Finished

They almost destroyed me on earth, but as for me, I did not abandon Your precepts. Psalm 119:87  NASB Destroyed – What will be the final line in your obituary?  “A good husband?”  “A loving wife?”  “A cherished father/mother?”  “A provider?”  “A friend?”  How about “committed to God?”  Or “a Torah-keeper?”  Would you think to add…

I’m Not Done Yet

And even when I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.  Psalm 71:18  NASB Until – When is it over?  Ah, you know there’s no such thing as retirement in this Kingdom.  It’s not over until the fat lady sings.  When you…

Does God Do It All?

I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.  Psalm 57:2 [English]  NASB Who accomplishes all things – Poetry is difficult to understand.  Just ask my Italian students who are studying Walt Whitman or Edgar Allen Poe.  Poets like to manipulate the language, strike unusual parallels, twist resonance, and bend meanings in…

Combat Zone

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.1 John 4:18  NASB Is not perfected– teleióō.  That’s the Greek term here.  The verb is a perfect passive.  ESV translates it as “has not been perfected.”  The NASB translation could give us the…

The Long Ride

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 NASB Will perfect it – How long will God have to work on us before we arrive at His intended destination? How long will it be before…

Your “Friend”

saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Luke 14:30 NASB Not able to finish – What if your best friend is really your worst enemy? What if embracing surrender to God means committing suicide of your self? What if there isn’t any real life after this death? Answers to these…

Wedding Week

and He gave to Moses, when he finished talking with him upon Mount Sinai, two tablets of Testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God. Exodus 31:18 Finished – The rabbis noticed something special about the connection between this verse and Jeremiah 7:34.  They are both about a wedding.  But you don’t see…

And, In The End

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6 Will Perfect It – God does not operate by the “what have you done for Me lately?” method.  Aren’t you glad? Who among us could ever meet…

“It Is Accomplished”

But we know that all things work together for the good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose Romans 8:28 The Good – I love this verse.  It gives hope and direction in a world that often seems chaotic and destructive.  It is a resounding call to remember…