“For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9:4-7 What did the promised Messiah mean to the people of Israel? Did the Israelites look upon the promise of God hope of carte blanche retaliation on all their oppressors and a restoration of the glory of Israel? What was offered when God promised a renewal of the kingdom of Israel. Continue Reading…
The proliferation of hope to a broken world: Isaiah 9 and 10
Can we lay a claim on the things that he cannot see: Proverbs 17 and 18
How can we quantify and describe God’s refining work in the lives of mankind? Is refinement a simple process that tickles or causes joy and pleasure? “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests hearts.” Proverbs 17:3 Gold and silver are precious metals that we value to such extents that we dig deep beneath the surface of the earth to obtain them. After such great lengths to secure the gold and silver it is subjected to great heat to refine it. Proverbs 17 speaks of how God acts upon the hearts of men just as the refining pot refines silver or the furnace purifies gold. What does this mean? God is the only force that is capable of refining and purifying the corrupt hearts of men. There is no other source of purification for the lives of the men and women of the world. If this is true what impact should it have upon out lives? Should we care? Continue Reading…
Stop striving and trust God: Psalm 23
How often have you read a devotional or heard a sermon explaining Psalm 23? I have read a few books that use the six verses as their foundation. When a piece of scripture is so frequently discussed by so many people, do we more easily take the words contained in the scripture for granted? Take time to rediscover the truth that is contained in Psalm 23 by only using your Bible as you meditate on these glorious truths. Take time to ask questions about the text and meditate on how you are effected. Continue Reading…
Transformed upon seeing God: Job 41 and 42
What things do we fear? We fear wild animals that savagely hunt their prey. In the open ocean we fear sharks and other creatures of the deep. Imagine the fierce destructive power of earthquakes, volcanos, tornadoes and hurricanes, we fear these natural disasters that make us completely helpless. We fear financial distress caused from job loss and economic turmoil. We have taken the awe, wonder, and fear we once held of God and and elevated the things of this world to be worthy enough to hold our fear. Continue Reading…
Contrasting characters of Joab and David in 2 Samuel 19 and 20
How is true restoration after conflict and disagreement achieved? When the bonds of friendship, family, and love have been strained or torn asunder how do you move on towards reconciliation? In 2 Samuel 19 and 20 this question of restoring trust and fellowship is faced by the people of Israel. Joab and David exhibit strong leadership during the conflict between Absalom but one follows his own way to achieve what he deems best while the other shows a consistent dependance upon God in all ways. Continue Reading…
God’s faithfulness in Jubilee and hardship: Leviticus 25 and 26
The times seem so different now compared to the culture of the Israelites described in Leviticus 25 and 26. I am thankful for living in a modern society with all the amenities that I have grown accustom to but what is the cost to our relationship with God and our relationship with each other? In the agricultural of Leviticus did they feel the business of life I feel today? Can we live in dependance upon God in a truer way?
Consistency 1.0
So I have not really been reading my Bible as I would like lately. I can easily feel like I am a bad christian or lack motivation because I have been lacking motivation. I don’t feel bad at all because:
Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
– Matthew 26:31 NASB Continue Reading…
