Today we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—a man who had a gift to make his dream of equality among every person, regardless of someone’s skin color, age, or gender. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” Dr. King was a man with prolific talents and various giftings, granting him a platform to challenge the world with a message that would change the fabrication of the cultural and spiritual structure of the twentieth century. King’s legacy is extensive; crossing cultural, religious, and segregational boundaries. Our environment, whether we…
“He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.” (Psalm 112:7, ESV) Recently, a family in my church lost everything in a tragic house fire. Thankfully, all escaped unharmed. I’ve known others who have experienced tornadoes, hurricanes, or other natural disasters. These victims often feel that their lives will never be the same, and to a degree this is true. When such things happen, so much is lost. Although material goods can eventually be replaced or restored, some things are irretrievably lost. When tragedy overwhelms us, it is so easy to ask the age-old question, “Why does God allow bad things like this to happen?” Truthfully, we may never fully understand why certain things take place. Ultimately, we must accept that at some point in our lives, we will all endure hardship and trouble. The Old Testament tells of Job, who experienced intense pain and suffering. He summed it up this way: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). It is the destiny of us all. It is never easy to lose one’s possessions, to see a lifetime’s acquisitions swept away in just moments.…
“The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.” (II Samuel 6:11, NKJV) While reading II Samuel 6, I became caught up in the story of Obed-Edom and his family who unexpectedly found themselves as keepers of the Ark of the Covenant for several months. You may remember that the Ark and its Mercy Seat was the most sacred item in the Old Testament Tabernacle and was kept behind the veil in the Holy of Holies. Once each year, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat for atonement of sin. Let’s do a quick recap on how the Ark came to be in Obed-Edom’s home. Many years previously, the Israelites had carried the Ark with them into battle, an unwise decision. This most holy item was captured by their enemy, the Philistines (I Samuel chapters 4-6). When God brought judgment upon the Philistines because of the Ark, they soon determined to send it back to Israel. It remained in the home of Abinadab for twenty years before ending up in the home of Obed-Edom. This…
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have in tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, ESV) We do not live in a peaceful world—far from it. At this very moment, numerous places are experiencing military conflict or political unrest. There is often discord in families, in the workplace, and even within the body of Christ. These things create stress and anxiety in our lives if they go unresolved. There may not be much we can do about military conflicts or the political scene…
Focus Verse: “Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah.” (Psalm 77:9, NKJV) Do the words from Psalms sound familiar—perhaps because you’ve said something similar to this yourself? When troubles come and we struggle to understand, it’s easy to ask, “Where are You, God? Are You mad at me? Or have You forgotten me?” God feels so far away, and we wonder if He cares what is happening in our lives. Job—a Godly Man Even non-religious people are familiar with the story of Job. Say his name and the word that immediately comes to mind is suffering. Well, perhaps two words come to mind. The second is patience. Job was patient in his suffering. Job lived many centuries ago, but we still glean valuable lessons from the example he left on how to go through great trials without forsaking God. What do we know about this man who has an entire book of the Bible dedicated to his story? Job was very wealthy, AND he was godly. He was the wealthiest man in the East (Job 1:3). God said, “There is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one…
“And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city.” (II Chronicles 32:18, ESV) Once again Jerusalem was surrounded by her enemies. An emissary of the Assyrian king loudly taunted the Jews, mocking their God and trying to terrify the people so they could overtake the city. (The story is given in both II Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 36-37.) The Assyrian strategy sounded good, at least to them, but they made two mistakes. First, they insulted Almighty God and mocked His ability to help the people of Judah. Next, they compared God to the false and powerless gods of other nations. “Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you! Don’t let him fool you like this! I say it again—no god of any nation or kingdom has ever yet been able to rescue his people from me or my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my power!” (II Chronicles 32:15, NLT) Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, believed his own lie. He should never have underestimated God’s ability to save His people. Sennacherib’s boast may…