November 2, 2015

The Psalm of the Word (Part 16): Riches

The Psalm of the Word

I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to my oppressors.

Be surety for Your servant for good;
Do not let the arrogant oppress me.

My eyes fail with longing for Your salvation
And for Your righteous word.

Deal with Your servant according to Your lovingkindness
And teach me Your statutes.

I am Your servant; give me understanding,
That I may know Your testimonies.

It is time for the Lord to act,
For they have broken Your law.

Therefore I love Your commandments
Above gold, yes, above fine gold.

Therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything,
I hate every false way.

(Psalm 119:121-128)

The psalmist made a contrast between the commandments of God and gold. As we consider these verses, we can see why the riches of God’s word are so much more valuable than gold.
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October 19, 2015

The Psalm of the Word (Part 14): Guidance

The Psalm of the Word

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.

I have sworn and I will confirm it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.

I am exceedingly afflicted;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.

O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me Your ordinances.

My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.

The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts.

I have inherited Your testimonies forever,
For they are the joy of my heart.

I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, even to the end.

(Psalm 119:105-112)

Many people wonder why we are here and where we are going. The word of God provides the answers for us and guides us in the path we should go.
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September 28, 2015

The Psalm of the Word (Part 11): Persecution

The Psalm of the Word

My soul languishes for Your salvation;
I wait for Your word.

My eyes fail with longing for Your word,
While I say, “When will You comfort me?”

Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget Your statutes.

How many are the days of Your servant?
When will you execute judgment on those who persecute me?

The arrogant have dug pits for me,
Men who are not in accord with Your law.

All Your commandments are faithful;
They have persecuted me with a lie; help me!

They almost destroyed me on earth,
But as for me, I did not forsake Your precepts.

Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

(Psalm 119:81-88)

This lesson is about the persecution that comes from following God’s word. This is important for us to remember as we will face persecution as well (2 Timothy 3:12). These verses not only speak of the reality of persecution, but the hope we have despite of it.
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July 7, 2015

The Song of Moses

Passage of the Jews through the Red Sea - Aivazovsky

After crossing the Red Sea and witnessing the destruction of the Egyptian army by the power of God, Moses and the Israelites sang praises to the Lord. The song recorded mentioned several reasons why the Lord is worthy of praise. As we consider these reasons, we should also recognize that God is worthy of praise for the same reasons today.

Let us briefly consider the reasons why Moses and the Israelites praised the Lord on this occasion.
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June 9, 2015

Who Is Affected By Sin?

Pollution

Many people choose to ignore sin. Sadly, even some Christians do this. They ignore the sins of others because they see the sins as being between them and God and so they are of no concern. They often ignore their own sin believing that God’s grace will cover them. Yet sin cannot be ignored.

“The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant” (Isaiah 24:5).

In the verse above, sin is described as pollution. This analogy is used because sin affects more than just the one who committed the sin. So in this article, I want us to consider this question: Who is affected by sin?
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March 11, 2015

Euphemisms for Death

Cemetery

“A good name is better than a good ointment, and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:1-2).

Why would Solomon say that the day of one’s death is better than one’s birth? It was not because he was a severely depressed man who wanted to end his life. It was simply because he knew that life was vanity here, but we have something better in the hereafter (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:7-8, 13-14).

The Bible uses several expressions (euphemisms) for death. A euphemism is a milder word or phrase used in place of a stronger one. A common euphemism we use for death is to say that someone has passed away. The euphemisms of death used in the Bible teach us some lessons – both of the reality of death and the hope we have after death if we are faithful. We should take these lessons to heart (Ecclesiastes 7:2).
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December 15, 2014

The Root of the Problem (Part 20): No Fear of God

The Root of the Problem: Why We Sin & How We Can Overcome

When Paul indicted all under sin, he quotes several passages from the Old Testament to describe the sinful state of man: there is none righteous, there is none who does good, their feet are swift to shed blood, etc. (Romans 3:9-17). At the end he reveals the mindset that leads to all these failings:

“There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18).

When one does not fear God, there is no motivation to listen to God. In both the Old and New Testaments, fearing God is connected with one’s obedience.
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