"And He said unto them, This is My blood of the new testament, shed for many." -Mark 14:24 Never did those lips, upon which grace shed its divinest, sweetest fragrance, utter words so precious as these. The language is figurative, but the truth is literal. "This is My blood," or, this cup is the 'emblem' … Continue reading It is the Blood that Saves
"I will give you the treasures of darkness." Isaiah 45:3 Is not this a strange expression? "Treasures of darkness!" How can there be darkness in the City of Salvation of which the Lord the Lamb is the eternal light? The expression does not mean that the treasures themselves are darkness, but that they were hidden … Continue reading The Treasures of Darkness
This Saturday, February 9, I lost a friend to a motorcycle accident. I met Henry just over 16 years ago working in admissions at Trinity Law School. He came to talk to me because he was interested in attending law school. The day I met him he walked in with the same exuberant smile that … Continue reading In Loving Memory of My Friend, Henry J. Maruyama
Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards. Hosea 2:14-15 "Therefore" has a strangely beautiful connection in this verse. God's people had been grievously backsliding. He had been loading them with mercies; they had been guiltily … Continue reading Utterances of Love in the Desert
The movie Bohemian Rhapsody has hit the theaters to chronicle the life of Freddie Mercury and his untimely death to aids. To reflect on such a life as a believer is sobering. To reflect on the life and death of anyone would do the same, but there seems to be something more significant when … Continue reading Freddie Mercury: A Christian Meditation
The words of John 6:37 reveal the purpose of the father in giving his elect Jesus Christ. The Father's end will not be frustrated (John 6:39).
How can God get camels through a needle's eye, and what exactly is the difficulty to which this metaphor is referring?
Lord, You are marvelously powerful, and Your power moves in ways unseen to most of us. No grandiose displays of might are needed to move the hearts of men, though they are all around us in nature. It took a hidden call to our hearts. We had built fortresses of wisdom to protect ourselves from … Continue reading Considering Our Calling
When God is not at the center of our lives, something else will be. We must examine ourselves to see if we have any pleasant plants we have been tending.
See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord. - Colossians 4:7 "Fulfill the Ministry." Paul initially said this to Archippus, but was this a warning or encouragement? Since we do not know much about him, it is hard to tell. Some have suggested that Archippus was the first pastor to the … Continue reading Fulfill the Ministry
The Fight of Faith 