Exodus 6.9 observes, they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and hard labor.
God had great plans in store for Israel but they couldn’t receive them because their life was hard. They wanted what God was offering but when the process became more difficult than they expected they didn’t believe God was really going to deliver on His Word.
This is how most of us respond to God. (more…)
1 Corinthians 7.35 encourages, without distraction you may give notable and constant service to the Lord.
This expectation seems opposed to Jesus’ commendation of Mary who sat with Jesus instead of Martha who was busy making lunch for Jesus. Jesus’ caveat was that He would not always be with us in the flesh so Mary had indeed chosen the better activity.
From the beginning however God has been at work. So too the Son came to work by seeking and saving the lost. (more…)
Mark 12.24 records, Jesus said to them, aren’t you deceived for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the
power of God?
When God lived among us as one of us He said the reason we live confused, deceived lives that ultimately result in our own pain and suffering is because we don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. God has given us His instruction manual for living our lives so that we will live a better, healthier more wholesome existence. (more…)
Mark 10.39 records, they said to Him, we are able. Then Jesus said to them, you will drink the cup I drink, and you will
be baptized with the baptism I experience.
Jesus’ key men wanted to live their best life now. These guys were interested in becoming Jesus’ chief lieutenants helping Him to manage the world as He became King of kings and Lord of lords. What James and John failed to realize was that Jesus was not living His best life now but rather His worst life now. This is what it meant for Him to drink the cup and be baptized.
The Apostles were interested in the cup and baptism but they misinterpreted its meaning. So too many who claim to be Christians misinterpret the cup and baptism. (more…)
Romans 2.24 observes, the Name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.
Probably no greater indictment against the Christian could occur than being accused of causing God’s Name to be maligned by non Christians due to their ungodly behavior. God in Jesus expects and warns that His Name will be maligned by non believers. His expectation of this blasphemy is for followers of Jesus living godly lives and proclaiming that faith and allegiance to Jesus alone is necessary for pleasing God will cause the non believers to hate Him and His followers resulting in blasphemy. (more…)
Matthew 6.33 commands, above all pursue His kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well.
God does want more from us than mere acknowledgement of His existence. He promises us eternity and then tells us to prepare for that existence by storing up eternal treasure. Presumably that treasure will be either necessary or a determinant for our quality of life to come. This is not dissimilar from investment brokers pleading with us to invest today so that we have something to live on tomorrow when we are no longer able to work but must subsist on what we saved. (more…)
Genesis 3.4 observes, the serpent said to the woman, surely you will not die. You would think that if God said something it
would be taken seriously and believed wholly. After all, it only makes sense that if there really is a God He would be honest, truthful and trustworthy.
(As an aside, no other religion beyond Christianity makes such claims about their god. All of the other gods from those of the Indians to the Muslims portray him or them as deceitful, conniving and manipulative). (more…)
1 John 5.21 ends the letter with, dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.
The Apostle John ends his letter succinctly with the summary admonition to stay away from anything that might take God’s place in our hearts. This statement feels much like the Lord Jesus’ summary of what God the Father really wants from us: love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. (more…)
1 Chronicles 28.7 requires, if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdom
last forever.
The Jews understood and still believe, that they are God’s chosen people. Indeed, He did choose them thousands of years ago when God selected one man from all those living on the earth to be the one through whom He will build a nation culminating in His arrival as one of us, Jesus the Messiah.
God’s choice was His own, it wasn’t based upon the merits of the man nor of the people to come from the children born through that man and his wife. Today, the protestant church believes it too is the chosen people of God. (more…)
Amos 5.14 commands, do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the LORD God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed.
Do you feel like the results from our election were a blessing? Do you believe we dodged a worst case scenario bullet not having Hillary in the White House? If so, should we go back to normal and wait for the Donald to make everything right? Can he even do that? I don’t think even the proponents of Donald Trump believe him to be the savior of our nation’s moral and spiritual decay. (more…)
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