How has life become like this? Can I honestly talk to anyone, can anyone relate or understand? I am on a hopeless journey of life with no prospect for my future. What was once filled with joy, peace, and hope has become a deafening silence of the soul that speaks to my longing. Can you relate to these thoughts or feelings? We all go through moments where we doubt and even despair in our journey. Continue Reading…
Tag Archive - Failure
Hope is truly hope when God’s fingerprints are evidenced: Isaiah 60 and 61
Will you abdicate the throne of life to the True King: Isaiah 48 and 49
What can be learned of God? As we look upon the interaction between God and his creation throughout scripture we start to glimpse how perfect God is and the completely dysfunctionality of mankind. We easily align ourselves in complete allegiance to God but do we truly live as a child of God? “Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right. For they call themselves after the holy city, and stay themselves on the God of Israel; the LORD of hosts is his name.” Isaiah 48:1,2 Have we progressed to a point where we only view our faith and religious endevours as chic, trendy, fashion? What percentage of people claim to be religious because they attend church once a year or because they feel in tune with themselves or nature? Continue Reading…
A question of legacy and posterity: Psalms Summary
The story that God has woven throughout creation, as evidenced in Scripture, speaks to the work of God in the lives of earthen vessels. Creation was perverted by the curse of sin but the grace of God purposed to restore that fellowship long before it was ever broken. God is at work in the lives of mankind and He has given us everything that we need to survive. God offered up Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins and then He tabernacles within us through the Holy Spirit. We are richly blessed beyond all measure and comprehension. Oh that the story ended at this moment with the war over but the truth is that sin still rages in its lost battle causing as much collateral damage as possible. Continue Reading…
A gaze beyond ability to the desires of the heart: Psalm 84
Is the heart truly a window into the soul? What do our yearnings tell us about ourselves? Do we desire financial security for our families, more money for more toys, a healthier lifestyle or just a calm existence? Can anything this world offers give us lasting satisfaction? In Psalm 84 the sons of Korah boldly proclaim, “How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Psalm 84:1,2 These men knew that everything this world had to offer them was completely worthless compared to God alone. Do you find joy in knowing God? Continue Reading…
Out of sinfulness into repentance: Psalm 51
How do you cope when you fail and fall into the snare of sin? Do you look upon your failure and say “C’est la vie!” in an attempt to just move along? Does your failure and cycle of sin cause you pain, regret, and despair as your strength is sapped away? Do you choose to wallow in sin because it is too difficult to find hope and help to rise out of the mire? No matter what your outlook is, when you sin you will find hope and encouragement from the life of David the shepherd king of Israel. David was a great king of Israel but he was just as prone to failure as we are today. We are granted a glimpse of David’s life when he responds to God after taking Bathsheba as his own wife. Continue Reading…
Failure of Judah foreshadows The Deliverer: 2 Chronicles Summary
Can man ever be truly faithful to God? When there are brilliant expressions of men being faithful to God only to see the spectacular failure of their sons who wholeheartedly turn away from God, where will we find hope? 2 Chronicles builds its foundation upon the history of the kingdom of Judah. The events detailed in 1 and 2 Kings are told again in 2 Chronicles but with an emphasis on the actions of the kings of Judah. The storyline of Judah that is told in 2 Chronicles has a mostly positive feel compared to 2 Kings and 1 Chronicles. The people of Judah remain steadfast in their resolve to worship God while the people in Israel are turning away from God. Continue Reading…
Life on the road of faithfulness and failure: 2 Chronicles 13 and 14
“But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the Lord as priests, and the Levites attend to their work. Every morning and evening they burn to the Lord burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him. Now behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.” 2 Chronicles 13:10-12
The history of the kingdom of Judah given in 2 Chronicles is more encouraging than the history of the kingdom of Israel. In 2 Chronicles 13 and 14 the kingdom of Judah clings to God and seeks their strength from Him. God is fulfilling His promise that He made to Solomon; the kingdom of Judah remained faithful to God and were blessed by Him while the kingdom of Israel was sent off in captivity. Continue Reading…
The amazing and unwavering faithfulness of God: 2 Chronicles 5 and 6
How do people experience God in real and tangible ways yet still wander from Him like a twirling weathervane in a chaotic storm? In 2 Chronicles 5:14 the glory of the Lord filled the newly built temple so that the priests could not enter. From 2 Kings we know that the people of Israel strayed away from God after Solomon’s reign. What hope is there for mankind for overcoming this inherent failure? Are our expectations focused correctly on what truly matters? Do we have a proper perspective on failure?
In 2 Chronicles 6:12-42 Solomon offers a prayer of dedication to God for the Temple. As you read through this prayer of Solomon remember that he has been blessed with a wisdom from God that no man can rival. Solomon pleads with God to remember the promises He has made with the people of Israel. Solomon knew that the most important key to survival was God alone. Continue Reading…
The wages of sin is death: 2 Kings 9 and 10
The story of 2 Kings 9 and 10 is the fulfillment of the word spoken to Elijah in 1 Kings 19 that the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel would not go unpunished. The judgement upon the house of Ahab didn’t come in his lifetime because God honored his repentant heart. How would you react if you were Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat after a man enters the room where you are and anoints you king and tells you that the Lord will use you to avenge Him? I would be a little stunned and very confused.
How does God use such flawed and frail beings as us? Why does He care about us? It is truly humbling to realize that God takes and interest in humanity despite our consistent failure. Continue Reading…
Ichabod – The glory has departed from Israel: 1 Samuel 3 and 4
I have found it important while reading 1 Samuel to remember the overall picture that this book fits into. The book of 1 Samuel is tied to both the books of Judges and Ruth because they are telling the story of the time when God raises up judges over the people of Israel. The people of Israel are doing what they find to be best in their own eyes instead of seeking after God. Upon this scene the young boy Samuel is born and dedicated to God by his mother Hannah. Continue Reading…
