nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh will…
Truly, You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior! Isaiah 45:15 NASB Hides Himself – Have you experienced the desert of purposelessness? Have you cried out to God when your spirit is empty and abandoned? Have you felt the despair when your pleas return vacuous? Then perhaps Isaiah’s statement reflects your emotional distress…
How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? Psalm 13:1 NASB Hide Your face – I understand the absence of the Landlord when the tenant deserves judgment. Feeling the brokenness of relationship is a powerful incentive for repentance and restitution, as every parent knows. Children who need to…
Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; they came each one with his household: Exodus 1:1 NASB Household – What did the children of Israel bring with them into the desert? What did they carry for forty years as they wandered toward Canaan? Each one brought his…
Spinoza was one of the world’s great philosophers. He also happened to be Jewish. He lived in the attic of a house in Europe while he wrote some of the most challenging thoughts about the human condition. I am reminded of Spinoza these days, not because I am a great philosopher or even a great…
“But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” Job 28:12 NASB Where – The goal of growing is not to be finished. If you ever reached the finished line, there would be no reason to continue. Might as well be dead. Life is about the continuous project of change, of growth,…
“But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” Job 28:12 NASB Where – What is the source of wisdom? Where do you go to get understanding? “Just tell me where to look so that I can find the answers,” seems to be the consistent cry of those who have embarked on…
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Romans 16:20 NASB Will soon– syntríbō, in this case, a future, active, indicative tense. As Bertram notes: “The image of smashing Satan in Rom. 16:20 (cf. Gen. 3:15; Ps. 91:13) suggests both present victory over the powers of darkness and the imminent eschatological destruction of Satan.”[1] We…
Thirty minutes before the last Italy tour finished, I experienced a new form of pain. My Achilles tendon ruptured and I fell to the floor. The rest of the night was in the hospital. Now I am home getting ready for surgery to repair the tendon, and looking forward to more pain and 3 to…
