12/16/2021 0 Comments Nahum--Pronouncing God's VengeanceNahum, the only person with that name in the Old Testament, prophesied against the nation of Assyria particularly against its capital city Nineveh—located about 220 miles north of modern Baghdad in Iraq.[1] But unlike when Jonah brought God’s warnings against Nineveh and the city repented, Nahum’s audience was proud and perversely wicked—completely unwilling to listen to God and therefore destined to experience His wrath.
[1] Information about Nineveh, Assyria, and Nahum are taken from HCSB Study Bible, 2010, pp. 1537,1538. 12/7/2021 0 Comments A Faith of Equal PrivilegeThe antidote to discrimination and racism is Jesus Christ. Pastor E.V. Hill once shared his response to Black Panthers threatening his life for preaching about “that white Jesus.”
I don’t know anything about a white Christ—I know about Christ, a Savior named Jesus. I don’t know what color He is. He was born in brown Asia, He fled to black Africa, and He was in heaven before the gospel got to white Europe . . . I do know one thing: if you bow at the altar with color on your mind, and get up with color on your mind, go back again and keep going back until you no longer look at His color, but at his greatness and His power—His power to save![1] [1] https://www.mysoulpurpose.org/e-v-hill-and-the-black-panthers 11/13/2021 0 Comments Why I Value TheologyOne would think that with the uncertainties of life and certainty of death, people would be intrigued, perhaps even obsessed, with knowing if there is a Creator and, if He in fact, has a plan for His creation. It amazes me how many people I meet who seem uninterested in what happens to them when they die. Yet, this is THE MOST IMPORTANT question everyone should want to know the answer to because one second after death will be too late to decide. For this reason, among many, I value theology.
10/29/2021 0 Comments God's ImageOn my wall is a painting of the Old Testament prophet Daniel standing on a cement floor calmly looking out a window as seven lions to his right seemingly gaze with him. His image of courage and peace in a room meant for his consumption, inspires me. Of all the saints in the Old Testament, Daniel seems the most Christlike to me.
8/21/2021 0 Comments NecessitarianismNecessitarianism is “the doctrine that all events, including acts of the will, are determined by antecedent causes; determinism.”[1] The word first came into usage in 1825.[2] The philosopher Baruch Spinoza was the most famous defender of this metaphysical principle (the key groundwork of his Ethics[3]), considered as the strongest form of hard determinism which disputes the libertarian’s concept of free will.[4]
[1] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/necessitarianism [2] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/necessitarianism#h1 [3] https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/spinoza-modal/ [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necessitarianism 8/16/2021 0 Comments BlamelessMeditation
Deuteronomy 18:13—You must be blameless before the LORD your God. 7/7/2021 0 Comments God's Gracious HandEzra 8:21-23--I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us, our children, and all our possessions. I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Him, but His great anger is against all who abandon Him.” So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He granted our request.
5/11/2021 2 Comments JerusalemToday as I’m writing this Hamas is firing rockets into Tel Aviv and Israel is conducting counter air strikes. Seeing conflict flare up in Israel made me curious so I consulted the internet: “What city has been conquered the most?”
4/21/2021 0 Comments The Source of PeaceWhen I conducted an search for the “10 most stressful events” on the internet, the first two sources listed moving as #7.[1]I remember learning from a sociology class at West Point that moving was a big stressor. It does make sense. Moving is largely comprised of change, and the transitions change demand can be cortisol-producing. Imagine driving a packed 26-foot U-Haul truck from Colorado to Virginia and encountering drivers who seem clueless that one cannot slam on the brakes and immediately stop a fully-loaded truck!
[1] https://thriveglobal.com/stories/10-most-stressful-life-events/; https://kerryon.wordpress.com/2020/01/19/top-10-most-stressful-life-events-de-stress-and-kerry-on/ 3/22/2021 0 Comments BaalHonesty requires the truthfulness to admit the attachment and addictions that control our attention, dominate our consciousness, and function as false gods . . . When we give anything more priority than we give to God, we commit idolatry. Thus we all commit idolatry countless times every day.—Brennan Manning in The Ragamuffin Gospel
1/29/2021 0 Comments Standing on the RockHave you ever considered that during some of the worst, most difficult times of your life that God may have actually been right in front of you, standing on the rock?
1/8/2021 0 Comments 1 & 2 Kings: InaugurationIt might seem strange to start the year with a devotional on 1 & 2 Kings but it actually is quite appropriate. In this new year a president-elect is soon to be inaugurated. Somewhere around 1010 B.C., David, arguably the nation of Israel’s greatest king, just before he died passed great wisdom to his son Solomon. His words if heeded by any newly elected leader or monarch in modern times would make a significant difference.
12/31/2020 0 Comments Unity Survives TragedyTragedies do not destroy the body of Christ when followers of Jesus stand together in unity.
11/7/2020 0 Comments Ne Plus UltraPeople think the White House is where the power is. It’s not. I saw in prison, where people were powerless, that the only power that really mattered was the kind that changes a human heart. And that can only happen through Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.—Chuck Colson in “True Power and Security,” in The Transparent Leader by Dwight L. Johnson
10/10/2020 0 Comments What is Worship?Jonah was in trouble! He was running from God’s assignment but his Father in heaven could not be outrun and sent a storm to swamp the boat he had boarded as a passenger. The boat handlers knew by the severity of the storm that something supernatural was happening. When they confronted Jonah at least he admitted his responsibility. Then, he let them know that he worshiped God. But what is worship? What does it mean to follow the Creator?
My desire is to specifically address the two major issues that dominate our society at this time: politics and racism/prejudice. By the sheer complexity and magnitude of this undertaking this devotional will require your patience and time to digest.
5/30/2020 0 Comments JudgesIsrael experienced the death of their famous leader Joshua still facing the enormous task of conquering Canaan. The book of Judges follows up where the book of Joshua left off, with the challenge of expelling wicked nations in territory God assigned for His people in a period that spans three centuries.
5/7/2020 0 Comments JoshuaThe sixth book of the Bible is a riveting account of Joshua, a history-changing-charger! Joshua means, “Yahweh saves,” and that neatly sums up what happens in this book of invasion that spans about 25 years.
4/22/2020 0 Comments DeuteronomyDeuteronomy is a “must read” for any serious student of the Bible.
3/16/2020 0 Comments Standing on the RockHave you ever considered that during some of the worst, most difficult times of your life that God may have actually been right in front of you, standing on the rock
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