Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts... (Jeremiah 4:4a) The heart is a common topic on these daily devotionals, and I hate to address it again. However, it plays such a prominent theme in these three chapters that I would be remiss to ignore it. There is a tendency even within contemporary Christianity to believe that God desires "good works" from ... [Continue Reading]
The Great U-Turn (Jeremiah 1-3)
They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’ and to stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’ (Jeremiah 2:27) If you were heading down a road that suddenly led you into a bad part of town, you might think about turning around because of the danger that you were about to be ... [Continue Reading]
Money Can’t Buy Me [God’s] Love (Zephaniah)
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath. (Zephaniah 1:18) Money is a dangerous possession as it gives a person the mirage that his or her life is together. If I have money, then that means I'm successful. If I have money, then I can go out and provide for my needs without relying on anyone else. If I have money, then ... [Continue Reading]
Reduced to a Line (2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chronicles 34-35)
Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses. (2 Kings 23:25) When I was in college a friend asked me what I wanted written on my tombstone. That's a big question to ask. How do you boil your life down into one, simple ... [Continue Reading]
Flashback: Expired Hope (Nahum)
The book of Nahum is really about hope for the people of Nineveh and how they have run out of time to repent and return to God. Jonah was sent with a message for them a century and a half before Nahum's words were written, but Nineveh did not heed the warning and was now staring down the face of certain judgment. It's at this point that you might think, "But God is a god ... [Continue Reading]
More than Humility (2 Chronicles 32-33)
And when [Manasseh] prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God. (2 Chronicles 33:13) Throughout the Old Testament the lives of many kings are recounted for us, and the level of their humility plays a role in how well each king is remembered. ... [Continue Reading]
It’s All About You (2 Kings 20-21)
“The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?” (2 Kings 20:19) We live in a "me" generation where everyone believes that the world revolves around him or her but not around anyone else. "Have it your way!" the Burger King slogan goes. "I'm loving' it" says McDonald's. "Indulge" ... [Continue Reading]
Lessons from Child’s Play (Isaiah 64-66)
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word. (Isaiah ... [Continue Reading]
I Will Tell of the Kindness (Isaiah 59-63)
I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us... (Isaiah 63:7a) Have you been the recipient of the Lord's kindness? Has He done anything for you that deserves praise? If you answered "yes" to either of those questions, then you have a responsibility. Far too often, those who have received ... [Continue Reading]
A Different Perspective (Isaiah 54-58)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) We have to admit that there are moments in time when we don't really understand what God is doing. From our perspective, life should go the way we ... [Continue Reading]
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