Archive for June 2022

2 Kings 24-25, Psalm 122, Luke 7:1-10, Philippians 4:14-23 Psalm 122: It is perhaps easy to think of the gathering of God’s people for church as a routine event. We get up, get ready, get the kids in the car if we have a young family, and turn up to church once more. There are some songs. There…

2 Kings 22-23, Psalm 121, Luke 6:43-49, Philippians 4:8-13 Psalm 121: The next step in this journey to joy is found in the psalm in front of us today. It is to call upon God for help. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who…

2 Kings 20-21, Psalm 120, Luke 6:37-42, Philippians 4:1-7 Psalm 120: I have written extensively on the Psalms of Ascents in a book called Journey to Joy. I have also preached through the Psalms. These devotionals will not go through the same ground again that you can find either online through the sermons or in the book Journey…

2 Kings 18-19, Psalm 119:169-176, Luke 6:27-36, Philippians 3:15-21 Psalm 119:169-176: The same passion that has been evident throughout this psalm is present yet again. Is this how we react to God’s Word and to God himself? Do our eyes glaze over when we hear talk of God—and only perk up when we realize there is something in…

2 Kings 16-17, Psalm 119:161-168, Luke 6:17-26, Philippians 3:10-14 Psalm 119:161-168: It is one thing generally speaking to be under attack, but it is another thing to be under attack without any reason for it. It is still worse to be under attack when the person who is attacking you without any reason is a person of considerable…

2 Kings 14-15, Psalm 119:153-160, Luke 6:1-16, Philippians 3:1-9 Psalm 119:153-160: The “affliction” of the author of Psalm 119 once more comes to the fore: “Look on my affliction and deliver me” (119:153). Do you sense that you have an “affliction”? That is, are you suffering, in pain, in trauma of some kind, whether emotional or physical? Sometimes…

2 Kings 12-13, Psalm 119:145-152, Luke 5:33-39, Philippians 2:19-30 Psalm 119:145-152: Prayer can sometimes seem as if it is a cold-blooded affair. We are told to “say our prayers” or “to say a prayer” or even “give an invocation” or “make intercession.” But prayer in the Bible is life and fire, heat and passion. The psalmist is praying;…

2 Kings 10-11, Psalm 119:137-144, Luke 5:27-32, Philippians 2:12-18 Psalm 119:137-144: It is almost a truism to say that what God does is right—but we nonetheless often question whether that truism is true in actual fact. Some of the parts of the Bible may seem to us harsh or difficult to understand. Some of what happens in this…

2 Kings 8-9, Psalm 119:129-136, Luke 5:17-26, Philippians 2:1-11 Psalm 119:129-136: Sometimes perhaps you ask yourself if it is really worth getting up early or staying up late to read the Bible. When there are so many other things going on in your life, so many pressures, and such business and demands, is it really worth using your…