Ahaziah’s messengers were en route to Ekron when the messenger of the Lord called Elijah to intercept them (vs. 3). Elijah challenged the messengers as to the reason for their journey. Was it because there was no God in Israel that they went to inquire of the Lord of the Flies, the god of Ekron?... Continue Reading

To spur his congregation to consider the value of time, Edwards wrote two compelling sermons, one called, “The Preciousness of Time, and the Importance of Redeeming it,” and the other, “Procrastination, or, The Sin and Folly of Depending on Future Time.” Edwards understood that how we choose to spend our time reflects our desires and... Continue Reading

Hebrews tells us that Jesus is better than Moses. He’s better than the angels. He’s better than Melchizedek. And because He is, we should continue in the faith. We should persevere, no matter how difficult. Here is a message we all need right now. We need it more than a message to return – or not... Continue Reading

Being mindful of mortality is unpleasant not only because it reminds us of the end, but also because it brings gravity to our lives. We are forced to ask, “Is there an afterlife?” Which leads to: “Does what I do here and now matter?” This is where things get rather unsettling. Without a vision of... Continue Reading

The good news in Israel’s sojourn in the wilderness was that God provided manna, quail, and water from the rock. He continued to lead them, despite their disobedience. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.Troubling times can cause us to doubt the goodness of God. The key thing is to... Continue Reading

Next to Jesus, Paul may be the Bible’s best example of how to handle spiritual authority with wisdom and care. No one could accuse Paul of being weak, timid or unwilling to say hard things. But rather than writing letters filled with orders and commands (which his apostolic authority gave him the right to do),... Continue Reading

Under the Old Covenant (Moses), God instituted the “Feast of Weeks” (Ex 34:22; Nu 28:26).2 It was one of three times when all Jewish males were to appear in Jerusalem. It is called “Pentecost” (Greek, πεντηκοστή) because it occurs 50 days after Passover. As Israelites gathered in Jerusalem, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus, the... Continue Reading

You remember that you do not have what it takes to run this race, yet somehow, you do not despair because you know the one who can lives within you, and greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. The Spirit reminds you that the wrath you deserve for... Continue Reading

Sin is a swindler. It covers its deceit with kindness and sweet promises. We sin because we believe the lies. We gossip because the gossip whispers to us that we’re in the know and that people will appreciate us. We envy because we believe that if we only had what others have, we’d be content.... Continue Reading

To tolerate someone today means not only to bear with him with patience and respect, but to affirm, accept, and even celebrate values and choices that may be irreconcilable with one’s own. The result of this disfigurement of meaning is that a lot of Christians today are wary of any talk of tolerance.    There was... Continue Reading