March 20, 2023
March 26 | Lead Me to Righteousness
Amos, the farmer prophet, pleaded with Israel to seek the Lord and live. Several unrighteous deeds were identified as needing to be eradicated. The most pronounced was idolatry. . . .
Articles for tag: David Faust
March 20, 2023
March 26 | Application (‘Services Even God Doesn’t Want to Attend’)
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. . . .
March 13, 2023
March 19 | Application (‘The Lowest Point on Earth’)
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). . . .
March 6, 2023
March 12 | Application (‘A Guide for the Journey’)
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! . . .
February 27, 2023
March 5 | Application (‘The Older Ones First’)
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. . . .
February 20, 2023
February 26 | Application (‘Pay Attention to What Matters Most’)
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?
February 6, 2023
February 12 | Application (‘Living in Tense Times’)
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.
January 30, 2023
February 5 | Application (‘Keys to Courage’)
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.
January 23, 2023
January 29 | Application (‘What Makes You Different?’)
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). . . .
January 16, 2023
January 22 | Application (‘Give It Up’)
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. . . .
January 9, 2023
January 15 | It’s Not Easy
God’s people had returned from their exile in Babylon, had rebuilt the altar in the temple, and were laying the foundation of the temple when they ran into a buzz saw. “Enemies” reared their ugly heads (Ezra 4:1). . . .
January 9, 2023
January 15 | Application (‘Traveling on a Rough Road’)
The book of Ezra tells how a group of exiled Jews traveled back to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple, but it wasn’t a smooth and easy journey. Their story reveals some principles that can help us travel rough roads of our own.
January 2, 2023
January 8 | Application (‘Celebrate the Wins’)
In life, as in sports, it’s important to stop and give thanks when things go well. Before we rush ahead and move on to the next event or activity, we should pause and celebrate the wins. . . .
December 26, 2022
January 1 | Application (‘Trusting God in the New Year’)
As another new year begins, it’s good to remember that the Lord is the Master Craftsman. He’s an expert at making things new. He knows how to take our lives apart and put them back together again.
December 19, 2022
December 25 | Application (‘What the Mysterious Magi Can Teach Us About Faith’)
We don’t know about much about the mysterious Magi, but they help to illustrate what it means to live by faith.
December 12, 2022
December 18 | Application (Caring for ‘the Least of These’)
In Matthew 25, Jesus compares himself to a shepherd separating the sheep from the goats. This Scripture passage teaches important truths about the Lord, and it has practical implications for us.
December 5, 2022
December 11 | Application (‘You’re Not Too Small—or Too Big—to Trust in God’)
Science can take us only so far. The more we learn about the universe, the humbler we should become.
November 28, 2022
December 4 | Application (‘Something Is Missing’)
Do you ever feel like you’re missing something? While driving away from home, do you wonder if you left the lights on or forgot to lock the door? While preparing a meal, have you ever omitted an important part of the recipe? Matthew 9:36-38 mentions several missing ingredients. . . .
November 21, 2022
November 27 | Application (‘Learning About Worship from an Old Songbook’)
In biblical times, Jewish boys and girls soaked up the music they heard in the temple. Their families used an old songbook that’s still in print today: the book of Psalms.
November 16, 2022
Beloved Christian Minister Ben Merold Dies
Ben Merold, 96, a beloved minister in Christian churches and churches of Christ for almost three-quarters of a century, died Wednesday morning. Merold was known as a church builder and a friend of the small church.
