While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground, an angel of the Lord came down, and glory shone around.
"Fear not," said he for mighty dread had seized their troubled mind, "glad tidings of great joy I bring to you and all mankind."
—While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks, Nahum Tate (1700)
Above are the first two stanzas of the familiar Christmas carol, "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks." Adopted by virtually all hymnals since the time of its writing, … Continue Reading ››
"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever" (Psalm 136:1).
Thanksgiving...what a wonderful season of the year! I am reminded of Psalm 100:4, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." The apostle Paul expressed a similar thought in I Thessalonians 5:18, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
Our thanksgiving should not be confined to the … Continue Reading ››
Psalm 100 is a well known psalm, probably second only in popularity to Psalm 23. It emphasizes the universal nature of God's kingship and is a benediction to that series of psalms (Psalms 93,95-100) which are devoted to the Lord's kingdom rule during the Millennium. Most of it is a call to praise and thanksgiving.
Thanking the Lord, however, is something we must do with our lives as well as with our lips. How shall we do it?
"I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old" (Psalm 77:11).
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the most destructive earthquake ever was the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake that struck the Tokyo and Yokohama areas on September 1, 1923. The initial jolt, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, was followed by a 40-foot-high tsunami. About 80 percent of the dwellings in Yokohama and 60 percent of those in Tokyo were destroyed. A total of 142,907 people were killed … Continue Reading ››
"Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour" (Romans 13:7, KJV).
On Veterans Day, November 11, let us pause to reflect on the service and sacrifices of all those who have put on the uniform to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States. Let us honor our veterans, who proved their heroism and love of country time and time again. More than a million have died in service … Continue Reading ››
"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry" (1 Timothy 1:12).
This Sunday, November 3, 2019, will be 44 years that the Lord has allowed me to serve in full-time Christian ministry. I began as an associate pastor to Dr. John McCall at Faith Baptist Church in Sarasota, Florida, on November 1, 1975. While the ministry has not been an easy life in many respects, it has certainly been a blessed life. … Continue Reading ››
"And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you"? (Nehemiah 6:3).
Nehemiah was cupbearer to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. His heart was deeply troubled upon hearing the news of the sad conditions in Israel. With permission and authority from the king, Nehemiah set out to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and make it a fortified city once again. However, he encountered resistance … Continue Reading ››
I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel" (Psalm 31:12).
Psalm 31 is a song of trust. David, who was in constant danger and trouble, always implicitly trusted in God. This is a very encouraging Psalm as a whole. It speaks of great victories and trust in the Lord. It speaks of God strengthening the heart and preserving the faithful. However, in the middle of this encouraging Psalm, we find some verses that that are not very encouraging. … Continue Reading ››
"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" (Psalm 29:2).
"O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together" (Psalm 34:3).
"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker" (Psalm 95:6).
The following thoughts come from a video series by Dr. David Jeremiah entitled, "Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven." His message, "Worship in Heaven," included four points which are extremely practical and relevant to us today. … Continue Reading ››
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1).
Most of us are familiar with the great Faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11. Hebrews 12:1 is a transition verse, as indicated by the opening word, "wherefore." As chapter 12 begins, the writer quits referring to the faith … Continue Reading ››
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