Posts from May 2024

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come into His presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:1-2, ESV) Have you ever heard someone use this verse to justify using a piano (or an organ, or a praise band, etc.) in worship to God? Often, the appeal is based on a “tongue-in-cheek” reference to the word “noise,” as if that word justifies ALL sounds! (Other translations render it as a “joyful SHOUT.”) Folks often…

“Grandparent:” Whether it refers to a feeble nursing home resident or a marathon-running, mountain-biking, adventureseeking 45 year-old, the only image this word conveys to many ears is “old.” My grandparents seemed “ancient” when I was a child (they were about the age I am now). Two were faithful Christians and two were not, yet all are precious to me and their examples are a large part of who I am now. Solomon wrote, “The memory of the just is blessed,…”…

God has always had a benevolent hand (caring touch) in the world, through laws (Ex. 22:25-27; Deut. 24:19-21), through Jesus Christ His Son (Acts 10:38) and through His church (Rom. 12:13). Jesus does His work in the world today through His church (Eph. 2:10) and if we do not do the work of Christ we become the corpses of Christ, not his body. Part of the work of the church involves benevolence and mercy. Jesus performed miracles of mercy (Matt.…