Psalms 34.14 command, turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
What should we do in these divisive times? How should we treat one another when opinions about what is right and wrong are so different? (more…)
Deuteronomy 30.15-18 offers, I set before you today life and prosperity, death 
and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. (more…)
Psalms 91.14-16, explains, because he loves Me, says the Lord, I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges My Name. He will call on Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.
The blessing of the Lord, who does not want that in their life? I know I certainly do. How then do we receive God’s favor? (more…)
Job 24.12 observes, the groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing. Job…
Philippians 3.10-14 records, my goal is to know Him and the power of His 
resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
In this passage, the Apostle who teaches us that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, reminds us of the effort we too must make in working out our salvation. (more…)
Jeremiah 13.11 describes, just as underwear clings to one’s waist, so I fastened the whole house of Israel and of Judah to Me” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “so that they might be My people for My fame, praise, and glory, but they would not obey. The catechism would state that the purpose of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Perhaps the 21st century version should say, the purpose of man is to make God look good to the world and enjoy the process. (more…)
Jeremiah 7.23 describes, however, I did give them this command: Obey Me, and then I will be your God, and you will be My people. Follow every way I command you so that it may go well with you.
For the most part we prefer religion over obedience. Religion is easier. Religion keeps us in charge of determining if we are pleasing to God or not. Religion requires the least amount of effort and sacrifice. Religion gives power to a small group of people. Religion keeps things at the surface level rather than at the motive level. The One True God is not interested in our religion per se. (more…)
Matthew 19.23 records, Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
The rich man wanted to enter heaven but he missed it. To show him his true love, and this determines our eternal destiny, God required him to give away what was most precious to him. This he could not do. (more…)
Isaiah 6.8 records, I heard the voice of the Lord asking: Who should I send? Who will go for us? I said: Here I am. Send me.
Oh that everyone in the marketplace would hear God ask them this question. In truth, God has transitioned this question to a command telling us all to go and make disciples. When God lived among us as one of us, Jesus the Savior, He said He came to change His followers into fishers of men. (more…)
Leviticus 19.17-18 commands, do not harbor hatred against your brother. Rebuke your neighbor directly, and you will not incur guilt 
because of him. Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
We are to live holy lives because God is holy. We want God to live among us and bless us. Therefore, we must live holy lives for He is holy. This holiness is to be both individual and communal. (more…)
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