Devotionals
Humble, Not Hero
In Luke 22, Peter boldly declares that he’s ready to go to prison and even die for Jesus. It’s a passionate commitment, one that shows his desire to be faithful no matter what. But Jesus, in His wisdom, responds with words that pierce through Peter’s confidence: “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today,... Read More →
Why Isn’t God More Obvious?
It’s a question that people have asked for centuries: If God exists, why isn’t He more obvious? We long for unmistakable signs—something dramatic to shake us out of doubt or unbelief. But this very demand for a sign is addressed by Jesus Himself in both Mark 8:11-13 and Matthew 16:1-4. When the Pharisees approached Jesus, demanding a sign from heaven... Read More →
When Jesus Calls
In the Gospels, we see a remarkable moment when Jesus calls His first disciples. While they were going about their everyday lives—fishing by the shore, mending their nets—Jesus walks up and simply says, “Follow me.” And just like that, they drop everything and follow Him. What’s most surprising is the immediacy of their response. They... Read More →
Rekindling Our Heart for Worship
In Malachi 1, the people of Israel express their frustration and weariness with serving the Lord, implying that it’s too hard to follow His commands. They turned their noses up at the sacrifices they were asked to make, offering blemished animals and half-hearted service. What was intended to be an act of devotion had become... Read More →
Rules to Live By… Literally!
The Law of Moses was not only spiritual but eminently practical, designed to lead to human flourishing. When Nehemiah reflects on the people’s disobedience, he emphasizes that following God’s regulations brought life. This isn’t just because of obedience in the abstract, but because the Law itself was crafted to promote well-being. For Israel, it established... Read More →
Perverting Worship
Worship is more than singing songs or performing rituals; it is the expression of our reverence, love, and obedience to God. True worship is rooted in the recognition of God’s holiness, majesty, and authority. It involves aligning our hearts and actions with God’s will, living in a way that honors Him. In Ezekiel 8, we... Read More →
Useless Defiance
The story of King Josiah’s demise is a sobering reminder that human plans cannot override God’s will. Josiah was a devout king who led significant religious reforms in Judah, rediscovering the Book of the Law and purging idolatry. However, his downfall came when he chose to intercept Pharaoh Neco of Egypt without seeking God’s guidance.... Read More →
Who Are You Gonna Believe?
There is a brief but interesting story that takes place between two unnamed men in today’s reading. One is simply referred to as the “man of God” and the other is only known as the “old prophet”. The Man of God goes to Jeroboam, the now-apostate king of Israel, and tells him that his kingdom... Read More →
The Power of the Invitation
To this point Israel has had 14 judges (including Eli —but not his children— and Samuel). And they all judged Israel for years, and they had some crazy exploits and military victories over the enemies of Israel. But you know what we never see? Repentance. I’ve talked about that before. Israel continually asks God to... Read More →
Conquest & Compromise
Today’s passage has us reading about the land allotments for Judah, Ephriam, and Manasseh. While passage like this with an inventory of town names that mean little to those among us who have never been to Israel or studied ancient geography. But! There is a very interesting pattern that emerges in today’s chunk. Judah received... Read More →
A Pleasing Aroma
Just a quick thought today. If you have been reading along you’ll have noticed that the phrase “a pleasing aroma to God” has appeared a great many times in Genesis, Exodus, and especially Leviticus. Depending on what translation you use this phrase pops up some 43 times in the Old Testament. But what does it... Read More →
Give ‘Til It Hurts
Exodus 38:8 says, “Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.” While this may not have blown your hair back in amazement, it’s still interesting to me that the women who served at the Tent of Meeting (we are... Read More →