My Thoughts and Reflections

"Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before him." Job 13:15 (NASB) During times of great trial, especially when it doesn't seem like I am at fault for what has transpired, I seek to make myself free of all blame for whatever situation I may be finding myself in. It is natural for me, and I'm sure for pretty much everyone else out there, to want to be blameless when things are not going very well for me. I cannot claim what Job is claiming here in this passage. I cannot argue before God that my ways are blameless before him. However, what Job is doing in this passage is something we should all feel encouraged to do. In spite of his awful circumstances, Job makes the radical claim, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before him" (13:15). Why is this such a radical statement to make? It is a radical statement to make because Job has lost everything in the world that ...

"Sing for joy to God our strength! I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt." Psalm 81:1a, 10a (NIV1984) During Lent we look forward to the coming of Easter Sunday, the day that we are filled with overwhelming joy and celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. This is our great reason to sing for joy to God. This is why we are called to sing for joy in so many different ways. However, Jesus' resurrection from the dead is not our only reason for singing praise to God! In our passage today (Psalm 81), the psalmist not only tells us that it is a decree for Israel and an ordinance of God that the people sing for joy to God, but he also lists out many reasons for the people of Israel to praise God. God moved the burdens of the people and set their hands free from the work of slavery in Egypt. He set them free from Egypt and provided for all of their needs. He heard their calls of distress and answered them when they were wandering in the ...

"It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith." Romans 4:13 (NIV1984) I know I am not alone in having times throughout my life when my faith in Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of his word has wavered. In those times of doubting and struggling to maintain my faith, I would ask myself questions like, "Am I really doing all that I can to be saved?" and "How can I really be sure that my faith in Jesus Christ alone is enough?" During those times, it's scriptures like today's passage (Rom. 4:6-13) that encourage me and bring my flickering flame of faith back to a roaring fire! One of Paul's favorite examples of faith and righteousness, that he uses multiple times in his letters, is Abraham. He tells us that God counted Abraham as righteous because of his faith in him, not because of anything that he accomplished on his ...