“The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts.” 1 Samuel 2:7 Makes poor – Three thousand years ago Hannah proclaimed thanksgiving to the Lord in a prayer of incredible power. A year earlier she was crushed with sorrow. She longed for a child of her own. God heard her lament and…
“In all wisdom and insight, He has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention” Ephesians 1:8-9 Kind intention – I would have liked something a bit stronger here. Our culture doesn’t put much weight on “intention” these days. We commonly hear, “Well, at least he has the right…
“In all wisdom and insight, He has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention” Ephesians 1:8-9 According – Sometimes the smallest words carry very big loads. In the New Testament, prepositions are tiny words with tremendous significance. This preposition, kata, is no exception. When you think about the…
“In all wisdom and insight, He has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention” Ephesians 1:8-9 Has made known – How many times have you and I struggled with the clarity of God’s will for us? How often have you felt as though you just couldn’t understand what…
“In all wisdom and insight, He has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention” Ephesians 1:8-9 Insight – My friend Terry and his family survived hurricane Ivan as it passed over Grand Cayman where they live. Their house was destroyed by 165 mile an hour winds and an…
“In all wisdom and insight, He has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention” Ephesians 1:8-9 Wisdom – We live in a culture that has been influenced by Greek thought much the same way that the Ephesians were influenced by Greek thinking. Many of the patterns and meanings…
“and in your godliness, brotherly kindness” 2 Peter 1:7 Brotherly kindness – Take a trip with me. We’ll travel from Orlando to Philadelphia. On the way, we will first come to Washington, DC. Before we get to the city of brotherly love, we will have to travel through the capitol of the country. That’s the…
“Then the Lord took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15 Keep – I take “keeping” seriously. I have been known, much to my regret these days, to place too much value on the things that I have. I was probably one of those…
“discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” 1 Timothy 4:7 Godliness – Yesterday we saw that the word for “godliness” can be applied to people who practice outward devotion but have no inner character pleasing to Christ. Paul warns us to avoid such people. But here is the same word, now used in a context…
“holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power” 2 Timothy 3:5 Godliness – What does it mean? What is a “form of godliness”? This is something we better be clear about. Paul is adamant. Have nothing to do with these people. Avoid them, he says. That implies that we know who…
