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2 weeks ago | 
heidelblog.net | Zach Keele
In the first part of Psalm 26, David confirmed his upright disdain for the perversity of idolatry and its overflowing evils. This godly contempt, though, was not alone, for it had an opposing pair, a sacred love. The psalmist loves the habitation of God’s house; he adores the place where God’s glory dwells (v. 8). He has no greater love, no higher affection than the temple and God who resides within.
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3 weeks ago | 
heidelblog.net | Zach Keele
Hatred, is this a virtue or a vice? This is a no brainer, of course—hatred is an evil, as we hear about all the time. The trending morality of the day is to be nice, accepting, tolerant, and respectful to all. There is nothing worse than to fall into the family of hatred: bigotry, racism, and phobic with its many prefixes. And this seems to be in line with Scripture, where the law calls us to love God, to love the saints, family, and neighbors, and even to love our enemies who hate us.
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2 months ago | 
heidelblog.net | Zach Keele
O, to be a kid again! It is pretty safe to say that nearly everyone makes this wish at least once. You are full of adulting; the bills keep coming in, the diapers do not end; your body hurts for no discernible reason, and your hair cannot decide whether to thin or go grey. Amid all this, youth looks pretty attractive, when you could sleep long, eat whatever, and had no serious duties. Of course, youth does not live up to all the hype.
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Mar 22, 2025 | 
heidelblog.net | Zach Keele
How do you greet a champion? What is a fitting celebration for the hero returning home? In the present season, we have seen several such festivities. DC adorned itself with pomp and galas for the inauguration. Columbus spilled into the streets for their Buckeye champions. Yet, what makes the party tasteful verses out of line? There is always what the Philly fans do. When their team loses, they climb the lampposts and tear up the streets.
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Nov 21, 2024 | 
heidelblog.net | Marilynne Robinson |Zach Keele
Within the bookstore of biblical studies, an alarming variety of works rest upon the shelves. Erudite tomes of philology and archeology, collections of sermons, thematic monographs, devotional series, and popular commentaries intermingle like diverse species in a rainforest. Arguably, each type has its place and purpose; yet, if you spend much time in their pages, a common ailment weakens many of them.
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Sep 11, 2024 | 
theaquilareport.com | Zach Keele
Jesus notes a proverb that was just proven true. A prophet has no dishonor, except in his hometown. When a prophet goes on tour, he is applauded and respected as God’s authoritative emissary, but he comes home and gets no respect. And Jesus extends this proverb to include his relatives and his own household. This implies that his mother and siblings are not supportive of Jesus. They are ashamed of him and judge him as taboo. Our Lord forms this proverb based on the Old Testament.
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May 1, 2024 | 
heidelblog.net | Zach Keele
And thou, sweet Poetry, thou loveliest maid,Still first to fly where sensual joys invade;Unfit in these degenerate times of shame, To catch the heart, or strike for honest fame; 1In general, it is accurate to notice that poetry has fallen on hard times. Amid skyscrapers of glass and steel as monuments to utilitarianism, with A.I. in our devices prophesying a future of ease, the old-growth lumber of poetry, reflective and meditative, struggles to maintain relevance.
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Nov 10, 2023 | 
heidelblog.net | Zach Keele
In the first section of this survey of Psalm 51, we were rocked by the foul stains of our sin. As sinners, conceived and born in iniquity, sin corrodes and tarnishes every last fiber of the inner person. Our hearts are rotten with the decay of sin. But sin also defiles the holy records of God. Each transgression is carved in stone before the Lord demanding punishment and payment. A double cleaning is required, which is exactly where David’s prayer is aimed.
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Nov 7, 2023 | 
theaquilareport.com | Zach Keele
The present form and working of the kingdom is mysterious and humble. A mustard seed and a pinch of yeast—no one would expect the kingdom out of these. No one notices a mustard plant growing; we cannot see yeast at work. This is the paradox of Christ’s kingdom, and it is both wisdom and comfort for our faith, brothers and sisters. When the Lord ushered his people from Egypt to the promised land in the Old Testament, he did so by doing glorious things.
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Nov 3, 2023 | 
heidelblog.net | Zach Keele
When it comes to laundry, some of you have probably become master stain removers. Clothes are not cheap, and stains are inevitable. If you have kids or a dropsy husband, you fight grassy knees, drips of coffee, blots of ink, and those unidentified gross spots. So, you pre-soak, spot spray, bleach, and scrub. And with some elbow grease and a bit of magic, you keep those clothes shining like new. But there are other stains besides the ones on our clothes.
