Eve of Epiphany Psalm 2 Meditation: Jonah – Jonah spent three days and nights inside the fish by the time he prays this prayer. This is Jonah’s prayer of repentance. We don’t know what happened for all of that time inside the fish but three days of total solitude in darkness will do a number …
Tag: Repentance
Saturday, December 5
Psalms: 23, 24 Meditation Amos: This is a rather straight forward message. Amos speaks as someone who is short on time or that his message of judgment is upon them. The judgment came some 30 years later – that seems imminent enough for me. There are many hoping and, dare I say, praying for “the …
Wednesday, November 11
Psalms: 78:40-72 Meditation Nehemiah: The “Book of the Law of Moses” spoken of here are the first 5 books of the bible AKA the Pentateuch. Nehemiah and Ezra had positioned the priests and Levites in the whole assembly of Israel in Jerusalem (maybe 50, 000 not counting women and children) to help explain what Ezra …
Friday, September 11
Psalms: 54 Meditation Matthew: John the Baptist made no attempt at popularity. Like any prophet worth his salt, John was no fashion-plate either, proclaiming “Repent” – the only thing missing from this caricature was the sandwich board reading: “The end is near.” He was fearless confronting king, Pharisee and priest alike warning even them that …
Tuesday, September 1
Psalm: 26 Meditation 1 Kings: God reiterates the need to observe and follow His commands. The king, for the most part, stood as a representative of the people – this means the people would do what they saw the king doing. David did sin, but he repented and gained forgiveness. The same would hold true …
Wednesday, July 1
Psalm: 130 Meditation Acts: The sin spoken of in this passage is called “simony” in “honor” of the scoundrel who thought the gift of God could be had for a price. This is a subtle and insidious sin. (Isn’t all sin insidious?) Simon wanted a sense of power for he witnessed the power of the …
Sunday, June 14
Psalm: 96 Meditation Nahum: This book reawakens the Book of Jonah. About a hundred years before, a reluctant Jonah brought warning of judgment to Nineveh whereupon these heathens repented of their evil ways and to Jonah’s dismay they were spared. Not so now. Nahum is here to announce judgment. Assyrian warriors were the vilest of …
Wednesday, June 3
Psalm: 53 Meditation 2 Corinthians: Paul does not skirt the issue he raised in 1 Corinthians. There were two which came to mind both moral: 1) incestuous adultery and 2) neglecting the poor at the Lord’s Supper. Paul is very pleased with the progress of the Corinthians’ repentance – it encourages him to persevere. Godly …
Pentecost Sunday
Listen. Listen to the pre-recorded Children’s Message together. You can find it at pacificunionchurch.org/churchsmall Review Do you guys remember why Pastor Steve wore that crazy alien mask? [Hint to parents: The Holy Spirit came down on the church at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit gave the church special powers to tell people about the kingdom of …
