"Will a man make gods for himself". Over and again he will! And when they are worn out he will replace them. The following is a short list of the gods man will fabricate. You may wish to add to it : self another person pleasure secret sin money attaining fame anything occupying the throne ... Read more
"one pearl of great price". Outstanding! Nothing like it before! Worth selling all to get possession of it - and many are ready to do this! Such is the description that Jesus gave of admission to the kingdom of heaven. It is priceless and worth disposing of all else in order to get it. When ... Read more
"From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised". So it is! Throughout the day, as disciples of Jesus commit their work to Him, they praise Him. Their prayer of gratitude for His faithfulness every night praises Him. Great companies praise Him; individuals praise His Name ... Read more
"I will pray the Father … he will give". Completion is only effected when you receive. Shortly after saying this, Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'. It was a symbolic and prophetic act. Jesus must have come to be attached to His disciples in a special way. He did not ... Read more
"my kindness shall not depart from thee". God will not stop loving His children. If His love reached them when they were away from Him, it is inconceivable that it will desert them when they turn to Him. God will not begin a work He is unable to finish, not disinterestedly turn away to do ... Read more
"one of these little ones". Jesus warns about the seriousness of harming innocent children - the deserved punishment being a millstone round the neck and thrown into the sea. He said that a young child - presumably one who has not yet attained the years of moral responsibility - has the protection of a guardian ... Read more
"strive lawfully". Put simply - don't get disqualified. When the writer was young he belonged to an athletic club and well remembers an occasion when running the last leg of a relay race. He took the baton well down in the order and to his surprise noticed that the runner in front was cutting inside ... Read more
"they may forget, yet will I not forget". We live in a world where anything can happen. Who can tell what a day will bring forth? The strongest may weaken and the straightest bend. Put all your eggs in the safest basket and you run the risk of losing them all in one jolt. It ... Read more
"Give, and it shall be given unto you". These words are part of Jesus' 'Sermon on the Plain' - a lengthy discourse recorded for us by Luke in his Gospel. Like the Sermon on the Mount it contains injunctions that are difficult to put into practice, such as loving your enemies, turning the other cheek ... Read more
"if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners". Justification by faith does not allow the believer to continue in sin. If it did, Christ would become the administrator of sin. Christ paid the penalty for my sin and by believing I receive the gift of eternal life offered ... Read more