For people around the world, the Friday before Easter is called Good Friday. I doubt that any of the followers of Christ, watching the brutal torture of Jesus, would have thought, “This is GOOD.” In fact, it was the WORST Friday of their lives. Many followed Jesus because they assumed that He was the long-awaited […]
One of King David’s songs to God that has been handed down to us in our Bibles is Psalm 139. Eugene Peterson has paraphrased some of it this way, “God, I’m an open book to You; even from a distance, You know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; […]
Have you ever been upset with yourself for giving into temptation … again? Have you ever assumed that if you were just more disciplined, you could be victorious? Feel you need to try harder or be more regimented to keep your routines? How many times have you heard it said that if you want […]
When I was in high school (a long time ago), our sports rival was a town twenty miles to the north, just over the border between California and Oregon. The Bible also speaks of rivals, but not of towns and sports teams. These two rivals are each vying for your heart, kind of like politicians […]
Ever felt like you’ve sinned too much? Feel too ashamed to face God again and confess the same sin one more time? Think He’s tired of hearing you, rolling His eyes and doubting that you really mean it since you keep repeating the same sin? Feel like giving up? Let me share three verses and […]
Samuel was getting old. He had served God his entire life and given leadership to the nation of Israel throughout his adult years. Now, as he approached the end of his life, he assumed that his sons would follow in his steps and provide godly leadership. “But his sons did not walk in his ways. […]
From our earliest interactions with other kids to our adult years, we find that there are three things that tend to impress others. People seem to be nicer to those who are smart, athletic, or rich. Think back to your school days. Was it not the smart kids whom the teachers seemed to favor? Was […]
If by sovereign you mean that God is above everything else, with no one having authority over Him, then yes. If by sovereign you mean that God decrees, or decides, everything that happens, then NO. God is not to blame for murders, rapes, human trafficking. He is not to blame for bribery or lies or […]
Can a person who doesn’t know Christ capture God’s interest? Does God consider anything they do to be good, or are all their actions sinful in His sight? An interesting event takes place in Acts 10 that answers those questions. Before a supernatural encounter with God, the Apostle Peter considered non-Jews (Gentiles) to be so […]
One of the most common complaints is, “I don’t like my job.” The person complaining may not like their boss or their hours. Their complaint may be about the pay or the office politics. Such complaining is not new. The Bible is filled with such incidents. I’ll point out two that took place shortly after […]