When Jesus came as the long awaited Messiah, He did not play it out according to the anticipated script. Of course, He fulfilled the prophecies that had been given about Him, but over the centuries those prophecies had been gradually turned into something consistent with something that the religious heart of man dearly loves—straight-line power …
No Sorrow With It
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) Growing Dominion, Part 62 “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty . . . The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it” (Prov. 10:15, 22). Everyone with …
Full Deliverance
We confess that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man. But we deny that He was any kind of mish mash of the two. The union of the two natures was found in one man, the Lord Jesus Christ, and this point of union was not a theological abstraction, but rather our Savior, Jesus. …
Evil Suspicions
We are continuing to discuss the origins of verbal strife. The Bible teaches that there is a close correlation between strife and a certain kind of evil suspicion. Speaking of some who were proud and had ungodly attitudes, the apostle Paul warned Timothy about those who dote “about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh …
Word and Sacrament Alone
You, like the Jews in the wilderness, are assembled on the edge of battle. You, like the Jews, are tempted to be distracted by the size of the enemy. You, like them, are all too aware of your own shortcomings and failings. You know your own sin, you know the doctrine of depravity, and you …
In the Short Run
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) Growing Dominion, Part 61 “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot” (Prov. 10:7) A very important part of doing business is the matter of reputation. And reputations vary-good reputations go from okay to stellar, and …
Oily Rags
We are considering verbal strife. Scripture teaches that such strife has certain preconditions. “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife” (Prov. 26:20-21). The fire department tells …
Harvest and Sons
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) Growing Dominion, Part 60 “He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame” (Prov. 10:5). In Scripture business is closely related to family. But this is not a ancient truth, relevant …
Also An Act of God
When disaster befalls a city, the prophet Amos tells us, the Lord is the one who has done it. What has happened to New Orleans this past week is not something that slipped past God, or somehow got away from Him. He is the divine author of all things, and this truly was an act …
A Slow Burn
It takes wisdom to understand the origins of strife. The Scriptures tell us that one source of strife is anger. “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife” (Prov. 15:18). But often this is missed because the one who vents his anger succeeds in browbeating people into a …