Passage: Isaiah 40:22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. I saw this interactive Flash demo of the Scale of the Universe on Challies' A La Carte [...]
Psalm 100 – Call to Worship
Passage: Psalm 100 According to the Bible, the title for this psalm is "A Psalm for Thanksgiving." A psalm is a song, and this psalm is not just any song--it is a call to action; it is a call to worship. Thanksgiving, or giving of thanks to God, is one of the purest forms of [...]
What is the Gospel?
"What is the gospel?" To answer this question succinctly is a very difficult endeavor. Depending on a person's background, there is a way to custom-tailor the presentation of the message of the gospel to him or her. Let's start with a definition and etymology of the word: The word gospel derives from the Old English [...]
Matthew 21:28-32 – What God Wants
Passage: Matthew 21:28-32 The Plot This passage tells a story that is quite simple--it doesn't have a very complicated plot. A man had two sons (v. 28) The father gave an imperative to both of his sons--"Go work today in the field" (v. 28b, 30) Son #1 said "No" at first, but later regretted and [...]
Psalm 27:8 – Conquering Your Heart
Passage: Psalm 27:8 The writer of Psalm 27 is David, otherwise known as King David, or the "man after God's own heart." God's accolade for David (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22) is certainly more than enough to put the spotlight on David and direct our attention to the details of David's worship life. God is [...]
Luke 12:15-21 – Don’t Waste Your Life
Passage: Luke 12:15-21 The rapper Lecrae mentions this passage in his song with the same title; one of the most influential Christian books in my life was John Piper's book of the same name: DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE In this passage, Jesus teaches that every form of greed is dangerous and deadly. It is a [...]
Psalm 119:136 – Real Men Cry Part 1
Passage: Psalm 119:136 God made emotions, and God made tears. Real men, godly men, know how to embrace their God-given emotions. They won't cry when they break their humerus in a freak snowboarding accident, but they will be moved to tears when their love for God is so great and their love and compassion toward [...]
Psalm 139:14 – Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Part 1
Passage: Psalm 139:14 "Binocular Vision" a.k.a. Canon PhotoStitch (Image stitching program) on steroids: Take your hand, flatten your palm, and place it perpendicular to your nose, between your two eyes. Close one eye and leave the other open. Then, open that eye and close the other. Finally, open both eyes. Your two eyes are perceiving [...]
Matthew 9:18 – Faith
Passage: Matthew 9:18 (c.f. Mark 5:21-24) A synagogue official comes before Jesus in desperation because his daughter just died. What's the big deal? This kind of thing happens every day, right? (No!) Why is it recorded in the Bible? When you think about it, since the Bible is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), then [...]
Psalm 119:59-60 – I Hastened and Did Not Delay
Passage: Psalm 119:59-60 When reading the Old Testament, we find many great examples of faith and faithfulness (Hebrews 11:32-38). The psalmist who wrote Psalm 119 is certainly no exception. Through these two verses, the psalmist exemplifies a lifestyle of obedience to God, and is a great Old Testament illustration to a New Testament command many [...]