Lutheran Spokesman

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT “How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7) In the hierarchy of human body parts, feet don’t get a lot of love. Gallons of poetic ink Read More

Many seek refuge in all the wrong places. But because God is our refuge and strength, we can confidently say, “We will not fear—anything.” Psalm 46:1-3 describes a scene of chaos and upheaval: the earth removed, mountains cast into the depths of the sea, waters roaring and troubled. This may be a cataclysmic event in nature, or the images Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

In my younger days I worked for the US Soil Conservation Service. One of my tasks was to check on the stands of perennial grasses in recently planted fields that were part of the Conservation Reserve Program. Since one tract consisted of about eleven square miles, I used a three-wheeler for Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

“Heavens” What comes to mind when you hear the word heaven? Are there thoughts of glory, of joy, of intimate fellowship with Jesus? Indeed, we should have such thoughts, because we are told that God “sits in the heavens” (Psalm 2:4) and that the heavens have received Jesus (Acts 3:21) Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.” (Psalm 90:1) Moses likely wrote Psalm 90 near the end of his life. As an old man, Moses did what old men do: he reflected. He reflected on his own life. He reflected on the sad history of the Israelites. Ultimately, he reflected Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

Big events have big results. Generally, the bigger the event, the wider its consequences. The bombing of Dresden destroyed that city, impacted Germany, and perhaps intimidated the Soviet Union. But the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima changed our world. So also the Genesis Flood had world-wide Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT (Read Psalm 27) In this psalm King David expresses an awareness of the reality that all believers face in this world: we have enemies who are determined to harm us. They’ll destroy us if they can. Ephesians 6 describes them as principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this age. Our soul is the ultimate Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

“‘Come, now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.’” (Isaiah 1:18) What if someone came to your house and said, “Thus says the Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

“So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, ‘I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.’ And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would not eat food.” (1 Kings Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

“Bam! Let’s kick it up a notch!” So Emeril Lagasse would fairly shout, to the hearty roar of the audience on his TV cooking show. And then the famous chef would add some more spice, hot sauce, or some other ingredient to his culinary creation. Bam! Another dish fit for a king. The Book of Read More