Since the earth will be destroyed, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness as you look for and hasten the coming of the day of God … which, according to his promise, will produce new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells? 2 Peter 3:11–13 It’s hard … Continue reading
Present the members of your bodies as slaves to righteousness for the purpose of holiness … and its outcome, eternal life. Romans 6:19–22 One way to paraphrase this wonderful promise is: If we do what accords with God’s design for people, we will become truly valuable to the lives we touch, which will yield the … Continue reading
May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for fellow Christians, and for all others … so that your hearts might be established unblameable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. 1 Thessalonians 3:12–13 When Jesus comes with all his holy … Continue reading
If you cleanse yourself from wickedness, you will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 2 Timothy 2:21 Cleanliness is a means to holiness. When the surgical staff sterilizes all the equipment in the operating suite, they make it holy. Insufficiently cleaned equipment is not useful to … Continue reading
When biblical authors label someone or something as “holy,” they are giving us a clue to the high value associated with that person or object. So we see, for example, holy men, holy husbands, holy people, holy prophets; and holy land, holy garments, holy water, and holy temple. God is called “the Holy One of … Continue reading
“Ah, Faithful God! Behold, you made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for you.” … “Behold, I am Yahweh, humanity’s creator; is anything too difficult for me?” Jeremiah 32:17, 27 “Here I raise my ‘Ebenezer,’ hither by your help I’ve come.” From Egypt … Continue reading
Jesus said to his disciples, “I have food to eat that you do not know about. … My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.” John 4:32–34 At the end of a long day, when we are bone-weary, frustrated, discouraged, and beat, God’s deliverance often comes … Continue reading
Yahweh, warrior deity, has established that people toil for fire, and nations grow weary for nothing; for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Yahweh’s glory as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:13–14 God’s commitment to maintain and display his glory drives his providential supervision of his entire creation. Because he is … Continue reading
Abraham said, “God will see to the lamb for the burnt offering.” … Then Abraham saw behind him a ram caught in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and offered it up in the place of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place “Yahweh Will Provide.” Genesis 22:8, 13–14 Abraham was not … Continue reading
We were so afflicted in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. … He on whom we have set our hope will … Continue reading