The Attributes of God:

Radical Faith Mark 6-10 Mark 8:34-38 , “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me….For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”                   We all recognize the need to believe in God, but we want a God who is safe, one who conforms to what we want.  We want a God who is manageable, one who provides for our needs, comes to our aid, but one who remains in the shadows and does not interfere or make demands.  We desire a God who affirms us and our beliefs and our life choices rather than one who confronts us with our sin and makes radical demands for change in our lives.                   In reality, we are no different from the people of Jesus’ day. They wanted a God who would heal their sicknesses but al...

When Everything Changes Mark 1-5 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth onto an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results.”                   When Christ enters a life, everything changes. There are times and events in our lives that are so dramatic that they become defining moments, when everything about us and how we live changes. We can reflect upon how our marriage or having children results in a dramatic shift of priorites.  This is what happens when we accept Christ. Throughout the first five chapters of Mark, we find a number of people who encounter the person of Christ. We first find two fishermen, Simon and Andrew, fishing along the Sea of Galilee. Yet when they were confronted with Christ, everything immediately changed, for Jesus gave them a whole new purpose in life. No longer would they be fishermen on the Sea of Galil...

Eternal Life Or Eternal Death Matthew 25-28 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:19-20).                   How do we know the Bible is true and that Christ is the only way to heaven? Why can there be only one way to heaven? How do we know that not everyone will go to heaven? These are questions people have asked since the church's formation in the Book of Acts. To answer them, we need to ask the one question upon which everything hinges. Paul points us back to that question when he addresses the same issue in his letter to the church at Corinth. The critical question upon which everything hinges is the resurrection of Christ. Paul points out that if the resurrection is merely a story invented by the...

The Danger of Being Misled Matthew 21-24 “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”                   Matthew 24 is a pivotal chapter in our understanding of what is happening in the world today and where the world is going. We live in a world and culture that many have characterized as a culture of fear. Something sinister seems to lurk in the future, and causes us to be fearful. Everywhere we turn, there are signs that our world is moving toward an impending crisis. For some, it is the geopolitical world, where international tensions seem to rise even as the economy becomes more global than national. Others fear our environment is on the brink of turmoil because of misuse. Others point to the collapse of our nation's political unity. And the list goes on. As a result, people live in fear: fear of internat...

The Lost Art of Forgiveness  Read Matthew 16-20 “Then Peter came and said to Him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”                   Our society continually affirms that we are to stand up for our rights and oppose those who wrong us in any way. When someone mistreats, hurts, or wrongs us in any way, our society states that we are to stand up for ourselves and our rights. To not do so is a sign of weakness. Not only has forgiveness been withheld, but we see it as a sign of powerlessness. The Jews regarded themselves as more pious than others and stated that we should forgive a person up to seven times. Beyond that, a person was under no obligation to forgive.              ...

Living by God’s Words Matthew 11-15 “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” (13:23).                   Many people are familiar with the parable of the Sower. It is a story that is told often and one that we know but find difficult to apply. In the story, the farmer goes out and broadcasts the seed indiscriminately throughout the field. But the soil is not the same in every location. Each soil represents different levels of receptivity toward the gospel. However, it does not just apply to those who hear the gospel message of salvation; it applies to all of us whenever we hear the message of the Bible. It calls on all of us to evaluate our preparation and response when the message of the Bible is presented to us.  The first soil is the har...

Anxiety and Faith Read Matthew 6-10 “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”                   We live in a world described as a culture of fear. One reason there is so much conflict and anger today is that people are fearful of the future. There is a sense that our world is rushing headlong into self-destruction, so people become fearful in the present. A close companion to fear is anger, for anger is the emotional response to what we perceive as a threat. The word itself refers to the apprehension and anxiety one experiences when we encounter a danger or threat. In the world today, the great perceived threat is what will happen tomorrow. We live with a deep-rooted concern that disaster lies just around the corner, whether it be economic, political, or societal. Chapman University has been tracking, for the last 11 year...

The Certainty of the Bible Matthew 1-5 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest leter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (5:18).                   Where do we discover truth? Where do we find it, and to whom do we turn to discover what is morally right? This is the most fundamental question about life we can ask. Everyone will answer this question in their quest to determine how to live. Some turn inward and trust their own wisdom and understanding. They follow the adage, “Let your conscience be your guide.” To determine what is true, they look inward to their own reasoning. People thus say, “Be true to yourself.” However, we can easily be self-deceptive. Jeremiah warns us, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it” (Jer. 17:9). So also Proverbs warns us, “There is a way which seems right t...

Warnings and Hope Malachi 1-4 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.” (4:2).                   Malachi was the last book of the Old Testament before Israel entered a period known as the 400 silent years. After Israel became a nation under Saul's leadership, God continually sent prophets to call the people back to him and to remain faithful to their covenant relationship with God. From the rise of Samuel during Saul's reign in 1070 B.C. to the end of Malachi’s ministry, a consistent prophetic voice directed people back to God. However, when Malachi passed from the scene, the prophetic voice went silent for 400 years until the arrival of John the Baptist and Jesus. As the last prophet, Malachi both condemned the people and offered the hope of salvation to those who would seek God. He...

The Coming Hope Zechariah 11-14 “And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day of the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.”                   The age of information has ushered in the age of misinformation. We turn to the internet for answers to the questions we struggle to find answers for. We turn to the internet to discover answers to the most mundane questions, such as: “What is the weather today?” We also turn to the internet to find answers to the most complex and personal struggles we face. For every issue, every struggle, and every problem we encounter, we can find a myriad of answers from several different sources. AI has brought a whole new solution to the struggles and questions we have about life. Yet for all the information and answers to the questions we have about any problem confronting us, the age of information has also become the age of misinformation...

The Source of Hope Zechariah 6-10 9:9:  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with Salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”                   It has been almost two months since my last devotional.  In this time, my life has been turned upside down through the death of Becky.  Two and a half years ago we were told this day would come and that the cancer would eventually win and it would bring its destructive force.  From that day forward, we lived with this cloud over us.  Yet there was nothing that prepared us for the depth of pain it would bring when it finally gained the victory of its deadly grip.  Until that final day, death was still abstract and impersonal, something out there but something w...

Fixing the Broken Zech 1-5 “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying. ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.”                   For 70 years the nation of Israel had been exiled from the land and in bondage to Babylon.  Life seemed hopeless as Babylon maintained control.  However, there was a flicker of Hope when Darius had defeated Babylon, and the words of the Prophet Jeremiah had predicted that after 70 years the nation would return to the land.  As Zechariah comes on the scene, there was the hope of the return that had been prophesied by Jeremiah.  But how was Israel going to obtain their freedom?  They had no military, no political clout, nothing that would enable them to obtain permission to return to the land.            ...

Setting Priorities in Life.  Haggai 1-2 “You have sown much, but harvested little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes” (1:6).                   The greatest tragedy is not failure but success in the things that do not matter. We are always pursuing elusive desires, thinking that if we get enough, we will be satisfied and content. However, the reality is that no matter how much we have, no matter how much we do or how great our achievements, we are always left with a feeling of failure. Contentment remains elusive. For the people of Israel, when they were able to return to the land of Israel after 70 years in captivity, they thought their greatest desires would be fulfilled. After longing to return to their homeland, they...

When God Shouts for Joy Zephaniah 1-3 “The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior.  He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (3:12).                   Reading through the prophets is often difficult because it seems the prophets continually beat the drum of God's judgment. One of the greatest mistakes people make is believing that God will not judge us or condemn our sin. However, through the prophets, God makes it clear that there will come a day of judgment when God condemns sin and those who practice it.                   However, as dark as the prophetic messages may seem, there is also interwoven throughout the prophets another message. It is a message of hope and affirmation for those who seek him. God never judge...

Where is God when We Cry in Sorrow? Habakkuk 1-3 “Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places.”                     Habakkuk begins with a cry of despair and ends with a song of praise.  What happened, what changed his perspective from hopelessness to praise? How do we likewise find the voice of praise when we cry out in despair?                   Habakkuk cries out with a plea we also offer when we are going through times of trial and when we see the injustice in the world, where sin seems to be winning the day. “How long, O Lord, will I cry for help and you will not hear?” The words seem shocking coming from the lips of a prophet, yet they are the v...

Nahum 1-3 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.”                   The book of Jonah (written around 798 b.c.) ended with Nineveh repenting of their sins and Jonah frustrated that God would forgive even the worst of sinners. However, as is often the case, when the threat of judgment is abated, people quickly forget God and return to their sin. Such was the case with Nineveh. When Nahum came upon the scene in 662-627 b.c., Nineveh was again facing God's judgment for their wickedness, including their cruel treatment of the people they captured in war. As a result, God again pronounced the coming judgment upon the nation. However, this time there would be no repentance, and they would face complete destruction.                   Nahum opens with a pictur...

The Song of Victory Micah 7 “But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my Salvation.  My God will hear me.  Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fill I will rise, Though I ddwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me.” (7:7-8).                   Having proclaimed a series of judgments in the first part of the book, Micah now ends with a song of praise and thanksgiving for God’s victory. Like Micah, we live in a world that seems broken and divided. Every day we read the news and are confronted by a number of ominous headlines. But even more troubling is that, in our own lives, we often face struggles that seem overwhelming. We seem to have no victory in our struggle with sin. Every day we are confronted with the reality that our world is broken. Cancer strikes and destroys indiscriminately. We struggle with relationships with other...

The Coming of God: A Time of Judgment or a Time of Peace? Micah 1-4 “For Behold, the Lord is coming forth from His high place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.  The mountains will melt under Him and the Valleys will be split, Like wax before the fire, like water poured down a steep place.”                   Throughout the Bible, we find the theme of God’s return to the earth woven throughout its message. A central message of the Bible is that the times and events of the world are not cyclical but linear. It is often stated that history repeats itself. But it is also true that history is not just a series of arbitrary events that happen to particular people. History is directed by God and moving toward the conclusion that he has established. History began with the creation of humanity and their placement in the Garden. It concludes in the book of Revelation with...

Judgement and Grace Obadiah and Jonah “I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and one who relents concerning calamity.” Jonah 4:2                   One reason people do not like to read the Old Testament, especially the prophetic books, is that they seem so dark and foreboding. The continual pronouncement of coming judgment becomes unrelenting. From the prophetic passages, people conclude that the wrath and severity of judgment conflict with Christ's message that God is gracious and abounding in mercy. However, we often miss one very important truth. All the judgments pronounced in the prophets came  before  the events rather than after them. Such is the case with the pronouncement of Obadiah of God’s impending judgment upon the nation of Edom for their violence and spiritual arrogance. Rather than follow ...

Seeing our nation through the lens of God. Amos 1-5 “Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the Lord of hosts may be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (5:15).                   In a politically divided world, it is easy to see the faults of the other political party but remain ignorant of the sins of our own party.  We tend to look at our nation through the lens of the party with which we affiliate. However, political lenses are always distorted.  We condemn the other party while overlooking the sins that are perpetrated by the party we affirm. This was the fault of Israel.  They were quick to judge and condemn the governments and people around them while justifying their own actions.                     The book of Amos begins with the condemn...