It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 NASB Teach us to pray – Before we read the refracted brilliance of Heschel’s remarks about prayer, we should…
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB Grace/works – I used to think I knew what Paul was writing about. Decades ago, I had the right theological perspective on Paul. He was…
The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. Deuteronomy 32:4 NASB All His ways – “‘When a person suffers afflictions, he must express gratitude to the Holy and Blessed One. Why? Because it is his afflictions that draw him…
You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. Deuteronomy 4:2 NASB Not add/ nor take away – How flexible are your ethics? Do you hold hard and fast to your own moral commandments? Are…
You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3 NASB Shall have – In May of 2014 we looked at the important difference between Greek thought and Hebrew thought in this verse. Usually translated “you shall not have,” the Hebrew verb plus negative, lo-yihye’, reveals an important characteristic of Hebrew thought. The translation, “shall…
It occurred to me, as I sit in my bed with my foot in a sort-of cast, that I might do an audio series while I am incapacitated. I would simply record each day a short (less than 30 minutes) commentary on Abraham Heschel’s God In Search Of Man, a book that fundamentally altered my approach…
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 NASB Dwell– Paul is quite interested in what really matters. He uses the Greek verb logízomai to emphasize reasoned deliberation…
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 NASB The powers – “An idolatrous culture is one that sees reality in terms of impersonal forces. A Jewish culture is one that insists on the ultimate reality…
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints Ephesians 1:18 NASB May be enlightened – Heschel’s remarks (yesterday) establish the dangerous impossible seriousness of prayer. We know that God is in hiding. We…
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints Ephesians 1:18 NASB May be enlightened – Prayer. No, that’s not right. We know what the noun is. We can define it. But the problem…
