Dear Ones: As far as I know, there has been but one Pentecost, when the Spirit came, and the prophecy of Joel was fulfilled. On that day, there was a “sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind.” (Acts 2:2) In John’s gospel, the Lord Jesus speaks of the wind: “The wind bloweth where…
Dear Ones: How little, and clouded, is our vision of the goodness of God. It is very difficult for us who look towards heaven “…through a glass darkly,” to perceive the greatness of the goodness of God. And yet, when the Lord created the world, all that He did was declared to be good…even “very…
Dear Ones: The problem is NOT with the Great Shepherd. It is with the sheep. It has been said that in the 23rd Psalm, the great discovery by David was not that there was a Shepherd, but that he was a sheep. Coming to grips with what this means is essential if the great Shepherd…
Dear Ones: It is a difficult thing for a man made from the dust of the earth, with the influence, even the dominance of sin, to grasp something of his littleness, hopelessness, and helplessness. Much greater is the difficulty in grasping something of the Divine, especially as it pertains to the wisdom and knowledge of…
Dear Ones: Why would the Lord instruct, even command Joshua, who was to lead the people across the Jordan, and into the promised land, to “…meditate (…in the book of the law) day and night?” (Josh. 1:8) Why does God say that the man who is truly blessed is that one who “…meditates in the…
Dear Ones: There were a lot of people who “ran” in the Bible. Of course, the reasons for which they ran were different at times. For example, when Abraham perceived the arrival of three men, two of which were angels, and the third, the Lord, he ran to meet them, and to bow down. When…
Dear Ones: For Jacob, it was Bethel. For Moses it was Horeb. What happened in these two places that was so significant? For Jacob, fleeing his brother’s wrath, but obeying his father’s instructions, he was on his way to Haran. As far as we know, he was alone, as there is no mention of others…
Dear Ones: Often in Scripture when we encounter the word “mystery,” we are confronted with the concept of “hidden meaning,” or a truth not yet revealed. It is the case in life, in particular, in the life of the Christian, that much is hidden with respect to the work of God in the life. We…
Dear Ones: We are so apt to associate the word “power” with visions of the raging sea, overflowing rivers, tumultuous lightening storms, and overpowering winds. It is true that we see power in each of these examples. But there is a quiet power in nature, one that is so silent that it goes unperceived, unless…
Dear Ones: Hope is a very powerful thing. However, the strength of that hope lies in its nature, and purpose, for its existence. Does our hope have its origin in something we would like to see or to happen? Is it of human design and nature? Or does it exist because there is a Divine…