Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. (v. 3) What is there in your life that falls under the “except” column? Solomon loved the Lord and followed the way Read more…
He replied, “As soon as you enter Jerusalem, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will take Read more…
O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. (1-3) David wrote this Psalm Read more…
“The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Read more…
“Son of man,” he said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day. They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to Read more…
Then David returned to the brook Besor and met up with the 200 men who had been left behind because they were too exhausted to go with him. They went out to meet David and his men, and David greeted them joyfully. But some evil troublemakers among David’s men said, Read more…
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. As I watch the news, listen to historical perspectives on the attacks, and remember where I was that day, only one thought keeps coming to me: “As a nation, we Read more…
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven Read more…
In the last post, I noted how the new birth in the life of a disciple automatically yields fruit like mercy and purity. Jesus continues that line of thought, describing disciples in the Kingdom as “peacemakers.” Surely, this can apply to our relationships with others and the influence we have Read more…
“You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!” the king shouted. And he ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running away from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s men refused to Read more…