“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” Proverbs 14:31 [NIV] We have here an antithetical parallelism. The two halves of the couplet contrast with each other, and in that way the writer shows us one key truth by showing us both sides of the … Continue reading Bible Note #21: Proverbs 14:31–The Heart of God and the Poor
Tag: Bible
Quote #13 — God as He Is
"But how far removed from the idea of the New Testament are the insipid words of the hymn which says, 'He came sweet influence to impart, a gracious willing guest,' and goes on to say, 'and his that gentle voice we hear, soft as the breath of even, that checks each fault, that calms each … Continue reading Quote #13 — God as He Is
Prayer Note #48 — A Preachers Prayer to Be Used Rightly by the Word of God
[Yes, that's what I meant to say: "to be used rightly by the word of God."] Your word, Lord, is alive and powerful in the ears of faith. Grant me believing ears, so that I will hear your word clearly and welcome your word warmly into my mind, my heart, and my life. My calling … Continue reading Prayer Note #48 — A Preachers Prayer to Be Used Rightly by the Word of God
Pastor Note #51 — Here’s How I Do It: The Devotional Life of One Christian
Every so often people ask me about my devotional practices. I don’t think I’ve ever written about that before, but it strikes me a something that some folks might find helpful. I don’t share what follows as if to say that everyone should pattern their devotions after me. In fact, my own pattern of devotional … Continue reading Pastor Note #51 — Here’s How I Do It: The Devotional Life of One Christian
Pastor Note #46 — Living in Time, Living with God, Part 2: The Past Tense of Faith
Time flies. Or, time drags. But the unalterable reality of human life is time. We live in time as fish live in water. I have a past. I am in the present. And in some form I will have a future. This time-orientedness is the fundamental framework of our lives. Everything we do, everything … Continue reading Pastor Note #46 — Living in Time, Living with God, Part 2: The Past Tense of Faith
Pastor Note #43 — Blood on the Pew (A day in March 2000)
It was Tuesday noontime. I had gone into the big, dark Romanesque sanctuary of my church in downtown Columbus, Ohio for a weekly prayer meeting with a handful or so of people, mostly not members of my congregation but rather folks who worked downtown and constituted part of my weekday ancillary congregation. As I sat … Continue reading Pastor Note #43 — Blood on the Pew (A day in March 2000)
Pastor Note #39: A Statement of Faith
God is not an idea or a concept but is rather a Personal Being of infinite power, beauty, and goodness. He is a Being who desires to be known and reveals himself to us. He makes himself known to us through the works of his creation and through direct experience of his Holy Spirit. … Continue reading Pastor Note #39: A Statement of Faith
Bible Note #15 — Exodus 34:29-35
Exodus 34:29-35 There is, in this passage, an interesting small but important detail that I have never really noticed before. It lies behind the widely recognized, though certainly bizarre, fact that Moses' face acquired an intense radiance as a result of close time spent in the physical presence of God. The people were quite terrified … Continue reading Bible Note #15 — Exodus 34:29-35
Bible Note #14 — Luke 1:13: Of Prayer, Patience, and a Sovereign God
Luke 1:11-13 The archangel Gabriel says something strange to Zechariah here -- something I've never really recognized as strange until I just read this passage again for the two-hundred-eighty-third time. Gabriel tells Zechariah that his prayer has been heard and, as a result, Elizabeth is going to have a child. I say this is strange, … Continue reading Bible Note #14 — Luke 1:13: Of Prayer, Patience, and a Sovereign God
Bible Note #13 — 1 Peter 1:23-25
"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, 'All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.' (Isaiah 40:6-8)" 1 … Continue reading Bible Note #13 — 1 Peter 1:23-25
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 