Devotionals
The Power & Purpose of Prayer
The satirical words of Lisa Simpson, “Prayer, the last refuge of a scoundrel,” reflect a common cultural perception: that prayer is a desperate act, a last-ditch effort when all else fails. While this may be true for some, it stands in stark contrast to the biblical understanding of prayer as the believer’s first and most... Read More →
True For You
During today’s reading I was struck by Micah’s unflinching indictment of the people of Israel: “Your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully.” This isn’t just a casual mention of dishonesty; it’s a profound commentary on the state of their hearts. They had become so accustomed to lying that it had woven itself into... Read More →
Indicting God
Isaiah 13:13-16 reads: Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger. Like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd, they will all return to their own people, they will flee to their native land. Whoever is captured will be... Read More →
One Small Mistake Gone Uncorrected
Well, it’s finally happened. The sin of the northern kingdom of Israel has lead to their dispossession of the land and their captivity in Assyria. They were cheats, liars, murders, drunks, idolators, adulterers, and even child-sacrificers, yet not none of those are the reason their land is dispossessed. No, Israel lost their land because a... Read More →
Getting it Twisted
One of the more surprising things in the Gospel of John is when Jesus says that He must be lifted up by God in the same way that Moses lifted up the snake in the desert. If we go back to that snake in the desert, we see that God used the instrument of destruction... Read More →
Strong, Humble Leadership
Let me paint a picture: the King of Judah (not a good man) has just been attacked and ransacked by Kings Rezin & Pekah (of Aram/Syria & Israel, respectively) with many valuables and captives taken — though the people would be returned shortly afterward. And Isaiah comes to Ahaz, the aforementioned King of Judah, and tells... Read More →
Consistency is King
I’m not sure where it came from — and don’t care to look it up — but over the years I’ve heard some variation of the phrase, “60% of the time, it works every time!” Of course the whole joke is that whatever the product or service is, it only works 60% of the time. No... Read More →
The Lord’s Glory in Our Failures
When we think of Jonah, we often think about the man and the “great fish” (most likely a sperm whale, if you’re interested) and Nineveh and Jonah’s temper tantrum at the end. But I’ve never heard anyone spend time talking about the sailors who threw him overboard. They knew he had angered his God and... Read More →
Satan is a Bad Counsellor
When King Joash’s mentor (the priest Jehoiada) died, and new set of advisors quickly stepped in to fill the vacuum. And they led him away from the Lord. They led him so far from the Lord that when Jehoiada’s son Zechariah came to Joash to challenge him, Joash had him killed! Well, some time later... Read More →
Choosing Our Friends
Young Joash is made king of Judah when he is just 7 years old. Jehoiada the priest oversees his reign and provides guidance and protection for the first 23+ years of his reign. But right after Jehoiada the priest died a new band of hangers-on came to Joash with super awesome new ideas… rather than... Read More →
Should We Desire To Be Used By God?
While I think we can all agree that being used by God is a good thing, I would like to highlight that it is necessary, but not sufficient. I have made this argument many times throughout my writings. We have seen many people who were indifferent towards God, far from God, and even those who... Read More →
Spiritual Elements to Physical Battles
I don’t have a lot to say about today’s reading — even though a LOT happens — because I just want to highlight one single line… The king of Aram is fed up with Elisha always knowing what’s coming and foiling his plans over and over again. So he decides it’s time to kill this troublemaker... Read More →