Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20 NASB Evil good – The history of Mankind, as the rabbis note, is a nightmare. Empire after empire followed the path falsely attributed to Alexander Tytler:…
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 NASB Sorrow – A few days ago we investigated a Greek word in Luke 18:23. That word was perílypos . It comes from the root lýpē. We noticed that Greek…
casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Pet 5:7 NASB (1995) Anxiety – “Anxiety disorders are present in up to 13.3% of individuals in the U.S. and constitute the most prevalent subgroup of mental disorders.”[1] A startling statement, don’t you think? 43 million people in the USA alone. Upon reflection,…
Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” Exodus 3:13 NASB Name – I’ve often wondered why…
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17-18 NASB Crushed in spirit – Gristmills. Coffee grinders. Rock crushers. When you read this verse, do you feel the pressure? Are you being ground to dust by the weight…
And the Lord is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not desert you or abandon you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 NASB Dismayed – Dismayed? Do you know precisely what that means? I’m guessing that most people don’t. We have a general idea. It’s something…
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 NASB Mourn – Samuel Beckett’s play raises a critical question for humanity. It does so with a kind of dramatic insanity. “Vivian Mercier described Waiting for Godot as a play which ‘has achieved a theoretical impossibility—a play in which nothing happens, that yet keeps audiences glued…
But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy. Luke 18:23 NASB Very sad – Let’s talk about sad. Not the most comfortable topic, but I’m sure it’s one we have experienced. Grief might be a disease that cannot be seen, but sadness has a face. Unfortunately, those…
When you go out to battle against your enemies, and the Lord your God hands them over to you and you take them away captive, Deuteronomy 21:10 NASB When – The most important word in this verse is not “battle” or “enemies.” It’s not the claim that God will fight on your side. It’s the opening conjunction, the…
And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked by worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity. Luke 8:14 NASB Worries – SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) first appeared in China in 2002. Its current strain…
