Looking Back
Psalm 124 is a look back at the goodness of the Lord in delivering and protecting His people. Angry pagan leaders were ready to swallow Israel alive, but the Lord intervened to rescue His chosen ones. Twice the grateful psalmist proclaimed, "If it had not been the Lord who was on our side . . ." (vv.1-2).
The Friend Of The Lonely
Engraved on a tombstone were words that touched the heart of author Max Lucado. The epitaph did not give the dates of her birth or death. It included only her name, the names of her two husbands, and this melancholy mini-biography:
Grandpa's Last Hymn
As our Lord faced the terrible prospect of dying on the cross, He concluded the first Communion service with the singing of a hymn. By this He showed that believers can meet the "last enemy" with peaceful confidence when they have faith in God and His sustaining grace.
Banged Up But Better
Some people are like my little gray Plymouth Horizon. They just keep getting banged up.
The First Step
I'm distressed that so many sermons and books today are exclusively devoted to techniques on how to help people cope successfully with life's pains, problems, and struggles. There is a place, of course, for preaching on everyday subjects and for "how-to" books. But without teaching people the great biblical truths of God, His power, His sovereignty, His grace, and His salvation through Christ, they get no help in building a solid spiritual foundation for their lives.
Faith Works
Not all Christians exercise the same degree of faith. Some people seem to think their problem is too big for God to solve. Others are sure that God is all-powerful, but they're not confident that He will do what is best for them. Still others affirm, "I know what God can do, and I'll trust Him to do what He has promised." These various attitudes range from a weak and tentative faith to a firm confidence that takes God at His word and believes He is good.
Keep On Writing
The following poem written by Paul Gilbert is intended to encourage us as Christians to be persuasive, flesh-and-blood testimonies for our Savior.
In A Fog
My wife Shirley and I stayed 2 full days in Interlaken, Switzerland, and yet we never saw Jungfrau, one of the highest and most beautiful peaks in the Swiss Alps.
Unopened Tomorrows
We often wish we could see what lies around the corner in life. Then we could prepare for it, control it, or avoid it.
