How can suffering be good? It’s hard for us to comprehend any positive aspect of innocently suffering affliction. God’s word assures us that sometimes afflictions are chastisements to correct us for wrong and sometimes afflictions are not for particular wrongs, but rather for our good. The latter afflictions humble us, teach us, and glorify God.…
The Book of Deuteronomy Review Questions from last week’s lesson: What is in the book of Numbers? What does Numbers say to modern readers? Answers: Numbers has the forty years of wilderness wandering where the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night leads the nation of Israel. Number is a book about complaining…
How shall we live? When Jesus was led into the wilderness, he fasted for 40 days and nights. Matthew 4:2 seems to state the obvious that he was hungry. The Devil came to him and pointed out the stones on the ground, saying it would be possible for the Son of God to make them…
Why Bother? Elijah was an Old Testament prophet during the reign of King Ahab in Israel. The pinnacle of his prophetic career came on Mt. Carmel, where he had the famous showdown with the 450 prophets of Baal. He won the contest and killed all those idolatrous prophets (1 Kings 18). Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, sent…
What are you afraid of? We’ve been told for many years that more Americans feared public speaking than anything else. Survey answers have changed in recent years with other things coming ahead of public speaking in the fears department, but it’s still there somewhere. From my own experience, most people don’t like it, whether it…
The Book of Numbers Review Questions from last week’s lesson: What is Leviticus about? How does Leviticus help us today? Answers: Leviticus records the laws of the mosaic covenant. Those laws primarily pertain to the priests’ service in the tabernacle. Leviticus records laws of offering, sacrifice, ritual purity, and various aspects of tabernacle service. Leviticus…
His own heart, who can know? We expect and brace for attacks from without, but what about the problems we face from within? Devotion to God’s word puts us at cross purposes with the world around us, but the struggle for devotion also comes from within. The heart is fickle and easily divided. Our passions…
Tried and Failed Be honest. Have you ever tried to read the whole Bible? Did you do it? All Christians have moments where our thoughts and intentions are high concerning the Bible. Maybe around New Years we think of reading the Bible every day in the upcoming year, and maybe even reading it all the…
Being Tested Sitting in comfortable chair with a good light, a hot cup of coffee, and an open Bible is not the setting for testing our mettle. It’s easy then to have grand thoughts and ample feelings of courage. It’s easy to think of how strong our resolve is and find our commitment unimpeachable. Getting…
What should we do with God’s word? What does God expect us to do with his word? If any of us would write a letter to our family members, we would do so wanting them to read it. God has given us a written word he obviously intends for us to read, study, understand, and…