Simply Gospel

May my steps be worship. May my thoughts be praise.

  • The Rest That Awaits Us

    Hebrews 12, after lifting up numerous examples of enduring faith in chapter 11, speaks of Jesus as the captain on our faith, using a term seldom used in the Bible. Joshua, Saul, David, and Hezekiah were referred to as captain in parts of their reigns, and the Hebrew writer impresses on us that Jesus is a better ruler than even these. This same author quotes from the Psalms of David, and invokes more Old Testament imagery, in chapter 4:1-11, speaking of the rest into which we may enter. Despite having some great leaders, the people of the Old Testament never… Continue reading

  • Good King Hezekiah

    In II Kings 18, we read of a king in Judah called Hezekiah. The scriptures tell us there was no one like him before or after him of those kings of Judah. In the first month of his reign, Hezekiah begins to restore Jehovah worship. He tears down idols and idolatrous places of worship. He stands up to overwhelming forces due to his steadfast faith in the Lord. What is it, though, that really made him such a great man? Why is it that the Bible tells us no king before or after him was greater? Factors Working Against Him… Continue reading

  • Will Work for Peace

    What is it we work for the most in this life? For what do we plan and strive? What do we consider our life’s greatest pursuit? Perhaps we’re trying to be successful at work, trying to get that next kudos, striving for that next promotion. We may simply be working for the money. We might work to win arguments, wanting others to see our way, not understanding why others don’t want to see things the way I do. We might be working to protect others from harm. We might be fighting to protect liberties and freedoms as we see them.… Continue reading

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  • The Battle of Personal Evangelism

    II Timothy 2:2 records Paul encouraging Timothy to teach others who would then go on to spread that teaching themselves. He goes on to warn Timothy from becoming entangled in the affairs of this world while pursuing the work of the Lord. I Timothy 6:12 calls on us to fight the good fight of faith, and Ephesians 6:10 encourages us to be strong in the Lord, for our struggles are not against physical enemies but rather against the spiritual evil opposing us. What battles do we engage in on a daily basis? We should be fighting for our souls and… Continue reading

  • Christianity is Not a Detour

    What do we do when we come up on detours in our daily commutes? Do we ignore them and get stuck in a position where we have to turn around? Do we follow them? Have you ever been on a detour where you’ve been unquestionably lost? We might have missed a sign while following other cars; a marker may have been misplaced or marked incorrectly; and we unquestioningly ended up in entirely the wrong place. We not only completely avoided the dangerous area of road, but we also managed to accidentally avoid our destination. A Road, Not a Detour In… Continue reading

  • Christ My Rock

    We live in an unstable world. Economy, disease, politics – these factors and more create unsettling circumstances around us. Good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people. Jesus says, in John 16:33, that we will have trouble as long as we are part of this world. Where then do we turn in a life of uncertainty and troubles? Where do we take refuge when the storms of this life assault us? God has promised us that He will be our refuge. He is our sheltering rock in the time of storms. He is our fortress… Continue reading

  • To Be with Jesus

    Matthew 14 records the events surrounding Peter walking on the water. Peter and the other apostles are on a boat without Jesus in verse 22. The waters become rough; the weather begins to storm; and Jesus appears upon the water. Peter calls out to Him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Unfortunately, when Peter see the wind kicking up the water, his faith falters and Jesus must save Him. What possessed Peter to say to himself, “I want to get out of this boat and walk to Jesus,” in the middle of… Continue reading

  • Lord God Almighty

    There’s a book called America’s Four Gods that points out that, while some 90% of Americans claim a belief in God, we view God in diverse ways. We may view Him as authoritative, critical, distant, or benevolent. We might see God as judgmental being who loves His creation but intercedes and punishes actively based on our choices. In contrast, we might see God’s handiwork in everything but be reluctant to see Him willing to condemn individuals. We may imagine a God who looks upon us judgmentally but don’t believe He intercedes in this life, or we might view God as… Continue reading

  • Fear Not

    Fear has become an addiction among many following the Christian faith. It has become as reflexive as breathing. We’re supposed to fear the scary Socialists who supposedly want to take our right to worship away. We’re supposed to fear the scary Muslims who supposedly want to kill us all. We’re supposed to fear the scary liberals who supposedly want to take all of our money. We’re supposed to fear the scary New World Order that’s supposed to do…something scary. We’re supposed to fear the scary immigrants who are supposedly up to something equally as scary. If it wasn’t for the… Continue reading

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  • Prayer Works

    Psalm 65:2 calls our God, “You who hears prayers.” As we examine our own personal prayer lives, do we view God’s listening to our prayers casually? It may be something we do if we can find the time or if we have a particularly pressing matter. It is something we take for granted. If God, however, does not take our prayers lightly, then we should not approach prayer casually. Think of Elijah at Mount Carmel in I Kings 18, whose quiet, reserved prayer was answered resoundingly where the antics of the idolatrous priests were ignored. Remember Hezekiah, in II Kings… Continue reading