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King of Israel
Noted by Marvin Olasky, Paris has three chefs for every one lawyer while Washington D.C. has 15 lawyers for every one chef. Our capital also has 10 economists for every one clergy. There are also more chefs than ministers. If you can’t see it, then let me brief you on the matter: The fading figure is the ministry and the church. I suppose the point is reflective in Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. The king of Israel was part and parcel of…
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“the Evil day”
Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The church of Ephesus was given a powerful admonition to take on the whole armor of God and be strong in the Lord. Paul lists a plethora of items relating to the Spiritual fight, as we will discover. However, the most perplexing words in the narrative speak of the time in which we will need these spiritual weapons. He wrote that we will need them “in the evil day.” I ask, When…
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Money …
Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. It is interesting that Jesus put money in the category of a master. In fact, Jesus said that a person can only serve one of two masters: God or money. He did not say God or the world; God or Lucifer. Jesus said that the…
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Tug-of-War
In the dark hours of prayer among the olive trees, Jesus roused His disciples and said, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus knew that their battle, even His own, would be between the human will and the Father’s Will. After His own all night prayer meeting struggling with the sacrifice that lay ahead, Jesus Himself said, “Nevertheless, thy Will be done.” It was and is Flesh versus Spirit: Humanity opposing Divinity. It’s a tug-of-war; pulling and grappling for position. The word “flesh” doesn’t resonate with our generation. It is an odd term, perhaps old in nature.…
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Undeniables
Only the Gospel of John records the miracle of Lazarus. Luke will speak of a different Lazarus who is described as a poor man begging for food. John, however, writes of a resurrected Lazarus as he declares the Lord’s deity. John said that Jesus was the Word in flesh, the Light that lights every man. He said that Jesus made everything that was ever made. It was John that gave us Mary and Martha’s dying brother Lazarus. Jesus will arrive four days late to find a sealed tomb and a family in mourning. We are probably familiar with this biblical…
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Private Places
Genesis is a noun that literally means origin. It means creation or to create. The Old English expression was used in the sense of “form out of nothing.” When God created the worlds, He spoke them into existence; literally out of nothing. We are made in His image and in His likeness, which implies that we too have the power to create. We do so when we speak. The spoken word is powerful. The spoken word is the covering of blessing and the proclamation of promise. However, it is also the wedge that divides and destroys. There is nothing more…
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King of King
The Civil Rights Movement was and is an important part of the fabric of America. By all accounts, it’s premise is based on the Bible’s own declarations of love, brotherhood, and unity. Paul was clear when he wrote, Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. The body of Jesus Christ has no divisions or segregations. While we pause to give honor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we know that there were many others who suffered and stood strong in the face of racism and segregation. Leaders, known and…
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Prayer and Fasting
Isaiah 58 “Is not this the fast that I have chosen?” God’s message through Isaiah about fasting is often lost in the absence of context. So to be true to the larger picture, God used fasting as a means to change the hearts of His people. He had chosen this time, but their day of fasting had not altered their behavior. In context, the poor remained hungry; fighting and arguing were still prevalent; and the less fortunate were being mishandled. God desired a fast in order to subdue greed and pride. He was looking for a change in their actions,…
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Finisher …
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith… We are at the bookend of the year and it seems to have come and gone so very fast. The scripture is not silent about days like this. The scripture calls the Lord, The Author and the Finisher of our faith. God did not just start a work in you, but He will also finish it. He is a God of completion and He is calling His people to be likewise. Jesus once said that no one begins to build without considering the cost. He was emphatic that…
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The Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Is there any wonder that His name would be called “The Prince of Peace”? Since the exiting of Eden, the world has seen chaos and strife. Yet, Jesus is the Royalty above it all. The conception of Mary was issued through the Holy Ghost, which Jesus called “The Comforter.” His invitation included a yoke that was easy and a…