Who shall oppose us? Christianity is not merely an intellectual pursuit, where we politely sit at circular tables, sipping coffee and tea, and thinking things about things. Christianity is following Jesus. It is a way through life surrounded by enemies who are set on destroying your soul. The writer of Psalm 119 is aware of…
How shall we see where to go? In the brightness of the noon sun, we don’t feel urgency to have a light with us. In the darkness of midnight, we are desperate for a light. Life is the world is mostly a dark background and the writer of Psalm 119 recognizes the need for light.…
How shall we live? Proverbs teaches that wisdom is a way, or a path. This means that having or acquiring wisdom means going a certain way. It means living life in a particular direction. It’s not possible to really have wisdom and walk the way of folly. The writer of Psalm 119 praises God’s word…
Where do we stand when all around is sand? The world around us seems to be constantly changing. We need a firm foundation and a firm hold to grasp, if we are going to stay upright. The writer of Psalm 119 recognizes and focuses on God’s word as firm and unchanging and worth committing oneself…
What about when suffering is extended? Suffering well and bearing up under afflictions doesn’t mean we cannot, or should not, pray for deliverance. It does mean that we don’t turn back from following Jesus. It means we recognize the good in it and submit to God’s judgments. We can and should pray for deliverance. In…
How can our suffering benefit others? Afflictions benefit us personally when they correct us or keep us from straying, and when they are for our growth in the word and way of God. The tenth stanza of Psalm 119 focuses on how our sufferings can benefit or others around us. Our suffering cannot atone for…
How can suffering be good? It’s hard for us to comprehend any positive aspect of innocently suffering affliction. God’s word assures us that sometimes afflictions are chastisements to correct us for wrong and sometimes afflictions are not for particular wrongs, but rather for our good. The latter afflictions humble us, teach us, and glorify God.…
How shall we live? When Jesus was led into the wilderness, he fasted for 40 days and nights. Matthew 4:2 seems to state the obvious that he was hungry. The Devil came to him and pointed out the stones on the ground, saying it would be possible for the Son of God to make them…
Why Bother? Elijah was an Old Testament prophet during the reign of King Ahab in Israel. The pinnacle of his prophetic career came on Mt. Carmel, where he had the famous showdown with the 450 prophets of Baal. He won the contest and killed all those idolatrous prophets (1 Kings 18). Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, sent…
What are you afraid of? We’ve been told for many years that more Americans feared public speaking than anything else. Survey answers have changed in recent years with other things coming ahead of public speaking in the fears department, but it’s still there somewhere. From my own experience, most people don’t like it, whether it…