Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Old Testament

An Appointment We Will Keep

JOB 21:23-26-One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure, his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity. They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.” The Old Testament book of Job offers a wide range of instructions and insights…

Where All Sin Begins

GENESIS 3:1-11: Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said,…

Living for What We Don’t See

ISAIAH 40:5: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” I don’t need to say it, but I will – “Our world is upside-down. It is all out of order. The God who made everything to reflect His glory and to receive glory is ignored, refused,…

Try Some Old-Fashioned Ministry

ESTHER 9:29-32: Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim. Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and…

Example and Instruction

NEHEMIAH 9:16-19: But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful,…

The Simple Steps of Discipleship

EZRA 7:10: For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” Perhaps it is a stretch, but I believe one would be hard-pressed to find a better definition of discipleship than what is revealed in today’s scripture. As one reads of Ezra’s actions, we are…