Sometimes We Blame God for Our Pain, When We’re the Source of Our Troubles A lament is an expression of grief, sorrow, pain, regret, despair…you get the picture. Lament occurs when life overwhelms our hearts and steals our tomorrows. Many of the Psalms are laments. Though lamenting is biblical, our church services seldom includes the […]
The prophet Amos had some condemning words for the people of Israel. Through Amos, God unleashed a lament against his chosen people. He says he despises their religious festivals, and their assemblies are a stench to him. Yeah, I get that. Those people sure rebelled against God. They deserved his stern rebuke. They went through […]
Worship and Revere The Bible says we are to fear God. But what does that really mean? I don’t think it implies God is malevolent or waiting for us to mess up so he can zap us, which would be legitimate reasons to fear him. Instead, God is benevolent and wants good things for us; […]
Where We Spend Our Time Reveals Our Priorities King David longs to build a temple for God, but God says this is not to be. Another, a descendant of David, will attend to its construction. Instead David must content himself with the temple’s planning and in accumulating its building materials. Then he dies, having never […]
Discover the Marvelous Things Our Lord Does for Us Paul writes to the church in Rome, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). There are many wonderful passages in the Bible like this one that use the phrase but God. Let’s […]
Where Do We Place Our Trust? Currency in the United States declares, “In God we trust.” But do we? Most people who follow Jesus would say the same thing. But do they? Is In God we trust a lifestyle choice or an empty platitude? Consider these areas for many people place their trust: Money In […]
Significant Recurring Numbers in the Bible As we read Scripture, we come across some reoccurring numbers. They are three, seven, twelve, and forty. Let’s consider the number three in the Bible. As we look at the number three in the Bible, we can see it as a sign of wholeness and perfection. Here are some […]
A Trio of Blessings Reflects God’s Nature and Character Paul wraps up his second letter to the Corinthians with a blessing: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV). This trio of blessings proclaims grace, love, and fellowship. […]
Amos was a shepherd, called by God to be a prophet. His story is found in the book of Amos in the Bible. Amos says what God tells him, but after a while, the people of Israel—the primary target of his God-given proclamations—get tired of Amos and what he says, telling him to be quiet […]
It is popular in today’s society for people to form their own religious beliefs and define their own personal spirituality. On the surface this seems right, fair, and appropriately open-minded. It is the epitome of tolerance and acceptance. It is also dangerous. If I decide that there is no hell, does that mean it doesn’t […]