All Articles For Marcus, John

Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words. Psalm 119:57 Psalm 119 is the prayer of a pilgrim facing the ups and downs of life. Facing these things, our temptation is to approach life from a horizontal perspective, looking only on the earthly plane. The psalmist, however, teaches us to take a vertical perspective, looking at life in the light of our relationship with Jehovah God. In his prayer, he declares his delight in God’s love to him as well as his love to God. He confesses his neediness, expresses his thanksgiving to...

Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Psalm 19:12 Psalm 19 traces the inspired psalmist’s thought process leading up to his earnest prayer to God. The journey that starts as a contemplation of creation ends with a prayer for cleansing from secret faults. As we go along with David on his meditative journey, God leads us to the same prayer for cleansing. David begins his journey by looking at creation. But, as soon as he looks at the creation, his thoughts rise above the creation to the God who created. What does creation reveal about God?...

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11 Good tidings of great joy! The world looks for joy in possessions and pleasures and power and whatever else they set their hearts on. Their idols promise happiness; but they never deliver. And when one’s idols prove themselves empty—as idols invariably do—they are replaced with other idols equally unable to satisfy. In contrast to the...

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34a One of the outstanding features of Jesus’ ministry was His willing and wholehearted determination to do His Father’s will. Determined to do His Father’s will, Jesus “steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51), even though He knew that He would “suffer many things, and be set at nought” (Mark 9:12). Determined to do His Father’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). When the mob came with Judas to capture Jesus, He...

Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. Psalm 119:49 The psalmist prays, “Remember the word unto thy servant” because he sees himself as God’s friend-servant saved by grace. The psalmist is not a servant against his will; God has made him a willing servant. Not surprisingly, he identifies himself as God’s servant thirteen times throughout the psalm, the only title he uses more than once. How good it is for us to see ourselves as God’s friend-servants. Adam was God’s friend-servant and God was his Friend-Sovereign in the garden. Adam fell from that...

We live in a modern society that disdains God’s gift of life. Of course, it is generally not the case that human beings have such contempt for life that they have no desire whatsoever to live. Most people want to remain alive and healthy, and would extend their lives if they were able (so long as life goes according to certain criteria). Nevertheless, society at large has contempt for life as a gift from God. That is because, as soon as one admits that God has given him life, he would also have to admit that such a God must...

“Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word.” Psalm 119:41 Every child of God lives in constant need of Jehovah’s mercies. We may all expect difficulties and hardship in our pilgrimage. It is through much tribulation that we enter into the kingdom of God. Whether single or married, young or old, in the work place or in the home, we are bound to experience turmoil. Circumstances make our spiritual walk difficult, so much so that at times we might wonder if we are able to continue. How we need God’s mercies! Mercy...

“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18 This text applies to men and women, old and young, rich and poor, married and single people. Nevertheless, I make special application to those who are married because marriage is under attack these days. God’s Word to married couples (and to every child of God in every circumstance) is “Rejoice evermore.” Someone might say, “It’s easy to rejoice on the day of your wedding as you look forward to spending the future together. It’s easy...

Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. Psalm 119:17 The outstanding self-designation of the psalmist throughout Psalm 119 is the title “thy servant.” Thirteen times in this prayer to God he calls himself “thy servant.” That is the way we must ever see ourselves: as friend- servants of our covenant God. As His servants, our great desire is not to escape God’s law. Our great desire, like that of the psalmist, is to live and keep His Word. So, our prayer to God is, “Deal bountifully with thy servant.” We want God to deal...

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. John 10:17-18 We must never in the whole of our Christian lives forget the suffering of our Lord and Savior. For without His suffering there is no salvation. If Jesus had never died on the cross in the way He did, nothing else would matter about...