SHADOWS IN JERICHO

Spiritual Nuggets   Sorrow May Endure for a Night, but Joy Comes in the Morning   (Psalm 30:5) (Thursday, September 26, 2024 )   Daily Devotional "For His anger is but for a moment,   His favor is for a lifetime;   Weeping may last for the night,   But a shout of joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5 (NASB) "Night gives way to morning bright,   The stars bow to the sun's warm light.   In darkest hours, hope may wane,   Yet joy comes dancing through the pain."   —Anonymous Modern Christian Poet (Historical Context)   The Psalm of Deliverance and David’s Praise Psalm 30 is traditionally attributed to David and is believed to have been composed during the dedication of the Temple or David’s palace. The psalm expresses gratitude to God for delivering David from dire circumstances, possibly referring to personal illness, enemy attack, or divine judgment. David reflects on God's merciful deliverance, contrasting the fleeting nature of divine anger with His endurin

Spiritual Nuggets   Endure Hardship as a Good Soldier of Christ   (2 Timothy 2:14)   Daily Devotional for Thursday, September 19, 2024  In life, we all face challenges and hardships. Paul’s words to Timothy remind us that, just like soldiers, we must stay strong and focused. We are called to endure difficulties for the sake of Christ, keeping our eyes on Him and not getting sidetracked by the worries of the world. In 2 Timothy 2:14, Paul writes "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier." — 2 Timothy 2:14 (NASB) Practical Takeaway: Stay Strong in God's Grace   Paul encourages us to draw strength from the g

  Spiritual Nuggets   Hypocrites: Actors in a Religious Drama   Matthew 23:27-28   (Wednesday, September 18, 2024)   Daily Devotional “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” —Matthew 23:27-28 (NASB) (Historical Context)   Hypocrites in Greek Drama   The word hypocrite (Greek: ὑποκριτής, hypokritēs, Strong’s G5273) originally referred to an actor in ancient Greek theater—someone who performed by wearing a mask to play a role. In the theater, an actor (hypokritēs) would switch masks to portray different characters, concealing their true identity. The focus was on the external performance, not the actor’s real self. When Jesus called the Pharisees “hypocrites,” He was pointing to a similar concept: they were acting out righteousness for th

The Attributes of God - God's Immanence (Pt 1) A Journey into the Father's Heart A.W. Tozer (Pg 152-155) A Sense of God's Nearness   I once knelt under an apple tree in a field, along with several other preachers and a Salvation Army man, Captain Ireland. As Captain Ireland began to pray, I suddenly sensed a nearness—there was another presence. Though unseen, He had been there all along. "Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?" – Jeremiah 23:23 The Challenge of Fellowship with God   How can God continually manifest His presence to the proud and arrogant when He is so humble and lowly? How can He reveal Himself to the lukewarm and careless when He is so zealous, or to the hardened and vengeful when He is so forgiving? How can the harsh and severe experience the God who is so kind, or the calculating receive grace from the One whose love led Him to die for us?

 Spiritual Nuggets   Clothed in Righteousness: Putting on the New Self   Colossians 3:9-10   (Thursday, September 12, 2024)   Daily Devotional “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.” —Colossians 3:9-10 (NASB)  (Historical Context)   Transformation through Clothing in Ancient Cultures In ancient times, clothing carried deep symbolic meaning, signifying one’s identity, social status, and purity. In Jewish culture, priests would put on sacred garments before entering the Temple, symbolizing their holiness and readiness to serve God (Exodus 28:2-4). Similarly, in Roman society, clothing often marked a person's status or office, such as a soldier’s armor, which represented strength and readiness for battle. Paul draws from this familiar symbolism to describe the transformation believers experience through Christ. The act

  Spiritual Nuggets Disarming the Powers: Christ’s Triumph Over Evil Colossians 2:13-15 (Wednesday, September 11, 2024) Daily Devotional  “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt (cheirographon) consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed (apekdyomai) the rulers and authorities, He made a public display (deigmatizo) of them, having triumphed (thriambeuo) over them through Him.” —Colossians 2:13-15 (NASB) (Historical Context)  The Roman Triumph and Disarmament In ancient Rome, a “triumph” (Greek: thriambeuo, θριαμβεύω, Strong’s G2358) was a grand parade in which a victorious general marched through the streets, leading captive enemies in chains as spoils of war. This public display symbolized their total disarmament and the

Spiritual Nuggets  Paid in Full: The Certificate of Debt   Daily Devotional  (Tuesday, September 10, 2024) “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt (cheirographon) consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” —Colossians 2:13-15 (NASB) (Historical Context: The Cheirographon in Roman Society)   In Roman society, the (cheirographon) (Greek: χειρόγραφον, Strong’s G5498) was a legal document that recorded a debtor’s obligation. This written record, signed by the debtor, was binding and stood as evidence of the debt owed. If the debtor failed to repay, the consequences could include imprisonment or enslavement. Once the debt was