Jonah ran away from the Lord. —Jonah 1:3 God ordered Jonah to be his missionary to Nineveh. Jonah didn’t want the assignment, for Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, Israel’s despised enemy. So Jonah hightailed it in the opposite direction—went to Joppa, found a ship sailing for Tarshish, […]
Give me this mountain. —Joshua 14:12 John W. Gardner, chief architect of President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society,” said that by their mid-thirties most people have stopped acquiring new skills and attitudes in any aspect of their lives. I don’t know if that’s true, but if it is, you don’t have to be
Mountain or Rocking Chair? Read More »
By prayer . . . present your requests to God. —Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will
When I am weak, then I am strong. —2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Corinthians is Paul’s most autobiographical letter. He writes of the deluge of problems that assaulted him: beating, stoning, hunger, persecution, imprisonment—it’s a long list (2 Cor 11:23–29). How bad was it? “We were under great pressure, far beyond
When You Get to the End of Your Rope Read More »
My soul is downcast within me. —Lamentations 3:20 Hopeless! A one-word description of the nation of Judah. Their sins had caught up with them. Jerusalem was in ruins. They were broken and defeated. Jeremiah had repeatedly warned them it was coming, but they had not listened (Jer 25:3). Jeremiah was
Is There Any Hope? Read More »
A group of grieving women who watched Jesus die on Friday trudged to the tomb to anoint his body on Sunday. But the tomb was empty. “He is not here,” an angel told them; “he has risen!” Risen? Who could believe such a thing? His disciples should have. He had told them more than once
Living Happily Ever After Read More »
The pride of your heart has deceived you. —Obadiah 1:3 The Edomites were a cocky bunch. “Who can bring us down?” they crowed. “I will bring you down,” declared the Lord. When Babylonian soldiers sacked Jerusalem, the Edomites signed on to help. The
Pride: A Terminal Disease Read More »
He leads me beside quiet waters. —Psalm 23:2 What did you worry about last week? What are you worrying about this week? That doesn’t leave much mental muscle for anything else, does it? Worrying isn’t something you can delegate; no one can do your worrying for
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer. —1 Peter 3:12 Hezekiah was a good man. He brought the nation of Judah back to God by refurbishing the temple, reinstating the Passover, and
God Hears Your Prayers and Sees Your Tears Read More »
We must obey God rather than human beings. —Acts 5:29 Herbert Porter, an aide to President Nixon, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during the Watergate investigation. Here is an exchange between Senator Howard Baker and Porter.
When You Must Stand Alone Read More »
