Posts with the category “all-things-new”

“May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.” (John 17:21) Yep, you guessed it, John 17 is one of my favorite pas...  Read More

“Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.” (Psalm 127:1) In over 30 years of ministry, I know what it’...  Read More

Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3) In the church, we talk about unity as though it were something we have to create or build. If we get the ...  Read More

“Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27) Paul’s message to the church at Corinth isn’t him trying to give them an inspirational illustration, his version o...  Read More

“Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples.” (Psalm 96:3) The redemption of humanity started with one man, then one family, then a nation. This week, that circle has en...  Read More

“Therefore accept one another, just as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7) I realize it’s possible to celebrate the global nature of the gospel while still struggling to live...  Read More

“So that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” (Psalm 67:2) Most of us find it fairly easy to ask God for personal blessing. Don’t believe me? Read over your church’s pray...  Read More

“For my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56:7) Seeing Cornelius and his house receive the Spirit may have surprised Peter, but it didn’t surprise God. In fact, it was j...  Read More

“All the prophets testify about him that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 10:43) I know I say this almost every week, but I really do love this story ...  Read More

“How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony!” (Psalm 133:1) Three short verses. That’s all we get in Psalm 133, but three verses is all we need to see a beautiful picture to end this...  Read More

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” (John 20:21) Of all the miracles told of in the scriptures, this is one of my favorites. Maybe it’s because I like to imagine the looks...  Read More

“The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart from generation to generation.” (Psalm 33:11) The Psalms have a unique way of focusing the heart, like a literary version of your mom ge...  Read More

“Come, let’s go down there and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” (Genesis 11:7) We’ve alluded to this story before, but today let’s dive a bit deeper and m...  Read More

“We hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” (Acts 2:11) I love how the story of Pentecost begins, with a sound from heaven. The room at a house in Jerusalem is filled with...  Read More

“Blessed be the Lord! Day after day he bears our burdens; God is our salvation.” (Psalm 68:19) This week opened with a miracle. We watched Jesus literally rise from the earth. We saw Daniel’s Son of M...  Read More

“The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Maj...  Read More

“God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.” (Psalm 47:8) If you’re looking for a party, Psalm 47 is your place! From the first verse, it erupts in praise, clapping hands, shouts, ...  Read More

“He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom i...  Read More

“After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” (Acts 1:9) As Acts opens, it seems the Gospel story has already come to an end. Jesus has rise...  Read More

“I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done.” (Psalm 118:17) If ever there were a Biblical Victory Chant, it’s Psalm 118!The worshipper finds himself surrounded, pressed, and ...  Read More

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.’” (John 20:21) John 20 begins before daybreak, in the darkness. Mary Magdalene arrives at the tomb and sees t...  Read More

“For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.” (Psalm 16:10) In Psalm 16, David doesn’t make a laundry list of every danger or threat surrounding him, but h...  Read More

“But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20) The doctrine of the resurrection isn’t some fringe doctrine of Christianity...  Read More

“He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said.” (Matthew 28:6) We open our journey into the resurrection story this week as Matthew describes an empty tomb. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had ...  Read More

“How can I repay the Lord for all the good he has done for me? I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 116:12–13) One of the amazing things I’ve learned to appreciat...  Read More

“When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:39) The story of Mark 15 is a familiar one to anyone who’s...  Read More

“But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’” (Psalm 31:14) In Psalm 31, David writes to us from a life surrounded by distress, slander, fear, and threat. He finds his strength failing him, his...  Read More

“For kingship belongs to the Lord; he rules the nations.” (Psalm 22:28) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” One of the most recognizable phrases uttered by Jesus on the cross. As He agonizes i...  Read More

“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15) Ancient Rome is known for many things, including art, government, and raw empiric...  Read More

“Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him.” (Psalm 96:9) Somewhere over the past few decades we’ve seen a shift in how we worship from a shared, corpora...  Read More

“For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16) As someone who’s ...  Read More

“Exalt the LORD our God; bow in worship at his footstool. He is holy.” (Psalm 99:5) So much of Western Christianity is centered around packaging Jesus to match the feelings of the hearers. But in Psal...  Read More

“His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a ...  Read More

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5) Over the past several years, a core of my study has been focused on the times in the scriptures when the veil betwe...  Read More

LORD, who can dwell in your tent? Who can live on your holy mountain? (Psalm 15:1) As a believer in Jesus, I find myself on a never-ending quest to be in the presence of God. The Psalmist meets me in ...  Read More

Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12) So many times in my life as a follower of Jesus, I’ve had to ...  Read More

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) One of my most favorite things to do is watch the sun come up in the morning...  Read More

I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11) Psalm 119 begins painting a picture of a blessed life, the life of one who walks according to the Lord’s instru...  Read More

Then Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes. (Matthew 7:28–29) As the S...  Read More

Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7) Psalm 20 finds God’s people on the brink of battle asking God to intervene, protect, ...  Read More