“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14, 16 Light is a universal symbol for what is beneficial to people. Jesus, the…
“I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.” Psalm 119:93 “By them You have preserved my life” is a similar phrase to the psalmist’s appeal for God to give life earlier in verse 50, “…Your promise preserves my life”. Here, God’s precepts (commands and promises) are the unforgettable support…
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14 Basically, the Apostle Paul is saying that we strain against our own sinful nature and against the world and the devil, even while we are at peace under God’s promises and grace. “Goal”…
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” Hebrews 12:1 The “cloud of witnesses” refers to the people of faith mentioned in Hebrews Chapter 11….
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 This verse is not a definition of “faith”, but more of a description of what faith does. “Confidence” is a Greek term that describes something substantive, meaning essence or reality. Faith treats things hoped for as…
“I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.” Psalm 119:60 The promise of this verse is the whole counsel of God’s Word and Law along with the certainty of His action. Here the Psalmist is undergoing mental anguish as he contemplates the fate of the ones who had forsaken God’s Law. For those…
“Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.” Psalm 112:5 Psalm 111 and 112 are both acrostic, or alphabetical where each line begins with a sequential letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The phrase “generous and lend freely” is simply meant to describe a broad behavior pattern,…
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14 Children must trust and receive the care of others, and only in that same way does the kingdom of God come to us. Jesus welcomes children and makes it…
But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:15-16 The word “you” is plural here, which means Peter is a representative of the entire assembly of apostles. Christ is not just asking Peter. Jesus’ point in pressing…
“I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on Your laws.” Psalm 119:30 “I have chosen” indicates that the Psalmist chooses God’s way because God shows Himself to be trustworthy and gracious. “Faithfulness” means “to be steady, faithful, true,” from which our term “Amen” comes. This is an attribute of God…