THE LORD SUSTAINS US EVEN WHILE WE SLEEP David wrote this psalm after he had to flee from his son, Absalom, who sought to overthrow him and take the crown. Surely he was overcome by grief from this betrayal. Sleep had no doubt eluded him during this time. Yet, he finally lay down and slept.
AMERICA, BLESS GOD! On this date, when we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day, we are appropriately thankful for God’s blessing on America. Yet, we are troubled by the constant news of pandemic and rioting. There is so much rage in our land. The first century Christians quoted this same Scripture when they were being
WHEN THE KING REDISCOVERED GOD’S WORD King Josiah was crowned at age eight after his father, Amon, was murdered by conspirators. Both his father and his grandfather, Manasseh, were evil kings who had led the people into idolatry. Apparently, during the 55-year reign of Manasseh, the Book of the Law had been lost. How this
HEZEKIAH’S TUNNEL STILL REMAINS King Hezekiah was one of the greatest kings in Judah. In 2 Kings 18:5, he was described as one who “trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.” The only foolish event attributed
TWO GREAT EVANGELISTS SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER After Paul’s third missionary journey, he and his companions sailed homeward, arriving at Caesarea Martima. This is where Herod the Great had built an amazing manmade harbor and named the city after his patron, Caesar Augustus. Paul’s traveling companions included Luke the physician, who kept a faithful diary,
REMEMBER THAT TIME WE ATTENDED AN ALL-NIGHT SERVICE IN TROAS? The disciples in the city of Troas gathered on a Sunday to hear Paul preach. They couldn’t get enough of the church-planting apostle’s words, so they sat listening to him all day, even unto midnight. What a great Sunday service this must’ve been. Unfortunately, a
HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO RIOTING A riot broke out in Ephesus over the importance of the Temple of Diana to the city’s identity and fame. The riot began as an angry response by the silversmiths of Ephesus, who made a living making figurines of the goddess Diana to sell. Their business had declined with
POLITICS CAN’T CHANGE PEOPLE’S HEARTS Those who put their trust in political leaders and parties will always be disappointed because they are led by mere men. Only the One who can change the human heart can change the human condition. This proverb, along with today’s Old Testament reading from 2 Kings, both proclaim and illustrate
DON’T LET FEAR KEEP YOU SILENT After Paul preached Jesus as the Christ to the members of the Corinthian synagogue, they opposed him. But he didn’t let fear of opposition stop his preaching of the gospel. Instead, he shifted his ministry focus to the Gentiles in the city. Yet, the opposition among the Corinthian Jews
HOW THE GREAT COMMISSION ENLARGES OUR HEARTS After Paul and Barnabas finished their first missionary journey, they returned to their sending church at Antioch. What a joy it must have been to return to this large and prosperous church. After giving their report, they continuing teaching and preaching in Antioch. Yet after a while, Paul