15 For, At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human...
Every moment we are constantly creating systems in our mind that are simultaneously crashing on themselves. These systems are called expectations. They are predictions, assumptions, calculations, and hopes that we believe in—a high risk, high reward, process. The risk is high because we are vulnerable...
2 The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies! 3 The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his...
When I think about the many things vying for my heart and attention, the use of my time, whether or not my heart is at peace, or if I just feel satisfied with where I am in life, it all boils down to one simple...
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever. 4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. 5 Give...
When we feel like God isn’t coming through for us on our terms, we tend to fall back to sin that feels comfortable to us. In the same way that the Israelites revert to creating something tangible to worship, we create our own gods in...
1 Then the Lord told Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones. I will write on them the same words that were on the tablets you smashed. 2 Be ready in the morning to climb up Mount Sinai and present yourself to...
12 One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably...
Many of us grew up with the story of Advent beginning in a stable. But, really, the story begins in a Garden, a long time before the night of Christ’s birth. When God created the world, all things were just as they should be. Creation...
1 Lord, through all the generations you have been our home! 2 Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God. 3 You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals!” 4 For you, a thousand...
1 Listen to what the Lord is saying: “Stand up and state your case against me. Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints. 2 And now, O mountains, listen to the Lord’s complaint! He has a case against his people. He will bring charges against Israel. 3 “O...
One night earlier this fall, I was pulling out of a familiar parking lot on a back street tucked behind an old church. It’s the kind of road that barely sees any traffic and peels off the main road, weaving in between parking lots and...
19 The people made a calf at Mount Sinai; they bowed before an image made of gold. 20 They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull. 21 They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt— 22 such wonderful things in the land...
Talk about “shaping our bodies” likely conjures up images of exercise, diet, discipline, weight lifting, and the like. Few of us would immediately think about the tongue and its power to shape our bodies, but words play a powerful role—something we must look at it...
37 “Moses himself told the people of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people.’ 38 Moses was with our ancestors, the assembly of God’s people in the wilderness, when the angel spoke to him at Mount...
Obeying God’s commands produces freedom, not bondage and brings life, not death; they are refreshing to the soul and give joy to those who follow Him. As we walk in obedience to Him and surrender to His direction and guidance, we are able to love...
7 “Remember and never forget how angry you made the Lord your God out in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until now, you have been constantly rebelling against him. 8 Even at Mount Sinai you made the Lord so angry he was...
18 When the Lord finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, written by the finger of God. 32 1 When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down...
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord...
I take my daily drive into work very seriously. I have a playlist of worship music that I listen to every morning and I make a big deal of queuing the most appropriate songs based on how my heart is feeling. The next 30 minutes...
1 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them. 3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of...
When I was a little girl, I would put myself in timeout before I got in trouble. Seriously—ask my mom. For me, the fear of getting into trouble was worse than the punishment, so I would preemptively strike and just punish myself if I thought...
4 Now this is what the Lord says to the family of Israel: “Come back to me and live! 5 Don’t worship at the pagan altars at Bethel; don’t go to the shrines at Gilgal or Beersheba. For the people of Gilgal will be dragged off into exile, and the...
Shame creeps in like a thief in the night when we least expect it, doing only what shame can do: steal our joy, make us feel unworthy, unloved, not enough, dirty, and the list goes on. It can even paralyze us if we allow it...
1 Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. 2 For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he...