The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
Planted!
One of my favorite verses is Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain you: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” The New Testament version of this is found in 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.”
Websters dictionary lists at least ten synonyms for the word “move”. They include proceed, persuade, activate, drive, impel, start, stir, act, budge, and evacuate. Not all of these…..
What do the women of the Bible named Rahab and Ruth have in common? They are Gentile women listed in the otherwise Jewish genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1). In biblical terms, there are only two people groups: Jews and Gentiles (meaning everyone who is not a Jew).
Rahab was the woman who hid the two Hebrew spies when they came to Jericho. Typically understood to be a prostitute, her presence in the line of Christ is even more surprising than…..
While leafing through an old hymnbook, I came across a favorite hymn that I had not sung for years. “Moment by Moment” (Words by May Whittle Moody 1870-1963, tune by Daniel W. Whittle 1840-1901) effectively expresses our Biblical hope in God’s Son. Here are the words:
While the lilting tune is lovely and delightful to sing, the words capture the yearning of every…..
As Dan’s caregiver fifteen years ago, I found dealing with insurance companies among the most difficult activities related to cancer that I had to do. I spent a great deal of time, sometimes more than an hour, on the phone waiting for agents to answer so I could ask my questions. I usually ended up on hold, as well, waiting for the supervisor to be asked the question. Some of my calls were eventually transferred to the supervisor after a…..
Acts 1:8 records the final words of Jesus to His apostles: “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, in all Judaea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The Matthew 28:18-20 passage describing Jesus’ last words adds the follow-up of discipleship: “…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing…..
When we attended a “Walk Thru the Bible” (https://www.walkthru.org) workshop with our children some thirty years ago, we learned a mnemonic phrase to designate the relationships of three kings with God: Saul had no heart for God, David had a whole heart for God, and Solomon served God with only half a heart. More than once, Scripture applies David’s relationship with God as the standard by which other kings of Israel and Judah related to God.
1 Samuel 13:13 records…..
Some time ago Heritage hosted a panel discussion on issues surrounding transgenderism. Along with obviously conservative members, the panel included a lesbian and a prominent leader of NOW. The idea of the negative impact of promotion of transgender acceptability on women was probably the only thing they agreed on. But that one idea brought them together in an activist setting to declare concerns about safety and the potential loss of many years’ worth of progress on all levels of women’s…..
“Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” (Matt. 6:9-13)
The Lord’s Prayer ends with the praise phrase “for thine is the kingdom and…..
The sample prayer that Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13 also includes the phrase “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. According to William MacDonald, “This petition expresses a healthy distrust of one’s own ability to resist temptations or to stand up under trial” (Believer’s Bible Commentary – New Testament. Wichita, Kansas: A&O Press, 1989. p. 40). Jesus warned His disciples to “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is…..
At Hezekiah’s request, Isaiah asked God to take the shadow backwards ten degrees as a sign of His healing. And God did it (2 Kings 20:8-11). While it is nothing for the Creator to bend time and reverse solar movement like that, it is a significant demonstration of God’s intent to honor Hezekiah’s request.
The Matthew 6:9-13 Lord’s Prayer includes the phrase “Give us this day, our daily bread.” It is not the specific request for the miraculous that Hezekiah…..