“…And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…” Isaiah 9:6 Asking my co-worker years ago how she came to name her son, she caught me by surprise when she said, “I made it up.” I had expected her to say that it was...
When Nehemiah received word from one of his brethren that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and its gates had been burned with fire, he sat down and wept after hearing this disturbing news (Neh. 1:2-3). It was disappointing enough that the conditions of the wall...
“So, then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” Galatians 3:9 It was King David who cried out, “Help, Lord; for the godly man ceases; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” (Ps. 12:1). A generation later, his son Solomon...
“But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.”Hebrews 6:9 In writing to the Hebrews, the author of that epistle draws from the world of nature to present the case for effective...
…“He [Benaiah] also had gone and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.” 2 Samuel 23:20 The achievements of David’s mighty men recorded in 2 Samuel 23 is truly worth reading with a ready heart and a ready mind. How David inspired these distressed,...
“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord…declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:3-4 “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all...
“but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”Joshua 24:15 These words spoken by Joshua to the children of Israel after their conquest of the land, stated the matter very clearly. Regardless of Israel’s choices, Joshua’s commitment to the Lord was firmly fixed....
“For He Himself is our peace…” Ephesians 2:14 I once read that that of all things people desire most in life, it is peace. It was not fame or fortune, or even physical health that most people want. No, it is not any of the things we might suppose. Instead, it is...
“…for it is God who works in you both to will and to do forHis good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 The benchmark of true faith is seeing the Unseen. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. Christians...
Rare it is to look at a group photo and not look to see ourselves. Even more, it seems most people have an innate desire to be “front and center.” For more nobler reasons and to our benefit, the Lord wants to be front and center in our lives in everything we do. Before Israel […]
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” Romans 8:14 First Peter 1:4 declares that all believers have an inheritance reserved for them in heaven, an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled and that does not fade away. For many, the thought is that we will not […]
“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection.” Philippians 3:10 I am sure we have all experienced it. After spending a lot of time and energy and making sure everything was in its place, the time had come to flip the switch on the lights that I had carefully and thoughtfully put […]
“O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” 2 Chronicles 20:1 (NKJV) These words by good King Jehoshaphat were uttered after he had received distressing news that a […]
“…Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him…” Psalm 42:11 The year 2020 as with other notable years in recent times, will not be soon forgotten—at least by this generation. The first editorial of Cornerstone Magazine this year was titled “2020 Vision.” It was an exhortation to the Body of Christ to sharpen […]
After Israel’s return to the land following their Babylonian captivity, enthusiasm reigned supreme as plans moved forward to rebuild the temple which had been destroyed 70 years before. The prophet Jeremiah had accurately prophesied of these events (Jer. 25:11-12), but his words went unheeded, and the nation reaped the sad results. Now, decades later, they […]
Ezra 3 is the record of Israel’s regathering after they returned from their Babylonian captivity. Having been exiled for seventy years from their homeland, they were now coming back to the place where they had once flourished as a nation. Led by Zerubbabel, the nation made the long journey across the waste, barren wilderness, prompted […]
The scene is a poignant one from the Dicken’s classic novel, A Christmas Carol. Gathered around the glowing fireplace, the Cratchit family listens attentively as verses from Psalm 91 are read by the oldest son: “Neither shall any plague come near thy dwelling…Because he has set His love upon me, therefore will I deliver him […]
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23, NKJV It is always interesting to me when I hear someone say that they are “speaking from their heart.” What they mean is that they are honest, sincere and passionate about a certain matter. If they are very […]
“O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” 2 Chron. 20:12, NKJV When Jehoshaphat received the distressing news that a number of enemy nations were coming against him, […]
“We have seen His Star… and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:2 In my younger years, I spent a lot of time looking at the night sky through my relatively inexpensive but adequately-empowered amateur telescope. I was fascinated with what this basic astronomical apparatus could bring in from the heavens above. I still remember […]