“For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.” 1 Samuel 5:11 The Politics of God Deadly Confusion – If God abhors sin; do you think He sits idly by and watches evil have its way? If God hates evil, do you think He takes no part…
“But the LORD is with me like a dread champion” Jeremiah 20:11 Turning the Table on Oppression Dread Champion – God is ruthless too. The same word used to describe people without compassion in yesterday’s verse is used here to describe God Himself. God will never slack from the task nor will He ever show…
“And I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you from the palm of the evil ones.” Jeremiah 15:21 Ruthless People Evil Ones – Yesterday we discovered that the single word ra (evil) covered all kinds of unholy things. So you might suspect that we would find the…
“And I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you from the palm of the evil ones.” Jeremiah 15:21 Deliver Us From Evil Wicked – Jesus knew his Bible. He knew this passage in Jeremiah. Perhaps he had this passage in mind when he taught his disciples to…
“Know this day that I am not speaking with your sons who have not known and who have not see the discipline of the Lord your God – His greatness, His mighty hand and His outstretched arm.” Deut 11:2 The Discipline of the Few Discipline – The joy of discipline is hard to embrace. We…
“That teaching is part of the Good News of the blessed God that he gave me to tell” 1 Timothy 1:11 (NCV) Be Happy God’s Way Blessed – Here’s a case where translation and tradition have conspired to create a very different word picture over the centuries. When we correct the translation, it’s like going…
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit” John 15:16 Too Much of Everything Not choose – Os Guinness makes a dramatic point about modern life: there are too many choices. We are overwhelmed with too much of everything. A moment’s reflection (and that’s…
“I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction” 2 Corinthians 7:4 Redemptive Joy Joy – I have a hard time feeling joyful when things aren’t going well. My perspective on life begins to shift to my troubles. I get occupied with how I can fix things for me. And suddenly, I find that life…
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” John 15:11 Joy is the byproduct Joy – Joy is the relationship word. Joy is God’s gracious action toward us. And Jesus tells us that joy is the byproduct of something we can…
“fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” Hebrews 12:2 Joy is God’s Graciousness Joy – Jesus went to the cross for joy. That seems impossible. Isn’t joy supposed to be about happiness, about life at its best, about…
