Jim Gallagher

Isaiah 26:3-4

“You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever,
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.”

I recently watched an episode of a “Reality Show” where two individuals were in search of gold. They invested all they had, left their families, traveled to a foreign land, all in search of gold and in hopes of getting rich. Over the centuries, gold has been a highly sought after commodity. For many years, it was the standard by which a nation’s wealth was determined. Gold is not the only commodity man seeks after. Many have spent their lives in pursuit of resources that will make them rich, successful, powerful or at least happy. Perhaps the most sought after of all, is the pursuit of peace. In fact, it seems many would give up all else…

Isaiah 25:4
“For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.”

Many places in the world are subject to devastating storms. Within the U.S., the northern states face blizzards, while the south is subject to hurricanes and the Midwest has its tornados. In order to be safe, when one of these natural disasters strike, certain preparations must be done ahead of time. One of the most important, is to have a structure that can withstand the severe cold or intense winds that come with these storms. Proper preparations go all the way back to when the house was built.

A few years ago I watched as some friends built a new home. They used concrete block instead of wood, windows designed to…

I Thessalonians 1:1
“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy . . .”

Serving Jesus is a team sport. If we are going to be effective, we must establish godly relationships with others who want to follow and serve Christ. Their lives, and commitment to Christ, will serve to propel us forward, just as ours does the same for them. In my earliest years of following Christ, a particular song was sung for almost every altar call, or response time, after a message. One line went, “I have decided to follow Jesus, though none go with me still I will follow, no turning back.” I remember clearly, grappling with the idea that if everyone of my friends walked away from the Lord, I would remain following Him. I believe we all must come to the point where we decide we will live for Christ, regardless of what others do. At the same time…

Isaiah 24:2
“And it shall be:
As with the people, so with the priest;
As with the servant, so with his master;
As with the maid, so with her mistress;
As with the buyer, so with the seller;
As with the lender, so with the borrower;
As with the creditor, so with the debtor.”

Life is filled with distinctions. Gender, age, experience, education, skill level, and heritage are just a few things that set us apart from one another. Recently while traveling, it came time to board the plane, and distinctions were made. First class boarded first, followed by business class and priority seating. Finally, when sufficient time was given for these others to settle, a call was made for the rest of us. We have become used to a culture where distinction is made. However, when it comes to the kingdom of God there is perfect equality. No one…

Isaiah 23:17
“And it shall be, at the end of seventy years, that the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire, and commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth.”

Tyre was an ancient coastal city situated on the Mediterranean, just north of Israel. Like all people, they were answerable to God for their actions, and would soon face the consequences of ignoring Him, and living by their own standards. Isaiah describes a time coming, when the Chaldeans, also known as Babylonians, would attack and drive them into the sea.

About one hundred years after Isaiah’s prophecy, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, led his troops against Tyre, driving the people to flee to an island just off the coast, where they rebuilt the city. Since Nebuchadnezzar did not have a navy, Tyre, though defeated, was saved. Rather than turning to…

Colossians 4:17
“And say to Archippus, ‘Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.'”

Paul closes out his letter to the Colossians by referring to the ministries of a number of believers. Luke, Mark and Barnabas are very well-known, while others, like Tychicus and Epaphras, are a little less familiar to some of us. In each case, Paul is referring to them in a positive light, and speaking of the effectiveness of their ministries. Tychicus was the faithful traveler who delivered this letter, and others, to its recipients. Aristarchus, Mark, and Justus are mentioned as fellow prisoners and fellow workers for the Kingdom, while Epaphras is called a bondservant, and described as one who labors fervently for the salvation of others. Tucked away in this list of giants, men who had a significant impact upon this world for God’s Kingdom, is…

Isaiah 22:12-13

“And in that day the Lord God of hosts called for weeping and for mourning, for baldness and for girding with sackcloth. But instead, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine: ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’”

Isaiah lived during interesting times. The northern nation of Israel was about to fall prey to Assyrian forces, while the southern nation of Judah was facing the threat of annihilation. Instead of turning from immorality and seeking God, the people were determined to continue in their wickedness. A great campaign was underway to fortify the cities to withstand enemy forces. They built reservoirs to hold water, stored up grain supplies, and made pacts with other nations in order to withstand the onslaught of the enemy. In all their efforts to prepare for battle, they forgot the most important step, they failed to…

Isaiah 21:3-4

“Therefore my loins are filled with pain; pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw it. My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; the night for which I longed He turned into fear for me.”

Isaiah faced a season of life that filled him with pain, distress, fear and sleepless nights. This condition was brought on by the events that were taking place on the world stage. The Assyrians were mounting their forces and attempting to expand their nation into a world empire. They were known to be a particularly violent people who showed no mercy to their victims. As Isaiah heard reports of the nation’s around Judah falling victim to Assyria, he was filled with dread. This is not an uncommon experience. Watching reports of what is happening today…

Colossians 3:1
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.”

Sin is a killer. It is guilty of taking the spiritual life from all of us. God warned Adam that if he disobeyed the command of God and partook of what was forbidden, he would die. While many years transpired before his physical death, the moment Adam sinned, he experienced spiritual death, or separation from God. Since we are sons and daughters of Adam, we have all joined him in his sin and its consequences. The remedy for that condition is faith in Christ. The moment we put our trust in the work of Christ on the cross, our sins are forgiven, and we who were dead in sin, come alive to God. Jesus called that being “born again.” Paul calls it being raised with…

Isaiah 20:2

“At the same time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, ‘Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.’ And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.”

Sometimes, the Biblical message is so important it is presented along with an unforgettable illustration. This is one of those cases. Isaiah’s warning, regarding the coming destruction of world powers by Assyria, was so critical, that he undressed and walked the streets of Jerusalem to declare it. While I do not recommend that exact approach, and we recognize that the true power behind the Gospel is the Gospel itself, we might want to at least consider how we might better illustrate the truths of Scripture, as we seek to share them with others.

If you are involved in teaching the Bible, it is important to use illustrations that are age and…