Imagine a wife saying: “99.9% of my heart belongs to my husband. The 0.1% is still with another man, but the rest (an overwhelming majority) is for my husband.” 99.9% is indeed the vast majority—and yet no husband in the world would be satisfied with that. Only when he has the whole heart, i.e., 100%,…
And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.”. Gen 22:8 God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac on a mountain in the land of Moriah (Genesis 22:2). Abraham did not hesitate to carry out this difficult task (verse 3). After a three-day journey, when he…
You will never face a temptation so strong that God has not made complete provision for you to overcome it. God, out of His love, has done everything necessary for you to be victorious whenever you face temptation. He has clearly revealed His will to you in Scripture so that you will not be confused…
If holiness is so basic to the Christian life, why do we not experience it more in daily living? Why do so many Christians feel constantly defeated in their struggle with sin? Why does the church of Jesus Christ so often seem to be more conformed to the world around it than to God? Our…
Is tithing a Christian way of giving? Tithing (giving 10% of one’s income) was definitely part of the Old Testament law and the religious life of the Jews. In Malachi 3:8-9 the people of Israel were charged with robbing God by not paying tithes. God made it clear in no uncertain terms that they were…
Twelve grown and seasoned men are rowing to the best of their ability. They know the rough Sea of Galilee like the back of their hands. But now they are all gripped by panic and fear of death. The storm they are trying to defy is getting stronger and the wind is howling incessantly. Water…
Most of the readers of the Bible know of David who started off as a shepherd in Bethlehem and ended up as king over all Israel. His story is retraced in many details in the Old Testament and he is also frequently mentioned and quoted in the New Testament. His life can be divided into…
The word of the Lord “came” to the prophet Elijah seven times (1 Kings 17:2, 8; 18:1; 19:9, 13; 21:17, 28). Thus, he experiences perfect guidance from God. However, especially in the beginning, Elijah only receives instructions for the next step. First, he is instructed to go to Ahab and tell him of the drought….
Shepherds used to make sweet music with reeds. But these reeds became useless if they were bent, because then the air could no longer flow through them; and if one was too damaged, the shepherd simply threw it away. Are you a kinked pipe? Are you no longer able to make “beautiful music” in the…
This is one of the verses that causes us the most distress when our lives are at their most difficult. As long as the wind blows gently, we can easily say, “Lord, I believe.” But when the storms of life come, we cry out, “Help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24). And yet we know that the…
These words of the Lord Jesus (verse 8) indicate the greatness of the mystery of new birth. They also show that new birth is a sovereign act of God. Nevertheless, it would be misleading to teach – and sadly, this has happened repeatedly – that new birth precedes faith. The fifth verse (John 3:5) shows…
It is dark. The streets are deserted. A thick mist hangs between the houses. A man is walking hurriedly to the bank. He has the day’s takings from a large grocery store under his arm. He is relieved when the box with the money falls into the night safe. The money is in the bank…
In God’s dispensational dealings with mankind, there are three main groups of people: the Jews, the Gentiles, and the assembly (1 Cor. 10:32). In the early days of the assembly recorded in the first part of Acts, the distinct and separate character of the assembly as a called-out company (the literal meaning of the Greek…
These few verses from the epistle to the Philippians tell us about the illness of a brother who, on behalf of the Philippians, brought a gift (probably financial support) to the imprisoned apostle Paul in Rome. Among other things, they shed light on a question that moves some of God’s children, namely, what illnesses and…
It is remarkable that on that memorable day, there were only three crosses on the Calvary. Is it not likely that, otherwise, more death sentences would have been carried out at the same time? In any case, this trilogy of crosses on Calvary teaches us something very important: there is a Savior, and He is…
“Wait a minute, David. Don’t you speak of the valley of the shadow of death, of evil, and enemies in the same psalm? How can you say that you lack nothing?” “Wait a minute, Moses, the people were often hungry and thirsty; once the water was bitter, enemies were lurking. How can you say that…
We ought always to desire to be a blessing to those we love. God sends many of His best spiritual gifts, through human hearts and hands. There could be no fitter morning prayer, as we go out for the day, than that we may be permitted to carry some help, comfort, instruction, inspiration, courage, or…
Introduction The 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians is one of the best-known chapters of the Bible. The great lesson we learn is how to become imitators of God. God is not only light, but He is also love, and in giving His only begotten Son, He has acted in unfathomable love. Now we are called…
We need to rejoice in the Lord. But the question is, of course, what about all the suffering that surrounds us? And what about when we have to go through difficult times? Isn’t it quite normal to be sad sometimes? After all, Jesus also wept at Lazarus’ tomb or in Gethsemane. This brings us to…
The Lord is coming! While for the Israelites this encouragement means that after the (future) time of tribulation the Messiah will appear and save them, we would like to apply this exclamation to us in the New Testament: Fear not, for the Lord is coming soon – to take you to himself! The Lord Jesus…