As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. (2 Thessalonians 3:1) When is the last time you prayed for a fellow Christian that the message of the Lord would spread rapidly and be honored? Personally, I'm convicted by that question. It's easy to lose sight of our ... [Continue Reading]
It’s Epic (Acts 7-8)
To this [Stephen] replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham... (Acts 7:2a) Epic is a funny word that gained popularity several years ago. When I worked with teens on a regular basis, I began hearing “it will be epic” or “that’s so epic.” What’s funny is that those “epic” things they referred to really weren’t that ... [Continue Reading]
The Life of a Servant (Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9:28-62)
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35) There's something unattractive about being a servant. The hit TV show, "Downton Abbey," has shown the life of the servant class from the old British society, and while being a servant carried a level of respect among the working class ... [Continue Reading]
Defending What’s Right (Nehemiah 10:28-39; 11:1-2; 12:27-47; 13)
But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. (Nehemiah 13:21) It is believed that Edmund Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.” Sadly, the great temptation of many good men and women is ... [Continue Reading]
What it Means to be Facedown (Ezekiel 42-44)
[The priests] are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common... (Ezekiel 44:23) To be facedown is an act of submission. It communicates a sense of reverence for the one to whom you're bowing. From God's perspective, the ultimate one to whom we should be in submission is Him. We may want to submit ourselves to other people and things, but those ... [Continue Reading]
Who’s Responsible? (Ezekiel 1-3)
And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. (Ezekiel 2:6) Charles Stanley is credited as saying, God takes full responsibility for the life wholly devoted to Him. In ... [Continue Reading]
Know Thyself (Lamentations 1-3)
Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. (Lamentations 3:40) When is the last time you examined your ways to see if they are in line with God's ways? I find that living in a sinful world means that my heart is prone to wander. There are so many little "g" gods that demand my allegiance, and it's easy to give into them before I even realize ... [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]
Not Me! (Isaiah 5-6)
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8) Life with a one-year-old certainly presents some interesting learning situations. Right now we're working on teaching Madelyn to eat whatever is given to her. She has a special gift of evading a spoon full of food that she doesn't want ... [Continue Reading]
The “I” Will (2 Kings 5-8)
After Naaman had traveled some distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” (2 Kings 5:19b-20) The "I" will says, this is about me. Regardless of what's good and right, the ... [Continue Reading]
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