At times, we get distracted by the events and concerns of the day. Today’s reading from 1 Chronicles 16 reminds us of the importance of resetting our focus on God! Scripture: 1 Chronicles, chapter 16; Psalm 106; Matthew, chapter 19 1 Chronicles 16:8-14 (CEB): Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make his deeds known to all people! Sing to God, sing praises to him; dwell on all his wondrous works! Give praise to God’s holy name! Let... Read more
Three years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. This followed Russia’s forced annexation of Crimea in 2014. In the past week, President Trump suggested that Ukraine started the war with Russia. He’s wrong. Here’s why it matters. Aiding Ukrainian Refugees Almost three years ago, the church that I pastored served as a collection point for donations of clothing and bedding for Ukrainian refugees (see the picture above). Our community donated bags and bags of clothing. People from California shipped new sleeping bags... Read more
When Israel rebelled against Moses and Aaron, God caused Aaron’s staff to blossom and bear fruit. God still brings life to those He chooses! Scripture: Numbers, chapters 17-18; Psalm 29; Mark, chapter 4 Numbers 17:1-10 (NASB): Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the house of Israel, and obtain from them a staff for each father’s household: twelve staffs, from all their leaders for their fathers’ households. You shall write each man’s name on his staff, and write... Read more
While God is “slow to anger and abundant in mercy,” that doesn’t mean we can disregard His commandments. Rebelling against God is never a good idea! Scripture: Numbers, chapters 14-16; Mark, chapter 3 Numbers 16:41-50 (NASB): But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord’s people!” It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and... Read more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a punching bag for a lot of people. After all, no one likes to pay taxes, right? But what does the Bible say about paying taxes? Jesus Told Us to Pay Taxes Tax collectors were common, and commonly despised, in Jesus’ day. Not surprisingly, the issue of paying taxes came up in the religious leaders’ attempts to trap Jesus. Matthew – the tax collector who became an apostle – relates two such accounts. The... Read more
How do we navigate spiritual disputes when both parties believe they “know” God’s will? Sometimes, we just have to trust God. “God’s will be done!” Scripture: Leviticus, chapters 23-24; Psalm 24; Acts, chapter 21 Acts 21:1-14 (NASB): Now when we had parted from them and had set sail, we ran a straight course to Cos, and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara; and having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and... Read more
In Acts 19, some people try to use the power of the Holy Spirit for their own purposes. But the power of the Spirit only comes through belief in Jesus! Scripture: Leviticus, chapters 18-19; Psalm 13; Acts, chapter 19 Acts 19:11-20 (NASB): God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. But also some... Read more
When we think of the early church, we think of Peter, Paul, and the apostles. But what about Apollos? What can his story tell us about our place in God’s work? Scripture: Leviticus, chapters 15-17; Acts, chapter 18 Acts 18:24-28 (NASB): Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was proficient in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he... Read more
As the “big game” approaches, we can expect to hear someone from the winning side talk about their faith in Christ. But what should we think about Christian athletes as spiritual role models? Christian Athletes as Disciples Last month, I wrote a column on prayer in sports (What Place Does Prayer Have in Sports for Fans and Athletes?) I contrasted prayers by fans for their team to win with prayers by athletes. I suggested that athletes could reasonably pray for... Read more
In Leviticus 6, God repeatedly tells Moses that “the fire doesn’t go out” on the altar. What does that tell us about the Holy Spirit’s work in us? Scripture: Leviticus, chapters 4-6; Acts, chapter 14 Leviticus 6:8-13 (NASB): Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law for the burnt offering: the burnt offering itself shall remain on the hearth of the altar all night until the morning, and the fire on... Read more
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