"Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8:1). Here's a great hymn of praise - "Majesty, worship his majesty." Listen, sing - and may your heart may be moved to worship the Lord. https://youtu.be/jWSy18_Jv7Y
Month: June 2021
Jesus – my Forever Friend
"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11). I was about to set out on a life of ministry. It was a "path of life" that had been chosen for me by God. At the beginning of this life of ministry, I received a …
What are we looking for?
What are we looking for? Are we looking for what's new? or Are we looking for what's true? The older we are, the more we're able to look back and say, "The world has changed so much during my lifetime." There have been such huge advances in technology. We can understand why so many spend …
When You See A Rainbow, Remember God Is Love.
Genesis 9:1-19 '‘When you see a rainbow, remember God is love’. The rainbow reminds us of the gracious promise of God (13-15). If the love of God is revealed in the rainbow, it is more fully revealed in the Cross: ‘We sing the praise of Him who died, of Him who died upon the Cross... …
Continue reading When You See A Rainbow, Remember God Is Love.
God and the gods
1 Kings 18:16-19:21; Acts 17:22-18:8; Psalm 78:17-31 In the relationship between God and the gods, we see (a) the conflict between good and evil (1 Kings 18); (b) God's way of salvation - He leads people out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light of knowledge (Acts 17:23); (c) God's word of warning …
Matthew 12-14
Much of Jesus' ministry was carried out under the watchful eye of the Pharisees. These men were out to get Jesus. For all their religion, they had no time for Jesus. Jesus' teaching in parables was hidden from proud religious unbelief and was revealed to simple, childlike faith. As Jesus did mighty works, faith arose …
The battle is not yours, but God’s.
2 Chronicles 18:28-21:3; 1 Corinthians 15:35-49; Psalm 102:12-17 Those who were armed for battle received this message from the Lord: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 21:15). Now, we fight many battles. There will come a Day when these battles …
Living the Life of Faith
In speaking of the connection between Christian faith and Christian living, Berkouwer emphasizes the importance of a proper understanding of divine grace. He stresses that, through divine revelation and reconciliation, we become aware that we are dependent on divine grace without being destroyed by divine power. In adopting this approach, Berkouwer seeks to construct a theology which …
Praise God! My sins are gone!
With "boldness", let us "enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus" (Hebrews 10:19). What a wonderful blessing this is! What a wonderful Saviour we have! Our sin is great. Our Saviour is greater than our sin. Here's a song which will encourage you to rejoice in your Saviour. May the joy of the Lord increase …
Something to sing about
Here are links to two great hymns of praise. Listen to them, sing them and be blessed by them. https://youtu.be/3SpI1jCczao https://youtu.be/MDFH4SLWfnc
Rejoice in the Lord… If God be for us, who can be against us?
"Rejoice in the Lord ... " - Read the words, and listen to the hymn, and sing along with it. https://youtu.be/RDGl859Ml-Q Rejoice in the Lord! Oh, let His mercy cheer 1 Rejoice in the Lord! Oh, let His mercy cheer; He sunders the bands that enthrall; Redeemed by His blood, why should we ever fear, …
Continue reading Rejoice in the Lord… If God be for us, who can be against us?
From the rising of the sun
"The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy" (Psalm 65:8). The sun rises. The sun sets. We catch a glimpse of the glory of God. "From the rising of the sun to its going down, the Lord’s name is to be praised" …
It’s spreading.
"He led me through water that was ankle-deep ... 4 He led me through water that was knee-deep ... He led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 Now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in – a river that no one could …
Resurrection — For the Love of Christ
When the creator Enters into his creation That is divine intervention When the creator Emerges from his creation That is resurrection St. John 11:25 “I am the resurrection, and the life…”Resurrection — For the Love of Christ
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven.
“Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall.23 The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely,24 yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agileby the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),25 by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with …
I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, the Nazarene.
"Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!" (Psalm 66:5). Where will we see what the Lord has done for us? Let us come to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. There, we will see what a great love our Saviour has for us! Here's a link to the great hymn …
Continue reading I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, the Nazarene.
Let us praise the Lord.
We thank You, Lord, that Jesus has risen from the dead (Luke 24:6). Death could not hold Him (Acts 2:24). He has triumphed over death – “Where, O death, is your victory? … Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). _____ When we read the …
The Revelation of God in Creation
Berkouwer comments on the "Nature Psalms": "This understanding, and seeing, and hearing, is possible only ... in the enlightening of the eyes by the salvation of God ... But this seeing and hearing is not a projection of the believing subject, but an actual finding and seeing, and hearing! Here nothing is 'read into', but …
Big questions
What's life all about? What does it mean? Does life have a God-given meaning? or Do we, ourselves, give it a meaning that, we feel, it has for us? Why are we here on earth? What is the purpose of our life? Do we have a God-given answer to this question? or Must we create, …
Satan Spells Trouble.
“Satan stood up against Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1). This is ominous. Satan spells trouble - trouble for God’s people. Later on, we read of God’s judgment upon Israel (1 Chronicles 21:14). Beyond God’s judgment, there is God’s mercy (1 Chronicles 21:15). In 1 Chronicles 21:30-22:1, we read about the fear of the Lord - “David …
Making a new beginning with God
"Abram worshipped the Lord" (Genesis 13:4). Here, we see Abram, returning to a place where he had, at an earlier time, worshipped the Lord. As I was reading this verse, I thought of a song that I haven't heard for years. https://youtu.be/nKq0_d9bfr0 How long? - Too long! Now is the time for making a new …
One day at a time
We wonder about the future. God's Word teaches us "to take one day at a time." Here's a song that I hope will help you to keep your eyes on Jesus, as you travel through life with him. https://youtu.be/IOfPQReS6vU May the Lord bless you and keep you, as you listen to and sing along with …
Further down the road
"Further down the road, heaven waits for me." Whatever the future may hold - none of us knows, only the Lord, let us hold on to this: By the grace of God, we are heading for heaven. "Further day down the road, heaven waits for me" - Take this thought with you on your journey …
Be Thou My Vision.
"The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.'" (Genesis 15:1). Abram was given great promises by the Lord. He received great blessings from the Lord. When we sing the words, Be Thou my Vision, we are affirming our faith in the Lord. With him as our …
Jesus loves me.
"Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Where would we be without the Bible? - We would know nothing of Jesus, nothing of his love for us, nothing of his death on the cross for us, nothing of the wonderful miracle of his resurrection from the dead. Thank God for …
Jesus drank from the cup of our condemnation that we might drink from the cup of His salvation.
John 18:1-27 The story continues. Jesus is betrayed. Jesus is arrested (1-11). He stands before the Jewish authorities (12-14,19-24). Jesus is ‘drinking from the cup which the Father has given Him’- He drinks from the cup of our condemnation that we might drink from the cup of His salvation (11; Matthew 26:38-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; …
This is what the Lord says.
1 Kings 20:1-21:29; Acts 18:9-19:13; Psalm 78:32-39 As a prophet of God, Elijah brought this message to the people: "This is what the Lord says" (1 Kings 21:19). This was Paul's ministry: "teaching them the Word of God" (Acts 18:11). Elijah's ministry was the denunciation of the evil king, Ahab. Paul's ministry was the proclamation …
How amazing is the love of the Lord!
How amazing is the love of the Lord! - "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Here's a great hymn of praise, which will turn your thoughts to Jesus Christ, your Saviour and offer to him your heartfelt worship. https://youtu.be/Tu2uA6U4Fxg
Count your blessings.
"We can plainly see that the Lord is blessing you ... We bless you in the name of the Lord" (Genesis 26:28-29). Thank God that he is blessing you and pray that he will keep on blessing you. Think of how much the Lord has blessed you, and let your heart be filled with praise …
Matthew 8-9
The great works, done by Jesus, provoked the question - "What sort of man is this?" His mighty works led to the declaration: "Nothing like this has ever been done in Israel" (chapter 9). To come face-to-face with Jesus Christ is to encounter His uniqueness. He's no ordinary man. He's the eternal Son of God …
Matthew 10-11
The disciples are sent out in the name and in the power of the Lord. As disciples of Jesus, we are to point away from ourselves to Jesus, who is far more than a prophet. As we point men and women to Him, we are to echo His words, "Come to Me... " (11:28). We …
Journey through the New Testament: Galatians
‘A revelation of Jesus Christ’ (1:12): Christ is our Testimony. Christ is our Message. He is the crucified Christ - ‘I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me’. He is the living Christ - ‘I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but …
Continue reading Journey through the New Testament: Galatians
God’s Temple
"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). God has given us a great privilege - "you yourselves are God's temple... God's …
Don’t you want to get on in the world? – Which world are you living for?
Ezekiel 30:1-31:18; Hebrews 13:1-25; Proverbs 27:23-28:6 What a contrast there is between “Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Ezekiel 31:2) and “Jesus Christ” who is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Pharaoh had the appearance of “majesty”, yet he was “brought down” (Ezekiel 31:2,18). Jesus has a glory which will never be diminished. It …
Continue reading Don’t you want to get on in the world? – Which world are you living for?
God has spoken to us. Let us speak to him, and let us speak for him.
"The Sovereign Lord has spoken: so who can refuse to proclaim his message?" (Amos 3:8). As I was reading these words from Amos, I recalled the words of Paul, "I believed in God, so I spoke" (2 Corinthians 4:13). We receive the Word of the Lord with faith. We are not to keep the Word of the …
Continue reading God has spoken to us. Let us speak to him, and let us speak for him.
When Your Head Goes Down, The Lord Will Lift You Up.
Ezra 4:1-5:17 – God’s work does not always move forward smoothly. We face determined opposition. Where there is opportunity, there will be opposition (1 Corinthians 16:9). The servants of Satan rise up to oppose the servants of the Lord. This is what happens here. The Lord’s enemies had some success: ‘the work on the House …
Continue reading When Your Head Goes Down, The Lord Will Lift You Up.
Raised with Jesus
"On the third day he will raise us up, that we may live in his presence" (Hosea 6:2). As we read Hosea's words, we think of Jesus - "he was raised on the third day" (1 Corinthians 15:4). Jesus' resurrection points forward to our resurrection in him - "we know that the one who raised the …
Links to Rev James Philip’s notes on 1 and 2 Chronicles
1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles
I will tell him only what the Lord tells me.
1 Kings 22:1-53; Acts 19:14-41; Proverbs 15:31-16:7 Here's a spiritual principle for everyone who seeks to be faithful to God: "As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me" (1 Kings 22:14). In Ephesus, there was a riot. The crowds shouted, "Great is Artemis ("Diana" in the King James …
Continue reading I will tell him only what the Lord tells me.
God is moving on.
Genesis 11:10-32 Another list of names! Again, there is something here for us - God is moving on. These many names summarize the times between Noah and Abraham. We must look beyond this list of names. We must see them in connection with His Story. History can be tedious, until we see it as His …
Three Very Important Questions
Three very important questions - questions that demand a personal answer: Who is Jesus? What can Jesus do for us? What will we do about Jesus?(1) Who is Jesus? Is he a mere man? or Is He somebody special?Every one of us must answer the question, "Who is Jesus?"- Jesus is the Word of God …
The Authority of God’s Word
" ... the authority of God's Word is not an arbitrary, external authority ... (But) a wooing and conquering authority ... Scripture's authority does not demand blind obedience ... rather a subjection that spells redemption ... a subjection to Christ whereby he is never out of view ... in which acceptance occurs with joy and …
Matthew 5-7
In "the Sermon on the Mount", we learn, from Jesus, that the way to happiness is the way of holiness. Holiness is to be seen. Happiness is to be shared. Holiness must take shape in our lives - the shape of Jesus Christ, living in us. The truly happy life is the Christ-centred life. It's …
The real work is done by the Lord.
1 Chronicles 24:1-26:19; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23; Psalm 92:1-15 Every believer has a part in the work of God. This comes through in the lists of names in 1 Chronicles 24-26. This is also taught in 1 Corinthians 3:6 which goes on to emphasize that the real work is not done by men but by the …
Numbers 7
Numbers 7:1-47 - Why do we bring our offerings to the Lord? - ‘that they may be used in doing the service of the tent of meeting’ (5). We give ourselves to the Lord - ‘Love so amazing, so divine, shall have my soul, my life, my all’ - and we ask Him to put …
Numbers 5-6
Numbers 5:1-31 - ‘The Lord said...’ (1): Let us hear and obey His Word. God is holy: His people are not to be defiled (3). Sin is not merely moral. It is spiritual. It is not only a deviation from law. It is an offence against God - ‘breaking faith with the Lord’ (6). God …
Matthew 3-4
We read of John, the baptist, and Jesus, the baptized. The baptism of Jesus is a high point - we read of the Spirit's descent and the Father's declaration. It is followed by a low point - the wilderness of temptation. In 3:17, we read of the Father's interest in Jesus. In 4:1, we read …
Matthew 1-2
In chapter 1, we learn of the way of God's working, "by the Holy Spirit", and the outcome of His working, the birth of our Saviour. This is, still, a lesson for us concerning the new birth. Through the Spirit, Christ is born in us. In chapter 2, we see men being led to Jesus. …
We are weak. The Lord is strong.
"Let the weak say, I am strong" (Joel 3:10). In ourselves, we are weak. In the Lord, we are strong. When we speak the words, "I am strong", we are not saying something about ourselves. We are saying something about the Lord. He is our strength. Our strength comes from him. Weak: this is what …
Let’s Honour God – In Our Attitudes And Actions.
1 Kings 15:9-16:28 A lot of kings are mentioned here. We soon lose track of their names. With one solitary exception, they are all better forgotten than remembered. Thank God for the one glimmer of light: ‘Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord… The heart of Asa was wholly true to …
Continue reading Let’s Honour God – In Our Attitudes And Actions.
Love, joy, peace… where do they come from?
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). Love, joy, peace ... - Is this what we find when we look within ourselves? or Do we find something very different? What does Jesus tell us about ourselves? Does he pat us on the back and tell as that, at …
Lord, the things that are most important to us are not always the things that are most important to You.
Lord, the things that are most important to us are not always the things that are most important to You. Jesus, Your Son, tells us that eternal profit is more important than personal profit. He says to us, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Mark …
Praise, Preaching and Prayer
1 Chronicles 22:2-23:32; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16; Psalm 91:9-16 The Temple was to be “built for the Name of the Lord”, “to praise the Lord” (1 Chronicles 22:19; 23:5). In the context of such worship - “thanking and praising the Lord” (1 Chronicles 23:30), the Word of God would be spoken “not in words taught by …
Close To The Heart Of God, Created To Glorify Him
We come here to the creation of woman. Her creation is bound up with the creation of man. She is created from man's 'rib' (Genesis 2:21-22). The 'rib' is taken from his side, emphasizing that man and woman are to be together, side-by-side, not one in front of the other. The 'rib', rather than the …
Continue reading Close To The Heart Of God, Created To Glorify Him
The love of power… and the power of love
"Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”" (Ecclesiastes 8:4). "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). What do we mean when we speak …
Jesus – what a great Saviour he is!
"But I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Saviour except me" (Hosea 13:4). Here, God is saying to the people, "Here's something you must never forget. I brought you out of Egypt the land of bondage." He's saying to them, "Never forget how much …
Numbers 3-4
Numbers 3:1-51 - The Levites were to ‘minister at the tabernacle’ (5-8). Different people were given different responsibilities. They were not to compete with each other. There was to be no overlapping. One was not to interfere with the work of another. The call comes from God. ‘Every male from a month old and upward’ …
Learning From God's Word 