Psalm: 38 Meditation: MarkWhen Jesus calls, everyone responds, except the self-righteous. They are so busy pointing out other people’s problems and sins that they can’t see their own sins, particularly pride, and need for salvation. We still suffer from this devastating fall into pride and sinful othering. Gospel: Mark 2:13-22 New Testament: Acts 12:18-25 Old …
Tag: Salvation
Sunday, May 15
Psalm: 144 Meditation 2 Thess. Not only, according to Paul, must we give thanks to God but also why we must do so: because the believer in Christ constitutes the “first fruit for salvation (v. 13). In an effort to prevent us from swerving from the Truth, Paul further commands us to hold fast the …
Sunday, April 24
Psalm: 37 Meditation 1 Peter: Spiritual maturity is the responsibility of each Christian for himself. “Crave spiritual milk so that you may grow up in your salvation…” (v. 2) Spiritual milk is but the beginning, for eventually we must move on to solid food (see Hebrews 514). Peter later writes that we are a chosen …
Thursday, April 7
Psalm: 83 Meditation Romans: Hearing the gospel is necessary for salvation, but hearing is not enough: people must also respond with personal trust. Isaiah 53:1 prophesies that not all will believe. The message that must be heard is the word of Christ, that is, the good news about Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen …
Tuesday, March 1
Psalms: 1, 2, 3 Meditation Hebrews: “How can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (v. 3) That is the point. The overwhelming number of people being lost are being lost because they have neglected such a great salvation. Paul tells us in the first chapter of Romans that “they are without excuse…” …
Thursday, November 25
Psalm: 25 Meditation James: The only promise of time we are given is “today”. Yesterday is gone forever, probably shrouded in the midst of regret; tomorrow is not promised at all. (2 Cor. 6:2) “Thus says the LORD. In a time of favor I have answered you, on a day of salvation I have helped …
Monday, August 16
Psalm: 30 Meditation John: For evangelicals, this passage amounts to the Holy Grail in Scripture. We begin with a Pharisee who, in a moment of great courage, came to Jesus by stealth at night to seek and to ask. Jesus tells him he must be born from above (or again). That was a bit much …
Monday, July 26
Psalms: 58, 65 Meditation Romans: So, love fulfills the Law. I don’t think enough can be said about the overwhelming importance love plays in the history of salvation. It starts in the garden of Eden, (and even long before) and comes to its apex in Revelation when all things are restored. Remember the words of …
Tuesday, July 20
Psalm: 17 Meditation Romans: Paul has a recurring theme running throughout his letters: he wants to make the Jews jealous of the joyful life of the Gentile Christians. He has said that he would be willing to trade his salvation for theirs (the Jews). That particular office belongs solely to Jesus. Paul also points out …
Tuesday, June 29
Psalm: 102 Meditation Romans: There are several points to consider here; I shall discuss 2 of them. 1) justification by works is neither of grace nor of faith, as indicated in verse 4. Works are remunerated by wages. This is not a gift but what is due. As for salvation, now that is a gift …
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