Psalm 119:135 – Shine
We need to know God’s rules both so we know what God calls us to do, but also so we know when human rules are masquerading as divine commands.
Psalm 119:126 – Time to Act
There are many ways to promote lawlessness, both intentionally and unintentionally.
Psalm 119:117 – Sustain
The psalmist presents a lawgiver God, but also a creator who redeems and sustains.
Psalm 119:100 – More Understanding than the Elders
I use the story of Susanna in the Greek additions to Daniel as a basis to think about elders and wisdom.
Worship Is All About God
Bad Ideas I Learned from Good Leaders #3 “But that’s true!” some of you are thinking. And you’re right. The statement is true. Its usage can be a bad idea. I’ve rarely heard this statement from someone who was actually trying to make worship about God. To those of you who use it in that…
Lazy Labeling
I frequently hear various people complain about labeling. We shouldn’t label people, they tell me. But labeling is essential. Language wouldn’t function without labels. For example, sitting right next to me as I write this is a cat. I label him “cat” and I tell you he’s a cat, and we communicated. Behold, the cat,…
Psalm 119:14 – I Have to Be Joyful Too?
In the way of your testimonies I rejoiceAs over great wealth. Teachers and preachers often say that Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, was moving the law inside and making it of the heart. And that is certainly a theme of that sermon. But the fact is that the heart was always the object…
With All the Faults and Failings
One of the things I find most interesting about the Bible is the way that its stories openly–one might even say brutally–cover the faults and failings of the main characters. Nobody manages to come off all that well in the story. Even Moses, author of the Torah, or perhaps receiver of it, is not presented…
Psalm 119:9 – Talking about Purity
How shall a young man keep to a pure way of life?By keeping it in the bounds of your word! I have a feeling that some would question the way I translated that verse. It’s OK. Poetry is challenging. In this case I was aiming more for meaning that being faithful to the poetic form….
Psalm 119:3 – Not Malicious
They also don’t act with maliceIn God’s ways they walk. This verse could be translated in many ways, but the basic message doesn’t change. We’ve had too verses talking about blessed people and what it is that they do. This verse introduces an “and one more thing” moment. They also don’t act maliciously. The KJV,…