2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Chron 20 The Apostle John wrote much about the price of sin and the cost Jesus paid for our forgiveness. While John writes to help us, the accuser of the brethren, Satan, waits for us to sin, and then he begins his dastardly work. First, he watches, and then he enters […]
Psalm 32: The Blessed Man Sin or wrongdoing is a part of our everyday life. We sin because our first parents sinned, and just like our DNA is passed on, so is our sin. God knows we are but men made of clay. [Ps 103:14] It is because of God’s love that we are forgiven, […]
Judges 10 There is a pattern that becomes very evident in this book, and it is what we read in Judges 10:10 “The Israelites cried out for help to the Lord: “We have sinned against you. We abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals.” How many times does a nation have to walk the same […]
Numbers 16 Envy, resentful longing for what you don’t have, is one of the ‘dark’ sins, one of the “deadly d’s.” It is like an infection. If not treated, it spreads from one person to another, and Peter warns us about it. [1Pet 2:1] It begins with a thought, and then the idea is enlarged […]
Lev 16-18 Two principles reign supreme: the life is in the blood, [Lev 17:14], so do not partake of the blood of any animal. Secondly, do not celebrate what God calls abominable. [Lev 18:2-4] Over and over, God speaks to holiness and righteousness to His people. They were to be a holy people, set apart […]
Gen 41-42 God can and will use many things to bring about His plan, even a famine. Yet, in all that, we see God’s grace behind the scenes. Even today, we see the effect of sin in the lives of many, yet God’s grace and His forgiveness are revealed as His Word is presented so […]
Gen 38 Jacob’s son Judah recalls his part in selling Joseph to Ishmaelite traders, and every time he was in the presence of Jacob, he remembered his part but failed to acknowledge it. Unconfessed sin tears at our hearts, and if we fail to acknowledge it, we seek ways to avoid it, which is what […]
Philemon 1 One thought reverberates through Paul’s letter to Philemon, a slave owner. “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers.” Paul is grateful and sets the standard for us. We are to be thankful for others in our prayers. But Paul understood where Philemon stood as one with the power […]
Obadiah and Jonah: Because Bitterness Divides but Forgiveness Unites Do you recall the story about a feud between the Hatfields and McCoys who harbored grudges spanning several years? They were led by a rogue clan member who refused to forgive. Read Obadiah with this tale and the Jacob/Esau story in mind. Just like the Hatfield/McCoy […]
Ezekiel 12-14 God had Ezekiel pantomime the end of Jerusalem to the captive elders in Babylon. Instead of watching and learning, the hardhearted exiles asked: “What are you doing?” God chose Ezekiel as an object lesson for them about their king, Jerusalem, and their Temple. The elders didn’t want to hear any of this, so […]
