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The Promise of God’s Presence
Out of the blue, the old man heard the voice of God. This wasn’t one of the gods his people tried to placate in fear. This one talked. What did He want? The old man’s name was Abram, later changed to Abraham. The God who spoke was Yahweh—literally, “He who is.” Yahweh told him to leave Ur, which was near the Persian Gulf, and move to a small strip of land along the Mediterranean. God would be there, and Abraham would enjoy His presence. TO GLORIFY GOD AND ENJOY HIM The story is told in Genesis 12. Abraham’s descendants—a weary … View Resource
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Enduring Love
There once were two weddings. The first took place on a pristine beach on a lake high in the mountains. The setting was breathtaking. The young couple showed that sweet nervous excitement that made everyone smile. A classical guitarist picked gathering music as we assembled for the ceremony. It began simply with the reading of selected verses from 1 Corinthians 13. The couple had written their own vows, which ended in a promise: “I will be faithful to you as long as we both shall love.” The second was a high church affair. Johann Sebastian Bach reverberated from ranks of … View Resource
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Meeting Jesus at an Old Testament Feast
The default sin of the human heart is to put ourselves first. “It really is all about me!” was once a funny t-shirt slogan; it has now become a way of life. Unless preachers and Bible teachers are careful, the way we handle Scripture can actually feed this beast. We rush to application, consumed by the question, “How is this relevant to me?” But the Bible is theocentric, not anthropocentric. It is more concerned to trace God’s ways — His character, purposes, and His cosmic redemptive plan (“For God so loved the cosmos”) — than it is to give modern … View Resource
John R. Sittema
Dr. John R. Sittema is senior pastor at Christ Church (PCA) in Jacksonville, Fla. He is also a visiting lecturer at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, N.C., and an adjunct professor at Mid-America Reformed Seminary.
