AIN’T GONNA STUDY WAR NO MORE The Lord gave Isaiah a vision of the latter days when all nations will come to Jerusalem to worship, a day when the Lord Himself will judge and bring peace to the earth. In that day there will be no need for weapons of war. The wealth and works
THE LOVINGKINDNESS AND TENDER MERCIES OF OUR GOD David prayed for God’s mercy and forgiveness after being confronted with his sin with Bathsheba. He did not ask for God’s mercy based on himself, but according to God’s “lovingkindness” and “tender mercies.” David knew what his sin deserved, yet he cried out for God to forgive
A DAY IS COMING WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM SHALL CALL, RISE UP! Also called the “Song of Songs” because as part of Solomon’s wisdom literature it pursued the personified lady “wisdom” with a lover’s poetic passion, making it the pinnacle of his wisdom writings. However, when read through the lens of the apostle Paul’s letter to
ARE YOU LABORING WITH A DULL EDGE? Take time to sharpen your saw. One of Solomon’s habits long before Covey’s seven. My maternal grandfather knew this habit. Before the invention of weed-eaters, he used a large sickle to clear the creek bank. He always kept a sharpening stone in his pocket and would pause from
DON’T LET WHAT PEOPLE SAY DETERMINE YOUR HEART’S IDENTITY Solomon warned against being overly sensitive to what others say about you. Guard your heart. For from time to time, even those closest to you may say something disparaging of you. You might even overhear one who works for you, cursing you. Not to your face
UNITY OF FAITH REQUIRED FOR UNITY OF FELLOWSHIP Paul warned against being “yoked together” with unbelievers. A yoke is an implement designed to put across the necks of two or more oxen or horses for pulling a plow or cart or some other contrivance. The yoke fastens the team together to maximize their synergy. Paul
WE LONG FOR THE ETERNAL King Solomon was the writer of Ecclesiastes. He observed the beauty of how God had assigned everything a season and how these things seemed to repeat over time. Yet, he also observed that God had put an eternal longing in man’s heart that wanted to know and experience more
HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD? After God answered, Job’s final response was brief. He basically concluded, “You’re God and I’m not.” This is not fatalism, but acceptance. For even though God’s good purposes are higher and better than ours, He still hears us and responds when we cry out. God is not afraid of our
LORD HASTE THE DAY WHEN OUR FAITH SHALL BE SIGHT Presently, we walk through life believing in our risen Lord without actually seeing Him. Yet our faith is not without foundation. We believe because of at least three witnesses: 1) the witness of the Bible, 2) the witness of the saints who have passed the
IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU Our message is not about us, but about our Lord. For we are like clay pots containing a great treasure. Our weakness only serves to emphasize the greatness of Christ within us. When we want people to see us, to applaud our efforts, we forget that our purpose is to cause