Westminster Seminary California President Dr. W. Robert Godfrey continues an 8-part devotional series titled, “Seeking God with the Psalmist.”

How much does the world influence how we respond to personal attacks and vitriol? Wisdom literature provides us with an infrequently tried response, namely, silence.

Westminster Seminary California President Dr. W. Robert Godfrey begins an 8-part devotional series titled, “Seeking God with the Psalmist.”

 “Dispersion,” scattering, is a bittersweet theme. On the one hand, the Creator authorized his animate creatures and humanity, their rulers, to “fill the earth”—very good. 

The Lord gives to his church “mercy servants,” whose deeds of compassion complement the gospel witness of his “Word servants.”

The peace of God in His Son, Jesus Christ, surpasses understanding, says Paul in Philippians 4. 

The seven servants were qualified to care for widows’ material needs because Christ’s church discerned that they were “full of the Spirit and wisdom.”  

Psalms 1 and 2 form a two-paneled door which opens on the riches of the Christian life illustrated in the Psalter. The only way into the truly happy life is through the door of wisdom, which is through Christ who is himself the Way and the Life. 

The apostles’ response to the need of Greek-speaking widows in the Jerusalem church shows two truths that define how ministry must be done in Christ’s church.

The Reformed know that the Psalms teach the Faith and we delight in them.  

Not only does the Lord love to lavish his grace to multitudes of people, to see them multiply to become a countless choir to sing his praise (as we saw in the first meditation on Acts 6:1-7); but he also delights in diversity—different kinds of people, speaking different languages and practicing different customs. 

As the gospel and God's great name was advancing to the Samaritans in Acts 8, Simon the Great was trying to advance his own name. 

Dr. Baugh discusses the skill of godly living from the Psalms and Proverbs.

The Jerusalem church’s appointment of seven servants to care for widows is a pivotal event in the spread of Christ’s gospel after the Holy Spirit’s descent at Pentecost.

Office Hours talks to Dr. S.M. Baugh, Professor of New Testament, about Hebrews 12 in the context of the Old Testament, New Testament, the book of Hebrews, and the original Greek text. 

The Lord comforts us through the resurrection comfort of Christ, and does this so that we may then pass this comfort on to others as they suffer.

Paul corrects the church in Corinth's worldly view of spiritual gifts by grounding the use of all gifts in love.

 Jesus' life proved that humility leads to glory. It is only when we see how much we have been served by Christ when we can forsake ourselves and count it a joy to follow in the example of Christ–and wash the feet of the saints. It is through suffering and humility that we follow in Christ's footsteps, and through suffering we can rejoice until our mortal bodies are glorified. 

To those who are weary and tired, Paul exhorts them to “not lose heart.”  How is this possible?  While the afflictions are momentary, eternal glory awaits for those who are in Christ. 

 God makes faithful ministers through prayer, study, and suffering. Over the years he purposes to diminish our self-confidence and bring us into greater dependence on grace. The ever increasing discovery of our weakness makes us increasingly effective shepherds of God's flock.