Blog: November 2019

The Bible’s call to gratitude is overwhelmingly vertical:  we’re urged and moved to give thanks TO God.  Of course, it’s right to thank to each other; gratitude toward family and friends and our fellow church members is a vital ingred­i­ent in healthy, spiritually maturing relation­ships.  But thanks to God is primary!  From Scripture: I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds (Ps 9:1—note:  wholehearted thanks). I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises ...

Ezekiel had a tough job: ministering to people who had rejected God and suffered the consequences. The exiled people of Judah were eager to blame God for their circumstances. “It’s not fair!” they argued. (See Ezek. 18:25.) Ezekiel told the people that they were at fault for their exile; their faithlessness had provoked God’s wrath. The people were getting what they deserved. “I take no pleasure in anyone’s death,” God said. “So repent and live!” (Ezek. 18:32). God gave Ezekiel a vision. In this vision, God showed Ezekiel a valley of dry ...

The hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” names several blessings Christians enjoy:  Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside. So much to be thankful for! Ponder our “bright hope for tomorrow.”  In our day of petty political bickering, global tensions, widespread poverty, and human trafficking (there are 40+ million slaves today (IJM)), it’s easy to become gloomy about the future.  But I challenge you to ...

Warnings had come from the prophets for decades. God patiently waited for His people to turn from their sin. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had fallen to Assyria, and the prophet Jeremiah spared few details when he warned Judah what would happen if they did not turn from their evil ways. (See Jer. 25:1-14.)   But the people of Judah did not change their ways. The kingdom had been declining for years, despite King Hezekiah’s—and later, Josiah’s—efforts to prompt nationwide repentance. When King Josiah died, the people went back to their ...

We all have questions, and some are for God—questions about how he operates, his plans, his will, and what’s going on in this world. Big questions.  But be assured, God can take it.  Follow the lead of the Prophet Habakkuk, whose dialogue with God involves heartfelt lament over rampant sin and suffering (“How long, O Lord?”), and leads eventually to a place of quiet trust in the Father’s wise ways. Don’t be afraid to bring your questions to God.  But also, don’t insist that God must answer all your objections swiftly and on your terms.  ...

How much time do you spend waiting? Think about it. Waiting for a traffic light to turn green, waiting at the doctor’s office, waiting at the drive-thru, waiting for a phone call, waiting for a birthday, waiting on someone else. The fact is, we spend a lot of our time waiting. Why do we wait? We know something is coming. A major factor in waiting is faith—“the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen” (Heb. 11:1). This is precisely what the prophet Habakkuk addressed. Habakkuk was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah, ...

Many of the greatest challenges Christians face are perennial.  Take the temptation to neglect consistent presence in the weekly worship gathering:  even 2,000 years ago, some folks were just “too busy” to make it on Sundays; other opportunities trumped church involve­ment.  The Lord addresses this problem in Hebrews 10:24-25: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. And ...

Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah the priest. He lived in Judah, just north of Jerusalem. At the time God called Jeremiah into ministry, Josiah was king of Judah. As evidenced in the callings of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others, each time God calls someone, He equips that person to do His work. Like Moses, Jeremiah was hesitant: “Oh no, Lord GOD! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth” (Jer. 1:6). God assured Jeremiah: “I will be with you” (Jer. 1:8). God called Jeremiah to be a prophet. The people of Judah had broken the ...