Course Correction

Course Correction

Micah 6:6–8 “With what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my...

Perfect Afflictions

Perfect Afflictions

Micah 4:6 “In that day,” declares the Lord, “I will assemble the lame and gather the outcasts, even those whom I have afflicted.” Observation: Judah had been in such rebellion that God sent Micah to prophesy destruction of the nation and judgment against the people....

Learning Obedience

Learning Obedience

Hebrews 5:8 “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.” Observation: Does it seem odd that God had something to learn? Isn’t He the all-knowing One, the very Source of knowledge itself? Yet here, speaking of Jesus, the Bible makes...

Train Wreck

Train Wreck

Hosea 10:1 “Israel is a luxuriant vine; he produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, the more altars he made.” Observation: The context of Hosea 10:1 is that as the people became more prosperous, they had less need to rely upon God and began to build their own...

Holding Fast, Not Wobbling

Holding Fast, Not Wobbling

Hosea 6:3 “So let us know; let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.” Hebrews 3:6, 14 “Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if...

Sharing in the Full Victory

Sharing in the Full Victory

Hebrews 2:9 “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” Observation: Hebrews 2 exalts the most...

The Lord of Storms

The Lord of Storms

Jonah 1:4 “And the Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.” Observation: This ought to be one of the most reassuring passages in Scripture. Here we have Jonah, who obviously knew the voice of...

Transition

Transition

1 Timothy 6:20 “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you.” Observation: Years ago my daughter, Rachel, and I would leave the home we had shared for six months as we drive to the State of Maine so she could settle into medical school. Late the night before,...

Responding to His Call

Responding to His Call

1 Timothy 4:14 “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.” 2 Kings 9:13 “Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps,...

Winepress of Love

Winepress of Love

2 Chronicles 20:3 “Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord.” Observation: What a godly response to fear and stress! The nation of Judah was about to be attacked by foreign enemies. When Jehoshaphat heard of the gathering threat, his natural...