Gospel Living

He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); Our Lord appointed twelve to assist Him in the work of His earthly ministry.  Let’s focus today on the first of those—Simon Peter.  This is the first time the name “Peter” appears in Mark, even though he’s mentioned in the previous chapters.  From this point forward, Mark refers to Simon as Peter.  As Peter himself is likely speaking through Mark’s writing, it appears that Peter saw this moment as a turning point for Him—the point at which the Lord began to change him. The Lord gives new names.  God frequently changes the names of His saints.  Abram (a former idolator who had no children but whose name meant “exalted father”) became Abraham (“father of many nations”).  Jacob (“deceiver”) became Israel (“God’s fighter”).  Jesus says in Revelation 2:17 that the overcomer in Him receives “a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who r...

Merry Christmas Eve! As a different devotional this morning, here's a video with a snippet of Spurgeon's 1854 Christmas sermon.  The wonders of technology. ;-)  Tomorrow at church, we're going to explore this thought a bit more.  God bless you as you contemplate the Savior's birth. God With Us | Charles Spurgeon Sermon 1854 from JonathanHinshaw on Vimeo .

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David. 1            O LORD, our Lord,             how majestic is your name in all the earth!             You have set your glory above the heavens. This psalm captures the wonders of creation in our mind’s eye.  David looks to astronomical wonders as well as the elevated station of lowly mankind.  He also looks prophetically to the Messiah, the Second Adam in Whom is humanity God intended it.  Ultimately, though, the true wonder of this psalm is in the repeating refrain of verses one and nine—the Majestic Name of God—and the stunning concept that we can know it. The Name is personal and covenantal .  This capitalization difference in our Bibles signify two different Hebrew terms.  The first is Yahweh , the covenant Name that God reve...