Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and gave them what we refer to as “The Great ... [Continue Reading]
Being Great (Matthew 19; Mark 10)
“Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” (Mark 10:43b-44) Death has a way of bringing certain things to light, doesn't it? Have you ever been to a funeral for a person who wasn't that great of a person? People get up and try to express in words their feelings now that he or she is gone. ... [Continue Reading]
Not Exactly Timid (Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3)
But when [John the Baptist] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? (Matthew 3:7) There are times when it's important to timid in our response to others, and then there are times to speak the truth. What I find fascinating about John the Baptist is that ... [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]
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]
The Damaging Nature of Pride (Isaiah 37-39; Psalm 76)
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. (Isaiah 39:5-6) Pride is dangerous. Without realizing what he's doing, the proud person makes decision based on the ... [Continue Reading]
Hindsight (2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29-31)
Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. (2 Kings 18:5) The quality of a person and his or her leadership isn't always known until years after the person's life is over. It's only in hindsight that we can truly see the motives behind a person's actions and the quality of a ... [Continue Reading]
Hellos and Goodbyes (2 Chronicles 21-23)
Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. (2 Chronicles 21:20) Life is full of "hellos" and "goodbyes," isn't it? I'm so thankful for the many friends I've treasured over the years. Each time we move somewhere ... [Continue Reading]
Setting the Direction (1 Kings 15:25-16:34; 2 Chronicles 17)
[Nadab] did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit. (1 Kings 15:26) If you have children, then you, as a parent, have the responsibility of setting the direction for your family. Your kids take their cues from you, and the future and legacy of your family depends on the direction ... [Continue Reading]
Death Bed Advice (1 Kings 1-2)
When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses.” (1 Kings 2:1-3a) A person's final words are ... [Continue Reading]
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