospect of their being able to do it. If this is not so, the conception of a loving Creator will not stand. It is in doing the job God has for ... Read more

<p><b>"You alone are God".  </b> The Psalmist had removed all other images from the throne of his heart. We need to remove all else and give the Lord Jehovah unchallenged worship. Acknowledging God is not enough: we need to remove the clutter that detracts our attention from Him. The modern day 'gods' of sport, pleasure, ... Read more

<p><b>"I was not disobedient".  </b> Paul's testimony to obedience was great, for disobedience was the sin that first dogged the history of the human race. It is disobedience to the Lord and His Word that causes misery and failure among those who would be Christ's followers. It is true that the path may look steep ... Read more

<p><b>"supposing that gain is godliness".  </b> There always were those who saw godliness as a means of gain. They will argue that godliness, if it is good, must bring gain. The fallacy lies in the interpretation they place on godliness. True godliness is gain but it is also patterned on the teaching and example of ... Read more

<p><b>"the whole city came out to meet Jesus".  </b> At first it appeared a full-scale revival whereas it turned out to be a wholesale rejection. The incident teaches us not to count heads but hearts. The embassage that came to Jesus was to ask Him to leave, not to welcome His miraculous life changing ministry. ... Read more

<p><b>"But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.' ".  </b>  So we squeal before we are hurt and fear what never afflicts us! The prophet reminds us that the Lord has written the names of His children upon the palms of His hands. What right have we to conclude ... Read more

<p><b>"he will guide you into all truth".  </b> The Holy Spirit is the Divine agent in imparting salvation to all who believe - the 'dispenser of Calvary' as someone put it. The Holy Spirit makes the things of God real to the heart of man. It is He Who convinces and convicts of sin. Any ... Read more

<p><b>"Therefore we do not lose heart".  </b> You lose heart when all hope has gone. It saps you of energy and motivation. It stifles any spirit within and leaves you vulnerable and weak. But whatever our present circumstances might be, Paul gives believers reasons for not losing heart. He contrasts the physical suffering and decay ... Read more