Benefits of Discipline in the Bible
“And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose...
The Presence of God in Your Pain
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” Psalm 34:18. We will all be brokenhearted at some time or other if we live long enough. We will lose loved ones,...
When Trusting God’s Plan Looks Impossible
“And when the Lord sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, he said, ‘Go up and take possession of the land I have given you.’ But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You did not trust him or obey...
(Dis)obedience in the Bible: Sobering Examples
“Neither he [king Zedekiah] nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. . . the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of...
The Spies in Canaan Then and Now
“But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are’” Numbers 13:31. The 12 spies had just come back from spying out Canaan....
Gentle or Overwhelming Trials: You Choose
“Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoices over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the...
How The Story of the Israelites in the Wilderness Parallels Our Story
We sometimes hear about Israel’s exodus from Egypt into the wilderness and ultimately the promise land as a metaphor for salvation, and the new birth. And of course, it is. Click here to read...
The Purpose of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
“. . . but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” Genesis 2:17. We are told in this...
The Testing of Your Faith and Freedom: The Link
“How awful that day will be! No other will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,but he will be saved out of it. “‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will break the...
From Trials to Usefulness in the Bible
. . . caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick. Grain must be ground to make bread. . . Isaiah 28: 27a, 28b. This passage alludes to how spices...