Blessings

The Anointing of David

“Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.” – 1 Samuel 16:13 We’ve been talking a lot about the power of our anointing in Christ, and today, I want to explore the Biblical roots of this authority. It’s interesting to note that when Jesus walked the earth, He was frequently called Son of David. This is because He was recognized as being from the lineage of the Jew’s most highly esteemed and beloved leader. Though centuries had passed since he walked the earth, no good Hebrew could forget or cease to honor the legacy of King David — the man after God’s own heart. He had been anointed before he ever ascended the throne, and from that moment, he was full

July 26, 2021 1 Comment

Crushing Evil

“But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.” – Judges 4:21 I love that the Old Testament is full of stories about good conquering evil. Through the lens of a Jew born before Christ, every victory the Israelites had pointed to the ultimate victory of the Messiah and to the heart of a God who wanted justice to prevail. That said, there’s a very interesting account in the book of Judges, and I’m especially fond of it because it involves the forces of darkness being taken down by a woman. In the tradition of Eve, whose offspring would eventually crush the serpent’s head, this story is yet more proof of the Lord’s power to triumph over wickedness. Having been oppressed by a

July 8, 2021 No Comments

God’s Greatest Blessings Are Beside You

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9,10 When Hannah and I began to lead the college ministry at the Crystal Cathedral years ago, we did it as a team. However, as the months went by, she got busy pursuing a graphic design business, and our career paths drifted in different directions. In those days, I would attend conferences with various pastors and ministry leaders, and I would hear story after story from men whose wives — who were never there — were dealing with infertility, anxiety, or depression. I remember at the time thinking that this was strange, especially considering these men’s call to guide their families to God’s abundant life. Fortunately for me, a

June 28, 2021 No Comments

God Brings Good News

“Then one of them said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’ Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.” – Genesis 18:10,11 Yesterday, we talked about how Abraham lavishly welcomed God and His angels to his tent. He washed their feet, had Sarah bake them fresh bread, and fed them steak from his fatted calf. In other words, He spared no expense to show them hospitality, and neither should we. Since the Father of Creation sent His Son, who humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross and then came to live inside of us, we are free to fully surrender our lives to His service. In fact, welcoming Him and walking in His

June 23, 2021 1 Comment

Deception

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8 While it’s not pleasant to think about, it’s important to remember that there is a kingdom of darkness surrounding us and that as Christians, we have an adversary named Satan who is serious about wreaking havoc in our lives. Though we often envision the forces of hell warring in acts of blatant evil, violence, or malice, the primary strategy of the devil is always deception. The enemy is an angel of light, and he is really good at slyly deceiving us so that we begin to fall away from abundant life. He knows that if he can get us to doubt the Lord’s love in any fashion, he gains a foothold, and we start to suffer. By convincing us ever-so-subtly that our best existence is

June 20, 2021 No Comments

Filled in Order to Be Spilled

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” – Genesis 12:2 As we unpack what it means to live a life that overflows with abundance, let’s consider God’s intent in giving us more than we need. Yesterday, we learned that it’s our Good Shepherd’s desire to fill our cups until they run over so that His grace and provision spill into every area of our lives. Today, I want to talk about our responsibility as recipients of these overflowing blessings. I love to use the example of Abraham, who was an elderly and childless man living in his dad’s house when the Lord told him that He would make him the father of many nations. Though this nomad saw very little hope for his future, he pressed into his Heavenly Father’s promise, and

April 9, 2021 No Comments

Out of Slavery

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of slavery.” – Exodus 20:2 In Biblical times, the Jews traditionally taught that the first of the Ten Commandments is “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of slavery,” rather than “You shall have no other gods before Me.” However, many Reformed Christians argue that the former is a statement rather than a command. In fact, commentary after commentary — written by both Christians and Jews — has been dedicated to this subject, and many build a compelling case for it being a statement at best. Nevertheless, because I favor the Jewish interpretation of Scripture, I’m convinced that not only is it a command, but that it’s also a promise. In fact, when we note that the last word in the sentence is “slavery,” it points us to the theological truth

April 5, 2021 No Comments

Silence vs. Negative Speech

“The angel said to him, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.’” – Luke 1:19,20 To wrap up our discussion about Zechariah, I want to conclude by saying that when God shuts our mouths, there’s always a good reason. Though we’re not likely to be visited by an angel and have our tongues physically tied, if we remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit, there may be times when the Lord tells us to stay silent. When this happens, it’s usually because He wants to work something out in us, and to speak too hastily might do more harm than good.

March 31, 2021 No Comments

The God of Seasons

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1,2 Today is the first day of spring, and if you’re like me, you’re joyfully anticipating the new life that it brings. Especially after the extended impact of COVID-19 and the unprecedented challenges we’ve faced over the past year, we’re ready for a page to turn. However, to put things into perspective, it’s important to remember that springtime is only possible because of the falling leaves of autumn and the barren cold of winter. We serve a God of seasons, and no matter how difficult each one is, they all have distinct beauty and a divinely-appointed purpose. Today, we see evidence of vibrancy and hope, but the fruits of this time have only come

March 20, 2021 2 Comments

The Joy of Contentment

“There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. ‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked, ‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’ This too is meaningless— a miserable business!” – Ecclesiastes 4:8 There’s a story I like to think about, and though it’s apocryphal, I believe it sums up perfectly the state in which many of us spend our lives. The tale goes that a very wealthy, Harvard-educated businessman was vacationing in a little village in Mexico. One morning, as he was sitting on the beach, he saw a fisherman approach with a boat full of yellowfin tuna. He complimented the man on his catch, and since it was only 11:00 a.m., he inquired as to whether or not he was done working for the day. When he indicated

March 19, 2021 2 Comments

The Anointing of David

Crushing Evil

God’s Greatest Blessings Are Beside You

God Brings Good News

Deception

Filled in Order to Be Spilled

Out of Slavery

Silence vs. Negative Speech

The God of Seasons

The Joy of Contentment

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