Romans 12:2JB Phillips

THE HOLY ROAD

(April 24, 2024) Dr Jim McClure shares and explains an important truth…

When touring in Southern Ireland many years ago, Jean and I saw a signpost pointing to the place we wanted to visit.  We turned onto that road and drove, drove, and drove… The road’s condition gradually deteriorated until it ceased to exist in the middle of nowhere! Driving back to where we had seen the signpost, we discovered that someone had deliberately pointed it in the wrong direction! 

The lesson is obvious – you won’t arrive at the right destination if you travel on the wrong road! So I’m sharing about a road specifically named in the Old Testament – ‘Way of Holiness’, or the ‘Holy Road.’ 

It’s graphically described in Isaiah 35:8-10, ‘A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there,  and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.’

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FAITH IN A TIME OF FEAR

(January 15, 2022) Dr Jim McClure, noted theologian, shares insights regarding 2022 confusions and questions…

We have entered into a New Year with many Old Year questions unanswered and many more being asked. There is a lot of distress, deceit and confusion in today’s world. 

This isn’t new.  About 2600 years ago Habakkuk was confused and disturbed by many of the things that were happening in his world which was evil and violent and full of fear. He was confronted by the political, social, moral and religious collapse that was taking place around him and he could not make sense of it.

Habakkuk was totally baffled and began to question if God really cared. Where was God while all this injustice and corruption and disaster was happening in the world? If God was truly loving and caring, why was the world falling apart and why wasn’t God doing anything about it?

So he addressed God directly. In Habakkuk 1:3 we read, ‘Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.’ Habakkuk was calling out, ‘Where are you, God?’

Have you ever felt like that? I have! As we read the newspapers and watch TV and witness the corruption, deceit and violence that is intensifying worldwide, we can identify with Habakkuk’s appeal to God.

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