Once a traveler from a far land came to visit our country, and he arrived here about a week before Christmas. He was not a tourist, or a businessman, and he was not visiting family. He could best be described as an amateur anthropologist. He simply wanted to come to America in the midst of …
Beyond Everything You Ever Thought
Once there was a young girl who worried about everything, but her biggest worry was whether or not she was a real Christian. If she thought for a moment that she loved God, the next moment it occurred to her than she didn’t love him enough. If she felt sincere in her faith, the obvious …
And Because They Felt Like It
Once upon a time, there was a secular nation that wanted to forget about Christmas. They did not even like the smell of it. And so they had their scholars and think tank johnnies try to get people to use CE for Common Era and BCE for Before Common Era. It was intolerable, you see, …
A Surprise Present
Once there was a woman who lived for the holidays. She absolutely loved the time of year, and the decorations, and the role she had in shopping, and pretty much everything else about Christmas. The only thing that was an irritant to her was the fact that the others in her extended family did not …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 48
INTRODUCTION: This jubilant psalm is not credited to any particular writer, but the tone and content make it likely that it was written in the aftermath of the great victory over Ammon, Moab, and Edom in the reign of Jehoshaphat—the time he sent the choir out in front of the army. THE TEXT: “Great is …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 47
INTRODUCTION: Throughout the Old Testament, we are frequently given glorious visions of God’s glorious plan for our fallen world. It is tempting to say that we are given glimpses of this, but when we finally understand what God has promised us, we start to see His promises everywhere. This psalm is one of many examples. …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 46
INTRODUCTION: This next psalm was one of Martin Luther’s favorites, and was the inspiration for his hymn “A Mighty Fortress.” There were plenty of times during the Reformation when everything looked pretty black, and Luther would cheerfully say to Melancthon, “Come, Philip, let us sing the forty-sixth Psalm.” We have considered the importance of dogged …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 44
INTRODUCTION: The next psalm is a desperate plea for help from God. He is the God of their salvation, and yet He appears not to care. The citation of this psalm in the New Testament shows it to be the plea of righteous martyrs. THE TEXT: “We have heard with our ears, O God, our …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 42
INTRODUCTION: This next psalm is not attributed directly to David, although it is almost certainly his. The psalm is given to the chief musician, for the sons of Korah to sing. These were probably the descendants of the same Korah who rebelled against Moses in the wilderness (Num. 16). THE TEXT: “As the hart panteth …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 41
INTRODUCTION: The great theme of this particular psalm is the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, but as we recognize the nature of types and antitypes, we see many THE TEXT: “Blessed is he that considereth the poora : the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble . . . ” (Ps. 41:1-13). OUTLINE AND …