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
GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT (Please read Ecclesiastes 2.) Many find Ecclesiastes rather gloomy. They think it says that life and everything in it are meaningless. What it actually says is that life is meaningless… The Gospel of Jesus Christ Gives Real Meaning to Our Lives
STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when… The Power of Faith
READY TO GIVE AN ANSWER (GOSSIP) Passages that will help you respond when people say… As I write these words, I am seated at my desk, fully armed. I’m not expecting any trouble, it’s just… “Gossiping is no big deal.”
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING (TWENTY-SIXTH IN A SERIES)
It was on the second day of creation that God made the expanse of the sky, and since then He has used it from time to time as something of a billboard for important announcements. Abraham, for example, was told to look up into the sky for confirmation of the promise God was giving him (Genesis 15:5). There were the Christmas angels who appeared in the sky, announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. Now we come to Epiphany, where the sky again plays a role, hosting the famous “star in the east” which started the wise men off on their journey to find the King of the Jews.
The opening verse of the Danish-Lutheran pastor Nicolai Grundtvig’s (1783-1872) hymn, “Bright and Glorious Is the Sky” turns our attention skyward as well, Where the golden stars are shining, / All their rays to earth inclining (v. 1). Our thoughts fly heavenward as they beckon us.WS Hymn 717 “Bright and Glorious Is the Sky”
