Convictions of Honor
Veritas, Integritas, Fidelitas
God has done so much for man that it boggles the mind. From the provisions of creation to the promises to Abraham to His intervention in history with the children of Israel to the sending of the Savior, at every turn God stepped in to provide precisely what man needed at exactly the right time. […]
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The assembly should highlight the week of every faithful child of God. This period of worship, study, and devotion provides the much-needed focus and spiritual context for life that the world attacks as dull or meaningless. Every gathering offers yet another opportunity to remind ourselves of the extent of God’s interest, the depth of God’s […]
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David’s words recorded in Psalm 110 anticipate the Messiah so precisely that his prophetic utterances from this passage formed the foundation of inspired arguments multiple times in the New Testament. As such, they deserve even deeper consideration and explanation because the implications of this single psalm offer powerful testimony to the truth of Christianity in […]
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Lies hurt. They hurt the truth, they hurt feelings, and they can hurt reputations. However, when lies turn into accusations and accusations into action, a malicious lie, once believed, can lead people to commit character assassination, outright violence, and even atrocities—and justify it all in the name of a lie. People have little patience today […]
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The character of the psalms as a collection of individual works assembled with deliberate and divine purpose created the possibility of a later psalmist repurposing portions of earlier psalms, with minor adaptations, for use in a different context. David himself did this in applying the words of Psalm 18, penned originally in regard to Saul, […]
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From the moment Moses’ original appearance before Pharaoh led to that ruler’s hard hearted crackdown on the family of Jacob, the children of Israel established their spiritual credentials as unappreciative complainers in response to the goodness of the LORD. Even as they came to recognize His power through the ten plagues, their instincts focused on […]
Read MorePlease forgive us of all of our sins. It is such a simple phrase—uttered time and time again. Those who do so likely mean it sincerely; however, it unquestionably lacks the expression of contrition and appreciation that God deserves. In the closing psalm of Book Four, a section highlighting man’s relationship with God, the psalmist […]
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When I peruse the religious landscape of America, it sometimes baffles me how people can claim to read the Bible, love the Bible, and follow the Bible while remaining completely oblivious to the true nature of the God of the Bible. Some see only a harsh, judging God who destroyed the peoples of Canaan, punished […]
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Psalm 104 opens with the same phrase that began the previous psalm, “Bless the LORD, O my soul!” In fact, the same phrase appears in the final verse of both psalms as well. Thus, they are linked not only by their proximity but also by their form. However, the connection grows even stronger when we […]
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I do not know when the idea of “finding yourself” came into vogue, but it surely has had a negative impact on how people see themselves. It usually causes people to focus on what they selfishly want while ignoring how much they actually need, as well as what they ought to be. As a result, […]
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The Jews who returned from Babylonian captivity faced numerous challenges in their attempts to rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. The rubble that was Jerusalem must have seemed an insurmountable and depressing challenge, and the rising opposition of non-Jews in the land created additional struggles. The stress created by such a situation took […]
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David’s rise to the throne of Israel and subsequent reign dominate the landscape of Jewish history. From the young shepherd boy who fought wild animals to budding warrior who killed Goliath to the faithful soldier running from a jealous commander, the early life of David established a powerful backstory for the mightiest king in Israel’s […]
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Few traits demonstrate a combination of humility and joy better than thankfulness. Its very nature depends on recognizing others’ contributions to our well-being and happiness. Because of this, from a young age, most parents teach their children the importance of saying, “Thank you.” And yet, as we grow older, and perhaps because we lack the […]
Read MoreThe LORD’s reign dominates the landscape of the brief section of psalms of which Psalm 99 is a part, and its offering includes just as much depth, opening once more with the powerful but elegant declaration, “The LORD reigns.” Building upon the previous psalms’ promise and Messianic hope, this song presents the exalted character of […]
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The Old Testament records numerous victories made possible by the LORD. It records the victory of Abraham in rescuing Lot and his company (Gen. 13). It establishes the amazing power of God to deliver in the record of the crossing of the Red Sea and the Song of Moses sung in exaltation after the fact […]
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In Psalm 97 David continues the regnal theme, beginning once more with the emphatic exultation, “The LORD reigns,” but rather than appealing to the Israelites to announce this to the nations against the futility of their paganism, the whole earth now has reason to rejoice in recognizing the LORD’s reign (Psa. 97:1). Building on the […]
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