Posts with the category “all-things-new”

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26) Exile is quite the prolific theme throughout the Old Tes...  Read More

“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before you,” (Psalm 22:27) If there has ever been a passage of scripture to be described as...  Read More

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) Isaiah gave us a prophetic look at the Suffering Servant and His redemption o...  Read More

“But as for me, LORD, my prayer to you is for a time of favor. In your abundant, faithful love, God, answer me with your sure salvation.” (Psalm 69:13) Over our adult life we’ve had more than our fair...  Read More

“I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33) It’s easy for us, especially in days of trial and suffering, to hop...  Read More

“But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.” (Isaiah 53:5) This week we find a somewhat jarri...  Read More

“The LORD swore an oath to David, a promise he will not abandon: ‘I will set one of your offspring on your throne.’” (Psalm 132:11) (Luke 1:33) Psalm 132 is a Psalm of remembrance, the so-called Song ...  Read More

“He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:33) I’ve always been a history buff of sorts and have been fascinated by various leadership approaches, good ...  Read More

 “This is the declaration of the LORD to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’” (Psalm 110:1) So much of the Bible seems to most as information that exists “out the...  Read More

“I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” (Psalm 2:6) Humans have always had a peculiar definition of freedom, especially in the West. As Psalm 2 opens, the nations rage, people groups plo...  Read More

Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:16) At this point in the story, we find David in a place of rest from his enemies. He has...  Read More

“Restore us, LORD, God of Armies; make your face shine on us, so that we may be saved.” (Psalm 80:19) This has been a tough week of reading. We’ve looked honestly at failure, forgetfulness, corruption...  Read More

“Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.” (Mark 7:8) When my children were young after a round of discipline or scolding, we’d always talk about the root cause of the behavior, ...  Read More

“The LORD looks down from heaven on the human race to see if there is one who is wise, one who seeks God.” (Psalm 14:2) When we read stories of Israel’s failing and unfaithfulness, it’s easy to shake ...  Read More

“Hear the word of the LORD, people of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land!” (Hosea 4:1) Our cu...  Read More

The LORD raised up judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, (Judges 2:16) This chapter is a dark turning point in Israel’s story. After all they’d been through since Egypt, they’d alr...  Read More

May my prayer be set before you as incense, the raising of my hands as the evening offering (Psalm 141:2) Psalm 141 brings us the beautiful language of worship. As a covenant people of God, He is form...  Read More

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37) One of the things Jesus was good at, as if He wasn’t good at everything, was mo...  Read More

I delight to do your will, my God, and your instruction is deep within me. (Psalm 40:8) From Sinai to Jesus, God has declared His people a Kingdom of priests, spiritual ambassadors in a dark and broke...  Read More

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 P...  Read More

“and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.” (Exodus 19:6) By the time the Israelites arrive at Mount Sinai, they’ve seen alo...  Read More

“Judah became his sanctuary, Israel, his dominion.” (Psalm 114:2) Psalm 114 is a song full of wonder and awe. It paints a picture as Israel comes out of Egypt, the sea flees, the Jordan turns around, ...  Read More

“They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:31) I love the story of the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. It’s full of...  Read More

 “their hearts were insincere toward him, and they were unfaithful to his covenant.” (Psalm 78:37) Psalm 78 tells a very familiar story; God does might works then His people forget and rebel. We see t...  Read More

“Wasn’t it you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the sea-bed into a road for the redeemed to pass over?” (Isaiah 51:10) Isaiah 51 speaks in a powerful way to a people who n...  Read More

 “He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I am the one who sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.”” (Exo...  Read More

These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents ...  Read More

Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” (Matthew 9:29) In Matthew 9, we find two blind men following Jesus crying out "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" Bu...  Read More

Lord, who can dwell in your tent? Who can live on your holy mountain? (Psalm 15:1) We've spent considerable time discussing that righteousness comes through trusting God and not ourselves. Then, today...  Read More

He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what God had promised he was also able to do. (Romans 4:20–21...  Read More

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) At this point in the story, Abram has heard the promise of God, obeyed His call, and walked with God to an unfamilia...  Read More

May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. (Psalm 67:7) As we've noted before, we seem to have a bend towards turning things in on ourselves. We pray for our own churches...  Read More

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad. (John 8:56) For the Jews of Jesus' day, there were few things which would infuriate them more than for someone to claim an inappropr...  Read More

For he remembered his holy promise to Abraham his servant. (Psalm 105:42) In Genesis 12 we saw the promise, the covenant of God to Abraham. Galatians 3 reminded us just how far reaching that promise r...  Read More

Consequently, those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith. (Galatians 3:9) There's a saying that says "Go big, or go home". This idiom comes to mind when I think of the call of Abraha...  Read More

All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:3) As we look to this week's readings, it is fitting the transition from a groaning creation to dawning plan of redemption come just a...  Read More

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap. (Psalm 113:7) From an emotional standpoint, this has been a tough week of devotions! Creation is groaning, our own hearts are ...  Read More

Jesus wept. (John 11:35) The story of Lazarus is arguably one of my favorites in all the Bible, but probably not for the reasons you think. Most people identify with the triumph of Lazarus being raise...  Read More

My days are like a lengthening shadow, and I wither away like grass. (Psalm 102:11) At this point, it's pretty clear; all of creation is groaning. Our hearts are longing for more. This Psalm gives us ...  Read More

He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) Yesterday we saw all ...  Read More