When Is Enough?

My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your glory all day long. Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails. Psalm 71:8-9 NASB Not forsake – Hebrew poetry puts words in order of importance, not English syntax. Our translations rearrange the words…

In the Shadows

Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the grasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless man, Psalm 71:4 NASB Rescue me – Rescue is a very practical experience. It isn’t to be found in the next world. There is little point in waiting to die so that you can…

Stand By Me (5)

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, Philippians 2:1 NASB Compassion – Sympathy comes last. Oiktirmoi is the Greek term for “sympathy.” Translating it “compassion” might be stylistically acceptable, but it obscures the fact…

Stand By Me (4)

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, Philippians 2:1 NASB Affection – Apparently Paul got it backwards. We would have expected the next word, translated “compassion,” to be this word, splanchnon. Or maybe Paul…

Stand by Me (3)

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, Philippians 2:1 NASB Fellowship – Ah, the “church” word. No, it’s not ekklesia (which should be translated “assembly,” not “church”). It’s koinonia, the word that means “in…

Stand by Me (2)

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, Philippians 2:1 NASB Consolation – What’s the Difference? Paul already used the word paraklesis, the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew na­ham, a word for comfort, so why…

Stand by Me (1)

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, Philippians 2:1 NASB Encouragement – Do you need encouragement? According to Paul, only one kind of encouragement will actually make a permanent change. That is encouragement in…