July 20, 2015

The Psalm of the Word (Part 1): Blessing

The Psalm of the Word

How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
Who walk in the law of the Lord.

How blessed are those who observe His testimonies,
Who seek Him with all their heart.

They also do no unrighteousness;
They walk in His ways.

You have ordained Your precepts,
That we should keep them diligently.

Oh that my ways may be established
To keep Your statutes!

Then I shall not be ashamed
When I look upon all Your commandments.

I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.

I shall keep Your statutes;
Do not forsake me utterly!

(Psalm 119:1-8)

David began this psalm by introducing the idea that God’s word is a blessing to us. Why should we recognize the word of God as a blessing, and what should we do as a result?
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February 11, 2014

Bringing Up Children in the Lord (Part 1): The Gift of Children

Bringing Up Children in the Lord

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5).

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December 15, 2012

Be Thankful (12/15)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Colossians 1-4; Philemon 1.

Thankfulness is a recurring theme throughout the Bible. The following passage helps show how thankfulness should be a normal and consistent trait for the Christian.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:15-17).

What we learn from these three verses is that thankfulness is not an isolated characteristic in a Christian’s life but is intertwined with all that we say and do.
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November 15, 2012

The Importance of Thankfulness

Bible Thanksgiving

“Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Ephesians 5:20).

The Bible clearly instructs us that we are to be thankful to the Lord for all things. While our society places particular emphasis upon thankfulness during this time of year, we are to be thankful to God at all times.

Why is it important to be thankful? The simplest answer is that the word of God instructs us to be thankful. Therefore, it is important to obey this instruction. Yet there is much more involved in our need to be thankful than just this. The Scriptures give other reasons why thankfulness is important. We will consider a few of these here.
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January 23, 2012

Unworthy of God’s Lovingkindness (1/23)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 32-34.

When Jacob departed from Laban and traveled toward his home country, he was fearful of the prospect of meeting his brother Esau. This was certainly understandable since Esau was seeking to kill him when he left (Genesis 27:41-43). When he heard that Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men (Genesis 32:6), Jacob prayed to God.

“O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’ I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children” (Genesis 32:9-11).

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January 22, 2012

"May the Lord Give Me Another Son" (1/22)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 30-31.

After Leah bore four sons to Jacob (Genesis 29:31-35), her sister Rachel was jealous, wishing she would also be able to bear children. Her emotions got the best of her. She demanded of Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die” (Genesis 30:1). Jacob reminded her that he was not in the place of God; therefore, he could only do so much (Genesis 30:2).

After this, Rachel gives Jacob her handmaid and she bore him two sons (Genesis 30:3-8). Then Leah gave him her handmaid and she bore two more sons (Genesis 30:9-13). Later, Leah bore Jacob another two sons and a daughter (Genesis 30:17-21). All the while, Rachel was barren. Then, at last, God allowed her to conceive.
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November 24, 2010

Giving Thanks to God for Our Spiritual Blessings

Bible Praying

The Scriptures teach that giving thanks to God is just as important as doing things by the authority of Christ. Paul said, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17). The reason why we are to give thanks to God is because He is the source of all blessings (James 1:17).
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