Biblical Meditation
Jul 06
The remarkable 119th Psalm, with its 22 eight-verse stanzas, is the unique "song of the word," containing 176 testimonies or prayers concerning God's Word - one for each verse. Eight times the word "meditate" or "meditation" is used, indicating the importance of this practice in relation to the Scriptures. In our text, this word is translated "talk," but its basic thrust is to exhort us to meditate on the wonderful works of God, once we understand the way of His precepts.
God did not spare Israel, nor will He spare America
May 31
"And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?" (Deuteronomy 4:8) God has never dealt with any nation as closely and fully as He has with Israel, but He nevertheless is directly concerned with every nation as a national entity. He has actually established each nation Himself (Deuteronomy 32:8), even determining the geographical boundaries of each and the time when each would rise and fall (Acts 17:26).
Shew Thyself a Man
Apr 22
“Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;” I Kings 2:1-2 The words of a Christian man spoken in his last days on this earth can be some of the most powerful counsel given. Such was the case of King David. Shortly before his falling asleep in the Lord, David summoned his son, Solomon, to his bedside. What he shared with his dear son back then, speaks to the hearts of every Christian man today. David commanded Solomon to “Shew thyself a man.” (I Kings 2:2)
Know and Walk in the Truth
Apr 21
"Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." (1 Timothy 1:5) Much of modern, self-oriented Christian preaching and writing has tended to downgrade biblical "doctrine" in favor of an emphasis on "love" and "fulfillment," the "pursuit of happiness," "sharing and caring," and other such sentiments. Some popular religious leaders major on "confident living," "self-improvement," "personal success," and the like. Doctrine is thus downgraded in favor of practice, and "works" are considered more important than the Word. But this type of emphasis places the cart before the horse and can never succeed for very long. "Doctrine" is simply "teaching," and true teaching must come from God’s infallible Word, whether that teaching relates to great divine truths (creation, atonement, sanctification, etc.) or to the daily Christian walk. As the apostle Paul reminds us, "evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Corinthians 15:33). "Profane and vain babblings . . . increase unto more ungodliness" (2 Timothy 2:16). We cannot escape being taught doctrine somewhere. If we will not receive true doctrine from God’s Word, we will inevitably become indoctrinated with the world’s humanistic deceptions, for these impinge upon our thinking continually, from classroom and journal, from television and (unfortunately) sometimes even from the pulpit. If we are really concerned about love and happiness and such things, we must acquire them from the right source, the doctrinal truths of the Word of God. It is knowing and obeying the commandment, as our text says, that generates pure love, a faithful heart, and a daily life that supports a clear conscience. When we "know the truth" (John 8:32), then and then only can we "walk in truth" (3 John 4). HMM
Love One Another
Jan 04
"But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another." (1 Thessalonians 4:9) The Christian life involves both individual accountability and interpersonal involvement. Each of us is individually responsible for maintaining the right sort of relationship to others, especially others in our Christian fellowship. A beautiful Greek word is "allelon", is often translated "one another." For example, we are commanded: "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32) Furthermore, we are to "be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility" (1 Peter 5:5), "in honour preferring one another." (Romans 12:10)
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