We are continuing our thoughts from Psalm 32 about the depth of our sin. David begins the Psalm by reminding us, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven” (Psalm 32:10). He goes on to explain that when he kept silent about his sin, when he tried to cover it up, he was is torment and…
Psalm 51 – A Sad Psalm
Unlike many of the other Penitential psalms, we want to spend the entire week focused on this one passage of Scripture. Psalm 51 contains some important truths for us to consider. This well-known passage is perhaps the most difficult to expound of all of these special psalms. The Words of an Expositor Charles Haddon Spurgeon…
Psalm 38 – The Way David Must Feel About Sin
How do you feel about sin? You may be tempted to answer, “I feel guilty” or “I am filled with remorse.” Certainly, we should feel badly or negatively about the fact that we have been lured into Satan’s snare. Reading Psalm 38 gives a peek into how David felt. Though he does not actually name…
Psalm 32 – Overwhelmed
Has there ever been a time – maybe even right now – when you have so much going on that you are struggling to cope with it all? Perhaps you don’t have too much going on, but one thing is so stressful that you are having a difficult time making decisions or functioning. What are…
Lent | Reading 5
The season of Lent provides a time for us to contemplate the depth and passion of our commitment to Christ as we approach Holy Week and Easter. Forty days are set aside as a sacred time to remember the forty days of fasting and prayer that Jesus spent in the wilderness before beginning His earthly…
The Season of Celebrating Lent
A couple of years ago I was with a fairly non-religious group of people on Ash Wednesday and the conversation turned in a way that surprised me. “What are you giving up for Lent?” the older, curmudgeonly gentleman asked. “Cheese” was a young lady’s quick reply. “I am giving up cheese. The doctors suspect that…
Now I Have Told You
I have always loved “punny” humor – gags that were built around clever uses and misuses of the English language. I enjoyed “dad jokes” long before I was a dad and long before I knew that they had any jokes. I would stay up to watch Johnny Carson when he had guests like Milton Berle,…
The Ruler of This World
According to the polling website, Rasmussen Reports, at the last election, voters believed more strongly than before that the president of the United States is the most powerful person in the world. They see the position as the leader of the world community and that the level of power that is in the office is…
That the World May Know
The interesting phrase, “that the world may know” is the subject of our attention for today. As we move toward the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, there is a phrase in verse 31 of John 14 that is translated very well by the English Standard Version (ESV). Several other translations use the same wording, including…
Compassion: A Quality We Dare Not Sacrifice
According to Psychology Today, decades of intense clinical research has shed a great deal of light on the psychology of human suffering. No matter how difficult and unpleasant the suffering, human suffering is often accompanied by beautiful acts of compassion by others wanting to help relieve the suffering. Suffering leads to a positive response from…