Revelation 20:12, “…and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life…And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” The simple idea of “judgment day” landed heavily on me this morning as I was reading Acts […]
Matthew 27:26, “…having scourged Jesus…” I was reading through Matthew 27 this morning and came across these three simple words referring to Pilate’s sentencing of Christ….the full verse reads: “Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.” What gripped my attention this morning is how much horror
The first section of Jeremiah is truly staggering to read. YHWH is finished with His people and His patience is at an end…He WILL judge them and they WILL be destroyed in the death of exile. I keep waiting for the “gospel turn” but it doesn’t come…again and again and again the people are–justly–hammered
Jeremiah 30:12, 17 + 1 Peter 2:24 Read More »
Genesis 28:12-13, 16-17, “And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, YHWH stood above it (or “beside him” or “on it”)…. Then Jacob awoke from his
Genesis 28:12-13, 16-17 + John 1:49 Read More »
Jeremiah 17:13, “O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water.” Luke 10:20, “…rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” There is only one
Jeremiah 17:13 + Luke 10:20 Read More »
2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.” Paul was constrained,
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Read More »
Genesis 46:4, “I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again…” The Lord speaks these words to Jacob before the Patriarch moves with his family down to Egypt in order to escape a famine in the land. While the immediate fulfillment of Gen. 46:4 happens when
2 Corinthians 3:3,”…you are a letter from Christ…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone it on tablets of human hearts.” What does Paul mean here? In the immediate context he’s talking about “letters of recommendation” (that is, letters proving him to be a trustworthy
John 12:3, “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” This morning I was reading in 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and came across Paul’s statement that “[God] in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.” I took some time to
2 Corinthians 1:5 (my translation), “For just as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, in the same way through Christ abounds also our comfort.” What is Paul saying here? He’s just finished asserting that his comfort in the face of affliction is to the end that he might be able to comfort those
Job 33:24, “Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom.” [See all of Job 33:23-28] This is an amazing passage. In it Elihu is envisioning a heavenly scene of intercession where “an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand,” is merciful to a sinful human and intercedes with God
Psalm 118:27, “YHWH is God, and He has made his light shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!” I was reading through Psalm 118 this morning and at about verse 10, I began to think how powerful these words must have been for Jesus as
Zechariah 10:10-11, “I will bring them home from the land of Egypt…He shall pass through the sea of troubles and strike down the waves of the sea…” I arrived at today’s verse picture in a very round about way. I was reading Matthew 21 and the triumphal entry of Christ. When I came upon
Zechariah 10:10-11 Read More »
Job 28:12, “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Job 28:23, “God understands the way to it, and He knows its place.” 1 Corinthians 1:23-24, “…Christ crucified…the power of God and the wisdom of God.” As I was reading over chapter 28 of Job this morning, it struck
Job 28:12,23 + 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Read More »
1 Corinthians 15:55-57, “‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through Jesus Christ.” I finished reading 1 Corinthians this morning and once again paused
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 Read More »
1 Corinthians 15:20-21, “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.” I came across these verses in 1 Corinthians this morning….below is the journal entry that
1 Corinthians 15:20-21 Read More »
Jeremiah 8:21, “For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart wounded…” 1 Peter 2:24, “By His wounds you have been healed.” I was reading in Jeremiah this morning and came across the prophet’s lamentations in chapter 8:18-9:3. It struck me that–though these words are Jeremiah’s–he is speaking under the inspiration
Jeremiah 8:21 + 1 Peter 2:24 Read More »
Psalm 103:11-12, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.” I recently found out that caterpillers and butterflies have to eat different food…
Psalm 139:8, “If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” I find myself going to Psalm 139 often during times of uncertainty or fear or anxiety or suffering….from beginning to end, this Psalm testifies to the intimate, intentional, fatherly presence of the LORD–in all circumstances. He knows our ways (1-4), He surrounds
John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Four questions: What are the tribulations implied here? What does it mean that Jesus has overcome the world? How has He done it?
