Reading Time: 3 minutes
What if the Lord himself doesn’t like our worship services and would rather not attend? Through the prophet Amos, God left no doubt how he felt about the Israelites’ gatherings. . . .
Reading Time: 3 minutes
When you find yourself in low places—morally, physically, relationally, or circumstantially—the God of grace is able to repair your “broken walls” and restore what seems ruined (Amos 9:11). . . .
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Last fall I led a group on a Holy Land tour, but I should qualify the word “led.” My job was to lead devotions, encourage travelers, and provide biblical insights along the way. But our group also needed a leader who knew the customs, language, and traffic patterns of Israel and Jordan. We needed a guide! . . .
Reading Time: 3 minutes
An unholy part of us—with a careless attitude about sin—wants to do whatever we please, hoping God will overlook our misdeeds. On the other hand, a guilty conscience makes us wonder if our sins are unpardonable, and that leads to despair. . . .
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Jesus warned about the folly of neglecting “the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23). Do we pay attention to the things that matter most?
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When you feel stressed out, it helps to recognize that some tensions are externally generated, some are internally generated, and some are actually healthy and lead to personal growth.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Fear seems more common than faith these days. . . . But over the course of my life, my best decisions have been the times when I chose to walk by faith, not by sight.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The Israelites were supposed to be a holy people, distinct from others who lived around them. No work on the Sabbath day. No graven images. . . . God wanted more than surface obedience, though. He said, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts” (Deuteronomy 6:6). . . .
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Why isn’t fasting more common in the American church? The Bible mentions it at least 60 times. Moses and Jesus both fasted for 40 days in the wilderness (Exodus 34:28; Matthew 4:2). Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther fasted. So did David, John the Baptist, and Paul. . . .