3/19/24 Lent Psalm 85 Cherished Terms Many years ago, Richard Parrot wrote a fascinating paper on Cherished Terms. He said there are certain terms in every discipline, but particularly in the church, that have a special relationship with that body of people. They are words that have a meaning, apart from the definition, steeped in… Continue Reading
3/14/24 Lent Psalm 80 Doris and I are at an age in life where every statement we make at home is answered by “what?” “Did you get the mail today?” “What?” “I need to go to the grocery store.” “What did you say?” “When did you have your hearing checked?” “What about cashing a… Continue Reading
3/13/24 Lent Psalm 79 IFTTT The history of the children of Israel has always been an “If this then that” relationship. God designed it that way, at least from His side. “If you keep my commandments, you will be blessed.” “If you call on my Name I will answer.” “If you bow down before Me,… Continue Reading
3/12/24 Lent Psalm 78:40-32 “I likes to be chosen.” Bob Benson is a name well-known to older Nazarenes. He and his family were giants in the gospel publishing business in the early 1970s when I was in college. (I started to just write 70’s but I knew some of you would be confused whether I… Continue Reading
I like old Asaph. He just tells it like it is. He asks the questions that we all want to ask but are afraid to. “God, I know you have done good stuff for us but, why have you let the bad guys prosper?” I admit, I ask that all the time. God, how come… Continue Reading
https://youtu.be/k6jX0fadP0g?feature=shared Life can turn on a dime, change in an instant, be different at the drop of a hat. We have all kinds of phrases to describe the sudden happenings that we face in life. The question is not, “Will you face the suddenly’s.” The question is how well. Here are some thoughts the sudden,… Continue Reading
Today is my sister’s birthday. I am not saying she is old, but she can see it from where she is. 😊 Now that I’ve started the day by making her mad, let’s get to the psalm. It is a psalm of growing old. Verse 9 says, “Do not cast me away when I am… Continue Reading
2/23/24 Lent Psalm 60 Remember this is Lent, a season that Christians have traditionally “tried” to identify with the passion and pain of Jesus as He made His way through the last weeks of His earthly, pre-resurrected ministry and life. We give something up. We fast. We take on an added spiritual discipline, in part,… Continue Reading
2/22/24 Lent Psalm 59 Look! I’m trying to give David the benefit of the doubt, but he is wearing me out. These middle psalms, Psalm 50-70, are just one rant after another against David’s enemies. “Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me. Deliver me from evildoers… Continue Reading
2/20/24 Lent Psalm 57 Poor old King David. His middle name could be Whiplash. He is as up and down as anybody I know. All you have to do is read the Psalms to see that. One minute he is despairing he ever lived. “Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. I think I’ll go eat… Continue Reading