What to Keep and What to Avoid

What to Keep and What to Avoid

Aug 28

Note that there are contained here both positive and negative charges. Timothy, Paul’s son in the faith, is instructed to keep certain things and avoid others. The word “keep” is a military word which might better be translated “guard.” The word “avoid” implies more than merely refraining from contact. It has to do, instead, with actively and deliberately turning away from something.

You’re worth more than the Sparrow – God knows.

You’re worth more than the Sparrow – God knows.

Jun 16

Picture birds building their nests, soaring through blue skies, chirping in treetops. But, they have problems—storms, fires, babes tumbling from nests. Not one falls without God knowing. "I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine" (Psalm 50:11). Is your nest troubled with teens, finances, in-laws, divorce? Feel your nest tumbling?

Fed on truth, Fed up with lies

Fed on truth, Fed up with lies

Dec 19

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." Psalm 37:3

Although there are many promises in Scripture to the effect that the Lord will provide material sustenance to those who are faithful to Him (Matthew 6:33), this particular verse evidently refers to an even more blessed promise.

The word translated "verily" is better rendered by "truth," so the latter part of the verse could best be given as: "thou shalt be fed on the truth." That is, the spiritual life of the one who trusts in Christ will be fed and sustained by truth.

"I AM"

"I AM"

Sep 17

"And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it." (Genesis 15:7) There are seven "I am's" in the Book of Genesis. The first is a beautiful figure of speech ("I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward" |Genesis 15:1|)but the others are all names and titles of God. The first of these is in our text above, identifying Jehovah Himself (the LORD) with the "I am." The next is Genesis 17:1: "I am the Almighty God." The Hebrew here is El Shaddai ("God the nourishing sustainer"), also found in 35:11. Next is in 26:24: "I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee." Then, "I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac" (28:13). "I am the God of Bethel" (31:13). Beth-el means "the house of God." Finally, God says: "I am God, the God of thy father" (46:3).