GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT Life is a journey. As Christian travelers, we’re simply passing through the Temporary on our way to the Eternal. During the trip, we often face dangers, difficult terrain, ups and… Prepared for the Journey
STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let… A Faith That Runs
READY TO GIVE AN ANSWER (AUTHORITY OF THE WORD) Passages that will help you respond when people say… It used to be that the most frequently-cited passage in America was John 3:16. The reference was… “Don’t Judge Me”
GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT “Going all in” is a phrase commonly used by poker players. With a short stack of chips, the player bets them all in a somewhat desperate attempt to win the… Going Awl In
STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings,… Triumphant Faith in the Face of Persecution
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING (TWENTY-NINTH IN A SERIES)
To “take it for granted” is a shorthand way of saying that frequency and abundance of blessings can breed a lack of appreciation for those blessings. That lack of appreciation then hinders thankfulness. That which is part of our usual routine tends to have diminished value in our estimation because we soon see it as “normal” and may then begin to “take it for granted.”
I was reminded of that truth recently when our Florida home was without power for ten days as a result of Hurricane Irma. I normally don’t think about—much less feel specific thankfulness for—the blessings of being able to refrigerate and freeze food, control the temperature of our house, have lights at night, and even enjoy electronic entertainment almost effortlessly. I seldom thanked God for those blessings when they were my “normal,” but how thankful I was for them when the power came back on!TLH Hymn 310 “Thy Table I Approach”
GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT “And the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?” Is anything too hard for the Lord?’” (Genesis 18:13-14a)… “Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?”
STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:… Does My Name Belong on This List?
READY TO GIVE AN ANSWER (PROSPERITY GOSPEL) Passages that will help you respond when people say… Prosperity theology teaches that believers are entitled to financial blessing and physical well-being. Followers are taught that faith, positive… “Living as a Christian leads to earthly wealth and prosperity.”
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING (TWENTY-SIXTH IN A SERIES)
In some cases converting an English noun into an adjective is as easy as adding a “y.” Sleep becomes sleepy. Dream dreamy. Silk silky. And yet, the addition of “y” in certain instances can actually reverse a meaning. Consider the word “rock.”
All by itself, “rock” conveys strength and stability. Add “y,” however, and everything changes. Things become rocky, unstable. Not all additions, it turns out, are pluses.
So also with God’s Word.“Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Prepared” LSB Hymn 622, TLH Hymn 306
