verse4today: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" (Romans 12:12).
Posted on 2010-07-29 via Twitter
If praying is like breathing, I have prayer asthma. Sometimes I breathe just fine. I can stretch out my arms, open my mouth wide, and breathe in the goodness of the world. But sometimes, in certain seasons, I'm coughing, weezing, gasping. Can you relate? I've been gasping lately. In fact, several people I know have. Not only gasping for breath because of the unusually high pollen this season. But also for God's presence, because of the … Read More …
A bunch of books have been written and sermons preached about discipleship, but Joshua offers a description that may be as good as any other. One day he called out the Reubenites, the Gadites, and but half of the tribe of Manasseh. Once assembled, he encouraged them to follow the Lord with these words: "Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold fast to him, and serve him with all your heart and all … Read More …
In today's reading from the One Year Bible, Joshua discovers that Achan violated the covenant of the Lord. He offers Achan the opportunity to confess his sins with these words: "Give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give him praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me" (Joshua 7:19). Then Achan confesses his sin and endures his punishment. My reading of that verse follows a conversation I shared … Read More …
Who names a son "Judas"? The answer is clear: No one! Yet, who names a son "Peter"? The answer is just as clear: a whole lot of people. Why would we never name a son "Judas," but choose to name a son "Peter"? Both men were apostles of Jesus Christ. Both men left all to follow Christ. Both men held positions of influence among the apostles. Both men witnessed wondrous miracles and heard amazing teachings. Furthermore, … Read More …
The One Year Bible recently brought me to the book of Deuteronomy (a book I would seldom, if ever, read without the encouragement of the One Year Bible). In Deuteronomy 5:23-27 I found these words of Moses to God's people, words by which he describes the reception of the Ten Commandments: "When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leading men of your tribes and elders came … Read More …