2 Kings 6.33 observes, the LORD is responsible for this disaster! Why should I continue to wait for the
LORD to help?
On the eve of his deliverance the king of Israel loses his hope and gives up on God. The king had faith as long as he could but he finally reached his breaking point. All of his praying, all of his fasting, all of his trying to do the right thing culminated in nothing in his mind. (more…)
2 Thessalonians 1.8 observes, with flaming fire He will mete out punishment on those who do not know
God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
The next verse says that God will then send to eternal punishment all of these same people. In a word Christianity defines this place of eternal separation from God and eternal suffering as hell. Hell is no longer an accepted place among people. (more…)
Philippians 3.10 claims, my aim is to know Him, to experience the power of His resurrection, to share in
His sufferings, and to be like Him in His death.
What is the goal of your religion? To get to heaven? This was not the goal of arguably the greatest Christian who was not also God. Perhaps the secret to his Christianity was the fact that he made his understanding, practice and experience of God now, not future. (more…)
Ephesians 6.4 commands fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but raise them up in the
discipline and instruction of the Lord.
While this verse is geared toward fathers and their role as spiritual leaders of their home, the commands can be applied more broadly to both our personal lives and the work all Christians are to engage of disciple making.
Specifically the disciplines and instructions we are to live and teach others. What does the discipline of the Lord even mean? (more…)
Psalm 101.8 describes, each morning I will destroy all the wicked people in the land, and remove all
evildoers from the city of the LORD.
David was a man deeply committed to the ways of God. At least initially. His commitment was so serious that God described him, ‘as a man after His own heart.’ For God to consider a man like Him in desire, will and way is the greatest compliment anyone could receive. Yet, David imploded. (more…)
Ezekiel 22.30 records, I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the
gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.
God is watching us. God is watching us to see who is working for Him and with Him to see His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the case of Israel, God looked for a man who was praying for mercy on behalf of the people and warning the people about the consequences of their disobedience in order to move increasingly more people toward obedience to God.
This work, God said, would have delayed or even thwarted His plan for punishing Jerusalem but alas, no one was found to be working on this project resulting in Jerusalem’s destruction. (more…)
1 Corinthians 16.13 commands, stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong.
With all of the natural disasters occurring recently some are speculating the end of the world as we know it is near. I believe this thinking is normal whenever difficult times on a mass scale are being experienced. No doubt throughout the ages Christians and others have exhibited similar thoughts while enduring plagues, famines and wars.
Whether the end is near or not I don’t know, I do know how we are to live regardless of ‘the end’s’ proximity. (more…)
Hebrews 11.2 observes, for by it the people of old received God’s commendation. The ‘it’ in this
sentence is faith. There is a faith that God commends.
In Part I we began to explore the faith that God rewards as we looked at the lives of the hero’s of the faith listed in Hebrews 11. In part II we continued the journey. In this third part we complete the study. (more…)
Hebrews 11.2 observes, for by it the people of old received God’s commendation.
The ‘it’ in this sentence is faith. There is a faith that God commends. In Part I we began to explore the faith that God rewards as we looked at the lives of the hero’s of the faith listed in Hebrews 11. Picking up where we left off: (more…)
Romans 12.2 commands, do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God – what is good and
well-pleasing and perfect.
Nearly everyone wants to know God’s will for their life. When thinking about this matter we usually place the onus of our ignorance upon God instead of ourselves. We think because we asked but didn’t hear it’s His fault for not communicating with us. What if He responded but we didn’t hear so He will tell us its our fault for not doing His will? (more…)
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