The inspired historians of the Old Testament used David as a “measuring stick” in describing the character of several kings.  Asa (1 Kgs 15:11), Hezekiah (2 Kgs 18:3), and Josiah (2 Kgs 22:2) measured up to David, while Solomon (1 Kgs 11:4-6), Jeroboam (1 Kgs 14:8). and Abijam (1 Kgs 15:3) fell short of David.

Do we take time and make time for quiet reflection on God and His Word?  We have so many people and so many responsibilities that necessarily occupy our attention each day.  Communications come to us non-stop us from the time we get up until the time we go to bed via in-person conversations, phone calls, texts, emails, Facebook, radio, TV, etc.    

The story of the Bible is the story of the solution to the problem of sin.  After just two brief chapters describing the Creation, the problem is introduced in Genesis 3.  The rest of Scripture is devoted to the prediction, fulfillment, and the explanation of the solution to the problem of sin. 

Crucifixion alone is enough to cause us to tremble.  But note the reactions of the soldiers who crucified Jesus and the crowds who witnessed it who had seen crucifixions before- the centurion and his crew were very frightened (Mt 27:54) and the crowds went home beating their breasts (Lk 23:48), an outward expression of their deep emotional distress. 

Fanny Crosby wrote many inspiring hymns, hymns that take on even more meaning once one learns that Fanny was blind.  In her hymn, ‘Safe in the Arms of Jesus’, she penned, “Here let me wait with patience, wait till the night is o’er; Wait till I see the morning, break on the golden shore.”  And, in the chorus of her song “Saved by Grace” she wrote, “And I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story saved by grace.” 

On February 17, 2013 Kyle Huckins made the following comments in his “Keeping Faith” column in the Marion, Indiana Chronicle-Tribune, “For many years, I’ve felt 1 Corinthians 12’s description of the church as like a human body- different people bringing their varying gifts to bear on the whole- is true at the global level as well as the local. 

A few years ago, I watched a father patiently trying to feed his 18 month son.  I was reminded of the times when I was in his position, trying to get nourishment into each of our seven children.  It is truly an unenviable task.  The young boy I was watching acted just as our children did so many times.  He had his mind made up about what he wanted to eat and what he didn’t. 

Cooler winds are blowing away the 80 and 90 degree temperatures; it soon will be months before we see them again.  The leaves on the trees are changing color; the fields have turned brown and the farmers are bringing in the harvest.  Yes, change is in the air.  But, I am changing to be more what God wants me to be?  Are the changes in me as easy to see as the change of the seasons? 

As I have suffered with disorder in my nervous system (with atypical facial pain and adverse effects of surgeries to “help” me), I have become much more conscious of a part of the body’s working that I hadn’t given much thought to before.  Every day I experience a degree of numbness in parts of my body where I should have more feeling, and I endure pain in parts of my body without a corresponding cause (like a fire alarm going off without a fire).  

Every Christian must be active in the work of the Lord, not just the elders or the preachers.  Certainly this is the Scriptural admonition and it is the only way that the gospel will be spread as it should.  Paul traveled far and wide taking the gospel throughout the Roman Empire as the maps in the back of our Bibles show. 

In 2001 Stuart Townend from England and Keith Getty from Northern Ireland composed the hymn “In Christ Alone”.  Townend wrote the words and Getty the music.  The song is very powerful- powerful words joined with a powerful tune.  The power of the words is that they are so richly Scripture-based.  The depth of this song cannot be appreciated by just merely reading it or singing it.