The Attributes of God:

The Vanity of Life Read Ecclesiastes 1 “Vanities of Vanities, says the Preacher, Vanities of vanities! All is Vanity.”                   Like Job, the book of Ecclesiastes is difficult to understand and has led many to question its message. They see the message as dark and foreboding. In the past, it was seen as man’s conclusion of life apart from God. How then do we understand the book in light of its opening statement?   At first glance, the book seems to begin with the ultimate expression of pessimism: “Vanities of vanities.”                    However, when we delve deeper into the book we discover that the ultimate message is in line with all of scripture; that live has meaning only when we “obey God and keep his commandments” (12:13). The sage takes us a journey, not a journey that le...

Living in Fear or Living by Faith Read Proverbs 26-31 Probers 38:1, “The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”                   We live in a culture of fear. We have become fixated on what we should fear. Some things are seen as existential threats, such as global warming, pandemics, and weapons of mass destruction. Other things are seen as a threat to our health and safety: crime, our diet, and the attack of terrorists. Other things are seen as threats to our way of life: the geopolitical landscape, the nation's political leaders, and economic instability. As Frank Furedi, in his book  How Fear Works , points out, “Fear itself has become politicized to a point where debate is rarely about whether or not we should be fearful, but about who or what we should fear.” In this world, even the most mundane and tedious events of life bring fear and require ...

A Balanced View of Poverty. Proverbs 21-25 Proverbs 22:22-23, Do not rob the poor because he is poor or crush the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their case and take the life of those who rob them.”                    Today, there is a great deal of debate and discussion regarding social justice, poverty, homelessness, and work. Some argue that the homeless are on the streets because of the failure of society, and so we have a responsibility to provide for them. There are those who argue that homelessness is a result of the individual’s own actions, and so we should not help them to hold them accountable for their choices. Some argue that poverty is a result of external circumstances, while others argue that it is a result of personal decisions. So how do we navigate the political debate and the moral responsibilities we have?          ...

Living a life of impact. Proverbs 16-20 Proverbs 3:3, “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.”                   The greatest tragedy is not when we fail in life, but when we attain success in that which has no lasting value. The book of Proverbs is written to instruct us in how to be successful in life. Throughout the book, the short proverbial statements remind us that we can fail in life simply because we have the wrong foundation. Such is the tragedy we see repeated over and over again.   People pursue all the things that the world proclaims to be important: wealth, career success, recognition by others, etc., but in the end, they discover that it all becomes meaningless when they stand on the threshold of eternity. In the end, everything temporal is pointless, and the only thing that impacts people for eternity is meaningful. As we shall see when we ge...

Listening to the right voice in a world of voices. Proverbs 11-15 Proverbs 13:15, “The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wisde man is he who listens to counsel.”                   We become who we listen to. In today’s multimedia-driven world, we struggle to discern what to believe. We live in a culture of conflicting values, politics, and worldviews, each vying to gain our allegiance to their cause and moral code. It is estimated that there are over 1.5 billion websites today, with about 4.3 billion pages, and some estimates suggest over 50 billion. The Information Age we live in could also be called the Misinformation Age, as the internet becomes the distributor of people’s opinions about life and morality rather than a conveyor of truth. It doesn’t matter what you believe; you can find confirmation for your beliefs online. If you want to believe that Bigfoot exists, there are websi...

The Appeal of Two Voices Proverbs 6-10 Prov. 8:1 “Does not wisdom call, and understanding lift her voice?”                    In Proverbs 6-10, we see the contrast between two women. The first is the adulterous woman who goes into the street with her appeal to pleasure (ch 7). She makes her case and appeals to those who lack a moral sense, promising pleasure without consequences. She is boisterous and rebellious, lurking at every corner to make her entreaty. In 9:13-18, we find that she makes her call to any passersby. She represents the wisdom of our world, with its desire for pleasure and happiness. Today, morality is not governed by an unchangeable moral law instilled within creation and revealed by divine revelation; rather, it is governed by what brings us happiness and gives us pleasure. In the 70s, a song by Debbie Boone captured the essence of our modern morality when she sang, “It can...

The Foundation for Living Today’s reading: Proverbs 1-5 Proverbs 1:7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”                   Where do we find the instruction manual for life? Today, we are flooded with countless voices claiming to have the answers. On the radio, numerous people assert they know the right solutions for our conflicted world. The web provides countless voices, each claiming to have the right insight for life. It is estimated that there are over 1.5 million Instagram influencers with more than 100,000 followers, and this is just in the United States alone. Today, everything revolves around getting hits to your website. People turn to these influencers for advice on everything from the latest fashion trends to which party to vote for. According to the Pew Research, the most common topics on these Instagram accounts are U.S. politics,...

The Call to Praise Today’s Reading 145-150 Psalm 146:1, “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!”                   The last five psalms begin with a simple command. In Hebrew, this command is just one word. While we may not know Hebrew, we are very familiar with this word. It appears in many songs and is the foundation of one of Handel's great anthems in his famous Messiah. The Hebrew word that calls us to sing a hymn of praise to God is “Hallelujah.” The word Hallelujah is made up of two Hebrew parts: “Hallu,” meaning the command to praise, and “Yah,” which is a shortened form of Yahweh, the divine name. The word for praise means to admire, boast, and extol the greatness of someone or something. It expresses sincere and deep thankfulness or satisfaction in glorifying the superior qualities of the one being praise. This word is woven throughout the Psalms as a command and summons to praise Go...

The Cry for Justice Today’s reading: Psalm 140-144 Psalm 140:1, Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men.”                   When we closely examine the popular choruses that churches sing as part of their worship set, the vast majority of them (if not all) focus on the love, grace, and goodness of God. There are very few who praise God for His justice and His judgment upon sin. However, allowing sin to go unchecked and unjudged not only involves being complacent toward sin but also condones it. Passive inaction toward sin is to affirm it. There is little difference between those who accept sin and those who remain passive in the face of evil. A central theme found throughout the psalms is the celebration of God’s justice. In Revelation 5, we see the vast hosts of heaven joining in an anthem of resounding praise, not for God’s salvation, but for the justice of Christ as He exe...

The One Constant Today’s reading: Psalm 135-139 Psalm 139:1, “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”                   We live in a world of uncertainty. Not only is each day different from the last, but we also face new threats and challenges that we are unprepared for. We continually deal with changing technology. We are faced with a chaotic geopolitical world. We encounter problems in our personal lives that threaten our health, careers, and sense of security. Throughout history, culture has experienced the Dark Age and the Age of Enlightenment. At the turn of the century, we entered the industrial age, and more recently, the information age, during which the internet transformed the flow of information, allowing news and events to be instantly broadcast worldwide. If there's an earthquake in the Middle East, we can learn about it in the West before the g...

The Priority of Worship Psalm 130-134 Ps. 132 “I will not give sleep to eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”                   How much do we prioritize the worship of God? How often does the worship of God take a backseat to other activities? We attend church when it suits our schedule, but if other plans arise, church frequently gets pushed aside. However, this reveals more than just the busyness of our lives; it shows what is truly important to us, as we prioritize our lives based on what we value. To evaluate a person's values, look no further than how they spend their money and time. These are the two most important and limited resources, serving as the barometer of our value system.                   Psalm 132 is a psalm that foc...

The Lost Art of Contentment Today’s reading: Psalm 125-129 Ps. 128, “How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you.”                   Jeremiah Burroughs, in his Christian classic, *The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment*, writes, “Oh, that we could but convince men and women that murmuring spirit is a greater evil than any affliction, whatever the affliction!” It is one thing to be content when life is going well and our earthly desires are fulfilled, but how difficult it is to be genuinely content when the clouds grow dark, and our desires are stripped away.                   Psalm 128 describes a person who is genuinely content. They are satisfied with the fruits of their labor. Instead of the...

Fearlessness in the Face of Uncertainty Today’s Reading: Psalm 120-125 “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”                   To whom do we turn when faced with all the uncertainty in life? For some, they look to their political party. One reason people are so passionate about politics today is that they believe that with the right leaders in office, we can find answers to the problems confronting our world. Others rely on the collective wisdom of humanity, believing that shared knowledge can help find solutions to today’s challenges. Still, others turn to themselves, trusting that we can resolve our own problems and shape our own destiny. However, wherever we seek answers, we often find more questions than solutions and more fear than security. So, where can we find hope and security in the struggles we encounter?          ...

The Power of the Word Psalm 119                   In our previous devotional, we examined the various terms the Psalmist used to describe the nature and truth of God’s Word. However, the Bible is not only authoritative in its message; it is transformative in its application. The Psalm not only seeks to highlight the purity of the Word as the basis for truth in a confused world, but it also communicates the richness of its application. The Bible is more than just a book of information; it is the source of life.                     Psalm 119 begins with an affirmation of blessing for those who obey and live by God's law. The word “blessed” literally means “happy or fortunate.” However, it means more than just superficial happiness; it is grounded in the joy that comes from having a right relationship w...