The phrase, "what goes around comes around," has become a bit of a mantra among Americans. It deals with karma and the expectation that the way you treat someone else will be the way you will be treated. Somehow the universe knows when something is unfair, and it works itself to bring fairness back. This kind of thought isn't at all ... [Continue Reading]
Temptation and Physical Needs (Genesis 25-26)
I have been thinking a lot about temptation and choices lately, and the story of Esau and his birthright goes right along with what I was thinking about a few days ago when I wrote about the ultimate before the immediate. Esau was so concerned with this hunger that he allowed his short-term, temporary need to overshadow his long-term, not-so-temporary future. ... [Continue Reading]
True Worship (Genesis 22-24)
I've spent a lot of time thinking about the sacrifice of Isaac over the years. I think it fascinates me because I can't envision a dad tying up his kid on an altar and preparing to slit his throat. I also can't imagine a kid letting his dad do that to him. Nonetheless, I believe the story is true, and I think that it can teach us a lot ... [Continue Reading]
The Promiser (Genesis 19-21)
I often laugh when I hear people talking about how corrupt our culture has become. Perhaps there is truth to the statement in comparison to where the United States was a century ago, but when compared to the stories of the Old Testament, the latest trashy MTV show is a far cry from the moral depravity that takes place in the reading for today. We have all of ... [Continue Reading]
Divine Preparation (Genesis 16-18)
I have read the account of Abraham quite a few times, but I never noticed something before that I noticed this time around: namely that God used the circumstances surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah to teach Abraham a very important message about the nation he was going to father. Part of God's covenant with Abraham was that he would become a great nation. In ... [Continue Reading]
By Faith (Genesis 12-15)
One of my favorite movie scenes is when Indiana Jones takes his leap of faith in his quest for the Holy Grail. As I was reading today's portion of Scripture, I was reminded of this scene because it's not altogether different from the leap of faith that Abraham took. He separated himself from his family, he gave up everything he knew, and he put his ... [Continue Reading]
An Unstoppable Force (Job 40-42)
I love what Job says about God in 42:2, "'I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.'" The truth is that God is an unstoppable force, and there is nothing that you or I can do to get in His way or to keep Him from accomplishing His purposes here on earth. That also means that there is nothing the Enemy ... [Continue Reading]
It’s All About Perspective (Job 38-39)
Perspective is awfully important in life, isn't it? In the case of Job, God decided to give him a new perspective. Instead of being consumed with the issues he was facing and the trials that were plaguing him, God gave job a different perspective. Where was Job when God created the earth? Did Job ever command the sun to rise and set? ... [Continue Reading]
The Wheat from the Chaff (Job 35-37)
Despite my efforts yesterday to shoot down what Job’s friend, Elihu, gave Job in the way of advice, today’s reading carries an important reminder that even ill-intentioned advice can carry nuggets of truth. Though he was arrogant in his approach, Elihu did say some things about God that were worth considering. For instance, God is majestic. Who else is like ... [Continue Reading]
When Someone Has a Message from God… for You (Job 32-34)
One of my personal pet peeves is when one person goes up to another and says, "God told me to tell you..." Job's friend, Elihu was guilty of doing this, and just like most people who use the phrase, Elihu definitely did not actually have a message from God for Job. The problem is that people mask their own opinions with this phrase, and ... [Continue Reading]
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