Archive for May 30, 2012

Thought for the morning of Thu May 31, 2012

David passed that gloomy brook when flying with his mourning company from his traitor son. The man after God’s own heart was not exempt from trouble, nay, his life was full of it. He was both the Lord’s Anointed, and the Lord’s Afflicted. Why then should we expect to escape? At sorrow’s gates the noblest of our race have waited with ashes on their heads, wherefore then should we complain as though some strange thing had happened unto us?

The KING of kings himself was not favoured with a more cheerful or royal road. He passed over the filthy ditch More >

3 Steps Towards Sin

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. – Psalm 1:1

The Psalms begin by telling us we’re blessed when we avoid three things — walking, standing and sitting in the way of sinners.

Notice the progression: First there is walking with sin, then standing with it, then finally sitting in it. All too often we underestimate the power of sin and overestimate our own power to avoid it. We fall into sin by becoming increasingly comfortable going in the wrong More >

Alive in Christ!

In Matthew 27:52-53, the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

Many people seem to struggle with with these two verses in the Bible. The struggle seems to stem from a lack of belief in the power of God. As Christians, we are willing to believe that God created the world, created Adam and Eve, and rose Jesus from the dead as miracles but we have a hard time believing God would do personal miracles in our lives. Is More >

Prayer: James 5: 13

James 5: 13 – 18Are any among you suffering?  They should pray.  Are any cheerful?  They should sing songs of praise.  Are any among you sick?  They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.  The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.  The prayer of the righteous is powerful More >

Oaths: James 5:12 (P24)

James 5:12Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” by no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Just one verse to consider today.  Few words … powerful punch … and mightily relevant for you and I in our particular culture.

James is again reiterating the words of Jesus.  In Matthew 5: 33 – 37, Jesus said:

Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made More >

Life Source – Week 10

We are in the midst of Jesus’ trial before Pilate.  To get the flow of this encounter with Pilate … go back into chapter 18 and read John 18: 28 – 19:16.  Our focus today will be on the verses in chapter 19.

I am intrigued by Pilate.  William Barclay, in his commentary on John, explains the role held  by Pilate.  He says,

“Smaller provinces in the Roman Empire, provinces of the second class, were governed by a procurator.  The procurator was in full control of the military and judicial administration of the province.  He visited every part of the province More >