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Dr. David Jeremiah

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Articles by Dr. David Jeremiah

When I was growing up, a filling station was where cars pulled in to “fill up” their tanks with gasoline. Today, such businesses are usually called gas stations—or convenience stores, buying clubs, truck stops, or travel centers, businesses for which gasoline is only one of the many products they sell. Gas stations are all over the world because cars are all over the world. A gas station without a car is unnecessary, but a car without a gas station is a disaster.             That’s exactly what happened in the early 1900s. Almost overnight, cars began appearing, and a problem was quickly identified: There was nowhere to buy gas! Gasoline was being sold by the bucket at general stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, and from vendors in the street. There were no gas pumps at first—funnels and buckets were the order of the day. But it didn’t take America’s entrepreneurs long to fill the void. Standard Oil of California claims it opened the first drive-in gas station with pumps in 1907—and the rest is filling station history.             The lesson is this: Machines require power. As new kinds of engines are developed, fuel for those engines—hydrogen, natural gas, liquid gas, Ethanol—finds its way into new kinds of filling stations. And developers of electric-powered cars are determined not to be caught in a fuel shortage. Worldwide charging stations for electric cars are well under way. The lesson has been well learned over the last century: Without fuel, there is no power.
When I was growing up, a filling station was where cars pulled in to “fill up” their tanks with gasoline. Today, such businesses are usually called gas stations—or convenience stores, buying clubs, truck stops, or travel centers, businesses for which gasoline is only one of the many products they sell. Gas stations are all over the world because cars are all over the world. A gas station without a car is unnecessary, but a car without a gas station is a disaster.             That’s exactly what happened in the early 1900s. Almost overnight, cars began appearing, and a problem was quickly identified: There was nowhere to buy gas! Gasoline was being sold by the bucket at general stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, and from vendors in the street. There were no gas pumps at first—funnels and buckets were the order of the day. But it didn’t take America’s entrepreneurs long to fill the void. Standard Oil of California claims it opened the first drive-in gas station with pumps in 1907—and the rest is filling station history.             The lesson is this: Machines require power. As new kinds of engines are developed, fuel for those engines—hydrogen, natural gas, liquid gas, Ethanol—finds its way into new kinds of filling stations. And developers of electric-powered cars are determined not to be caught in a fuel shortage. Worldwide charging stations for electric cars are well under way. The lesson has been well learned over the last century: Without fuel, there is no power.
In today’s world, the word “master” often comes with a negative connotation as it inevitably leads to the word “slave.” But “master” also refers to other things such as a higher level of education, expertise as work, or ownership of an animal. It can also simply refer to someone in a high rank of authority—such as the captain of a ship. Regardless of difficult situations, the captain is the master of the ship, and all aboard follow his lead.             How often do we try and “master” our own ship of life? We have the One who will safely guide us through everything. But too often we want to take control, not allowing God to lead us through the most tumultuous times in our lives. The question must be asked, Who is your true Master and Commander?
Do you remember the story of the rich fool in our Lord’s parable in Luke 12? According to verse 13 of that chapter, a man approached Jesus one day saying, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus responded with a warning, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” To illustrate the point, Jesus told the story of a certain rich man whose farms yielded abundantly for several years. The successful farmer kept building more barns to hoard his wealth, and he thought he was set for life. He said to himself, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”             But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be?” Jesus concluded His story by saying: “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:19-20).
The greatest love poem ever written is 1 Corinthians 13, the Bible’s love hymn: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. This poem counts the ways in which we love others. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul said, “This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience; it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails” (Phillips). If you want to commit this chapter to memory and begin practicing it, it helps to break it down into its three main sections.
While many look to the government, material possessions, drugs, or pleasure, they quickly find that these only lead to temporary distractions on a lifelong quest for happiness. Never have so many people been so unhappy as they are today. Perhaps the true source of despair and hopelessness among many people today is simply the recognition that life isn’t what it ought to be. Some of the things that promised them satisfaction and joy have not delivered on the promise. One thing I can tell you for certain is you can’t live very long without hope. Hope is a main ingredient in life. It is the very core of who you are and your existence as a person. Psalm 146 is called one of the hallelujah psalms, meaning they “praise the Lord.” And the hallelujah psalm in Psalm 146 portrays a wonderful picture of hope. It is an invitation to those who know despair all too well. It presents and opportunity to take another look at the hope that can only be found in God. Let’s work through this psalm together on three key points, all of them leading to the One who can and will provide.
Many people today seek happiness and fulfillment in possessions and pleasure and power and popularity—fleeting riches and temporal satisfactions, but at what cost? Sadly, for many in our culture, materialism has become their god.      This desire for temporal things is in direct contradiction to our Lord’s counsel to His disciples when He said: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)     During his ministry, Jesus demonstrated His identity through messages and miracles. He wanted His disciples to understand that He was the Messiah, the Promised Deliverer. He preached with great authority—He healed the sick and even raised the dead. He quoted Old Testament prophecies and fulfilled the requirements of the Law. His presence was electrifying to the people of Israel, but even His own family was confused about His identity.    At that critical moment, Jesus took a break from the crowds and led His disciples on a backpacking expedition to the regions of Mount Hermon. There, alone with the Twelve and after months of instruction, He gave them a final exam recorded for us in Matthew 16:13-20. It consisted of two questions.
Many people today seek happiness and fulfillment in possessions and pleasure and power and popularity—fleeting riches and temporal satisfactions, but at what cost? Sadly, for many in our culture, materialism has become their god.      This desire for temporal things is in direct contradiction to our Lord’s counsel to His disciples when He said: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)     During his ministry, Jesus demonstrated His identity through messages and miracles. He wanted His disciples to understand that He was the Messiah, the Promised Deliverer. He preached with great authority—He healed the sick and even raised the dead. He quoted Old Testament prophecies and fulfilled the requirements of the Law. His presence was electrifying to the people of Israel, but even His own family was confused about His identity.    At that critical moment, Jesus took a break from the crowds and led His disciples on a backpacking expedition to the regions of Mount Hermon. There, alone with the Twelve and after months of instruction, He gave them a final exam recorded for us in Matthew 16:13-20. It consisted of two questions.
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About Turning Point

Turning Point's Mission: Delivering the Unchanging Word of God to an Ever-Changing World

About Dr. David Jeremiah

Dr. David Jeremiah is the founder of Turning Point for God, an international broadcast ministry committed to providing Christians with sound Bible teaching through radio and television, the Internet, live events, and resource materials and books. He is the author of more than fifty books including The Book of Signs, Forward, and Where Do We Go From Here?  David serves as senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, California, where he resides with his wife, Donna. They have four grown children and twelve grandchildren.


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