The Narrow Road Is Taxing but Temporary
“Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off” Proverbs 23: 17, 18. It’s no accident that verse 18...
Tagged: bible trials
Moses and the Promise Land: Rash Words
“Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock” Numbers 20: 10? I’ve always...
God’s Judgment: When Love Hurts
“. . . One who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.” Isaiah 16: 5b. The passage is part of a prophecy Isaiah the prophet spoke about Jesus hundreds of years...
He Draws Near to the Brokenhearted In Unexpected Ways
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” Psalm 34: 18. I’ve discovered in my own experience that when I’ve been in a state of great awareness of my unmet need and pain...
Meaning of “The Righteous Falls 7 Times and Rise Again”
“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” Proverbs 24: 16. The Proverbs are stand-alone sayings that don’t require context. But if you’d like to read the...
God’s Love Has Nothing to Do With Us
“For my name’s sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off” Isaiah 48:9. It occurred to me as I...
Narrow Is the Road: Raging Emotions and Self-Control
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard...
The Gift of Suffering for Sin In the Bible
“And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor” Judges 4: 2. God’s original people were fickle. When life was good they would invariably turn to other gods. So God...
Trouble The Doorway to Blessing In the Bible
“God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox” Numbers 23: 22. This verse is part of Balaam’s second oracle that he spoke to Balak the king of Moab...
Parable of the Sower Explained As A Progression
“Hear then the parable of the sower: ‘When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was...