PROMISES, PROMISES, PROMISES
Promises, Promises, Promises Isaiah 55:6-11 Romans 9:4-5 2nd Corinthians 1:15-22 Luke 1:67-79It’s startling to find the word “promise” hundreds of times over in the English translations of the Hebrew bible. It’s startling for one reason: the word “promise” isn’t found in the Hebrew language. In biblical Hebrew the verb that the English translators render “promise” is…
PSALM 97: THE GOD WHO DISPELS OUR DOUBT
Psalm 97: The God Who Dispels our Doubt Everyone fails somewhere in life. Everyone, however successful on however many fronts, nevertheless fails somewhere. Therefore I too am a failure. Specifically, I am a failed agnostic. I wanted to be an agnostic, even tried to be an agnostic, but I didn’t succeed. Here’s what…
MUCH WANTS TO, BUT NOTHING CAN
MUCH WANTS TO, BUT NOTHING CAN—SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD Ps 34:1-10 Romans 8:26-39 I: — “For I am sure that nothing, nothing seen or unseen in the entire creation, will ever be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing can separate us from God’s love? Much seems…
THE ENDURING GIFTS
1 Corinthians 13 New International Version (NIV) 13 13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the…
THE INDISPENSABLE CHRIST
John 6:52-69 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will…
THE ANSWER THAT REALLY MATTERS
Matthew 16:13-20 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that…
THE TEST WE ALL FACE
Genesis 22:1-14 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” 3 So Abraham rose early…
WHEN THE WINDS ARE AGAINST US
Matthew 14:22-33 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 2 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but by this time the boat, battered by the…
IN THE WILDERNESS – A WELL OF WATER
Genesis 21:8-21 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 8 The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac.[a] 10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of…
GOD TRANSFORMS
2020 Genesis 21:1-7 New Revised Standard Version The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4 And Abraham…