All Things New

Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted. His majesty covers heaven and earth. (Psalm 148:13) We started this week off with the weight of expectation of the greatest event in history. It ends with all of creation lifting praise to the King. This passage helps us lift our eyes beyond our own circumstances and experience, inviting us to listen as the entire created world l...

Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:11) I shared the other day about a fond memory of expectation on Christmas Eve as a child. Today, Luke 2 brings back a similar fond reminder. Every Christmas morning my dad had a tradition, he read the Christmas story from Luke 2 in the King James Version. I can still quote most of it today. In fact, it’s a...

He who comes in the name of the LORD is blessed. From the house of the LORD we bless you. (Psalm 118:26) Recently I’ve read several articles and listened to a few podcasts that seemed to have a common theme, though none of them are related… hope, or more precisely, the lack of hope. Each article and podcast pundit spoke of some variant of how our culture is finding it difficult to see any hope in ...

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall. (Malachi 4:2) The Day of the Lord is one of those topics … you now the ones that people have debated since the very first century! While there are differing views on when it will come and the nature of the world when it does, there are some ...

“See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, the Messenger of the covenant you delight in—see, he is coming,” says the LORD of Armies. (Malachi 3:1) Some of my most vivid memories as a child are of Christmas Eve. The anticipation of what the morning could bring was, at times, overwhelming. All the “worries” a ...

"My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:2) This passage begins with a very familiar refrain, one we all can identify with; the Psalmist is looking for help. He looks to the hills, a place that could represent danger, uncertainty, or just good old fashioned challenges. Then he asks the question we all eventually face: “Where will my help come from?”I love the profou...

"In the future you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:64) In this passage we find Jesus arrested, dragged before the Sanhedrin, and subjected to myriads of unfounded accusations. In verse 63 the final accusation is levied; “are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”  As He stood before these religious leaders, they saw Him as power...

"The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, enveloped in strength."  (Psalm 93:1) There’s a reason we spend every Tuesday discussing how the week’s anchor text impacts our worldview. Our worldview is shaped by whatever we believe is truly in control and determines how we see and respond to everything around us.Most people assume power belongs to governments, economies, military st...

"The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, enveloped in strength."  (Psalm 93:1) There’s a reason we spend every Tuesday discussing how the week’s anchor text impacts our worldview. Our worldview is shaped by whatever we believe is truly in control and determines how we see and respond to everything around us.Most people assume power belongs to governments, economies, military st...

"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 is one that will not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:14) If you read the works of 20 different Bible scholars you will get 20 different flavors of the particulars of what all the imagery in Daniel 7 means. Ou...

“I delight to do your will, my God, and your instruction is deep within me.” (Psalm 40:8) Psalm 40, to me, is one of the quintessential Psalms of praise. In it, the Psalmist remembers waiting, crying out, and being rescued from the pit. Not only did God set his feet on a rock, but He put a new song in his mouth. In this passage we see how worship flows from deliverance and obedience from deep grat...

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) It’s that time of year when homeowners receive their final tax papers and fight back, um, less than warm-hearted feelings about them and the tax collector. Multiply that many times over and that’s how first century Jewish people would have viewed Zacchaeus. He isn’t by anyone’s standard an obvious first candidate for renewal....

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12) Accusation, particularly when it comes from within, doesn’t make soil well-suited for a new heart to grow well. Psalm 103, however, helps us remember the truth about the Lord: He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies, and shows compassion. There’s no denial of the reality and pain of sin h...

“God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) Psalm 51 is one of the richest Psalms in the entire book. There’s so much truth for us to lean on as we navigate dealing with our own sin against God. These passages help teach us to see sin for what it is; an egregious rebellion against God. David doesn’t sugar coat his sin as a small mistake or a weak moment...

“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 Testament for the people of Israel. If nothing else, they are quite acquainted with the pain of suffering under foreign occupation and rule. Even more difficult would have been one of their prophets task...