"receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints". Paul is commending a lady called Phoebe from the church in Cenchrea to the believers in Rome. She had been a blessing to many in Cenchrea but that did not mean they would accept her in Rome. Whatever her reason for moving, she ... Read more

"this waste of the ointment". Opinion on whether ointment is wasted or not varies - a fact very obvious when this woman anointed the feet of Jesus. His enemies said it was a waste, He said it would be an everlasting memorial of her. It really depends on what your objectives are. She loved Him ... Read more

"seek peace, and pursue it". Peace does not come easily. You only have to look at situations around the world to realise this. The smiles and handshakes cover the hearts of selfishness and greed. Peace is costly and the price is too high for many. The psalmist tells us that if we are to seek ... Read more

"with all speed". This was the command that Paul sent to Silas and Timothy in Thessalonica, as he waited for them in Athens. It was more than as soon as possible, it was as fast as possible. Speed certainly is an ingredient that many of us could mix into the recipe of our lives, nowhere ... Read more

"the tradition of the elders". Some tradition provides a good foundation for life and duty. Other tradition is of little importance. Resistance against change and new blessings God would give us, we must guard against. Tradition can be like unnecessary baggage that we carry around with us. In Jesus' day tradition had got out of ... Read more

"Deliver me from my enemies, O God". This is the cry of a man who cannot find his own way out of the dilemma in which he finds himself. It might be that his own indiscretion has landed him in this predicament. More likely it is because he has stood firm for the truth that ... Read more

"Jesus took the loaves". It takes an eye of faith to spot the starting material! You or I would have politely thanked the boy but done nothing more. Jesus took the gift and used it mightily. Don't look at the size of the gift. Jesus promised that His followers would do greater works than this ... Read more

"He supposed that his brethren understood". Moses was not the only man to assume his fellow men would understand, only to find they did not appreciate what he was doing. Folk can change, and those who have gone along with what we said for years can suddenly turn against us. Some whom we trust implicitly ... Read more

"the preaching of the cross". Many noble lessons may be drawn from the life and death of Jesus. Lessons drawn must not take the place of the actual fact that Christ died for our sins. The sins of the world were laid upon Him and His death atones for the sin of all who believe. ... Read more

"profit". This word has become associated with business: Jesus applied it to living. He made it clear that after death, or the conclusion of life as we know it, there was to be a resurrection and judgment based on this present life. Goods and possessions cannot be carried into the next world, but treasure can ... Read more

"the Lord himself will strike him". David had opportunity to slay Saul and did not take it. Sometimes what seem to be opportunities are best left alone. Abishai, David's companion gave two good reasons why David should take the opportunity to slay Saul. First, Saul hated David for selfish reasons and hounded him throughout the ... Read more

"all speak the same thing". Many gifts and much activity call for disciplined unity. We need to seek God's mind that there be no divisions as each of us adds his or her idea. The message of the gospel is clear, the assurance of salvation and peace with God are blessed experiences. It is the ... Read more

"thirsty". Water is essential to life and thirst is the driving force that sees we get it. We will stop at nothing to obtain water. There are other desperate longings that can be likened to thirst - desire after knowledge, search for a meaning and purpose in our life, achievement of whatever it is we ... Read more

"put my money to the exchangers". Jesus told the Parable of the Talents to emphasize our responsibility to do something with what we have now. Five simple suggestions for the one-talent holders: 1. Write a letter of comfort, encouragement, sympathy as the occasion demands. 2. Use your telephone to testify to a friend about God's ... Read more

"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit". The Christian life begins with repentance and an act of commitment. It is a definite decision to trust the Lord only made possible because one realises that Jesus died for one's sins and rose again to be the Saviour of all who would take this step. But ... Read more

"Strengthen, O God, what you have done for us". This should be the prayer of all who have known the touch of God in their life. The voice of the Lord speaking to us, the consciousness of His hand upon us, the power of the Holy Spirit ministering through us are just the beginning. God ... Read more

"Let us make a little chamber". The prophet Elisha stayed in this home whenever he passed by that way and the lady of the house wanted to provide for the comfort he deserved. She had a desire to serve the Lord. Her husband recognised the wisdom of her suggestion and put no obstacle in her ... Read more

"godless chatter". Some people's tongue is like a machine that never stops. They go on like a car without brakes rolling downhill. And incessant chatter easily resorts to godlessness. The godly man examines his words before he speaks them. He stops speaking before he needs to apologise for what he has said. Small talk is ... Read more

"a great multitude". Chronic sufferers, cripples, psychosomatics, paralytics and those suffering as the result of an accident, yet all there with one declared purpose - to get well again. This 'great multitude' is a picture of the world at large. Not all suffer in this way, but all fall victim of sin which is rampant ... Read more

"Noah lived 950 years, and then he died". A fascinating way to record this man who built the ark. First, that he lived for so long: he was six hundred when he entered the ark. Second, that though he lived so long, he still took that step common to us all - he died. If ... Read more

"you will eat and be satisfied". We all eat but not all of us are satisfied. The menu for satisfied diners is to be found in the Word of God. God linked complete satisfaction with loving the Lord your God and serving Him with all your heart and soul. Only in this way can you ... Read more

"all that God had done with them". This was the agenda for Paul's meeting with the church at Antioch and the end of their first great missionary journey. It is always on the agenda when servants of the Lord return home after a tour of duty. We should all recognise the hand of God in ... Read more

"he inquired of them the hour when he got better". In other words, the nobleman checked out whether it was at the time that Jesus gave him the promise of healing that his boy was actually healed. The gift of healing, like answered prayer and any other promise of the Lord, stands investigation. Things do ... Read more

"May all who come to you be glad and joyful". They will, if it is the Lord they seek. In the Old Testament the Lord has promised that if we seek Him with all our heart we will find Him. Finding Him is like finding the pearl of great price, and worth losing the world ... Read more

"busy with your own house". Despite being busy, the Israelites found that all their hard work was proving futile. The more they did, the less they achieved. Whilst rebuilding the temple, the people had become distracted with building homes for themselves and their priorities had changed. The house of the Lord could wait. Concern for ... Read more

"All my fountains are in you". This psalm extols the blessings of Zion, the city of God. Zion speaks of the capital and centre of the kingdom of God and of the Children of God. The fountains, or springs as they are called refer to the strength and sustenance the Christian draws from the true ... Read more

"a choice between the way that leads to life and the way that leads to death". The choice found in Jeremiah is not the only one. God gives us all that same choice today. We cannot all be wealthy or educated or intelligent, but we can all choose the way that leads to life. It ... Read more

"when did we see you …? ". Those pronounced righteous on the Day of Judgment repeatedly asked this question when told they had met the Lord and attended to His need. The fact was that they had seen Him but not recognised Him - when they took warm clothes and wrapped the shivering child, when ... Read more

"those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works". This is wise counsel to all believers. The danger is that the believer mistakenly thinks that faith is all that is needed. To say I believe and not do anything that faith demands is like advertising my assumed godliness with no product ... Read more

"You did not choose me, but I chose you". Jesus chose to call His disciples. As far as we know, all the twelve whom He called responded positively. It was not an open invitation but a specific one. Jesus came to James and John mending their nets, Peter and Andrew casting their net and Matthew ... Read more

"But now … ". Thank God for 'but now'! It is one 'but' we cannot do without. It is a declaration of being. It announces the difference Christ makes. It declares freedom and forgiveness from the past, new life and new relationships for the present and the hope of heaven for the future. Each time ... Read more