“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13, NKJV) ACHAN’S STORY Joshua 7 tells us the story of Achan, a man who thought his secret sin would stay a secret. When the children of Israel went up against the city of…
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” Luke 7:39-40 ESV In this…
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” Psalm 51:10-11 Chapter 12 of II Samuel records the story of Nathan’s visit to David, revealing the grievous sins he…
“Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law . . . I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your word.” (Psalm 119: 136, 158, NKJV). It is difficult to watch intense grief. We have all seen, or personally felt, the…
“While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and lying face down on the ground in front of the Temple of God, a very large crowd of people from Israel—men, women, and children—gathered and wept bitterly with him.” (Ezra 10:1, NLT) After years of exile in Babylon, Artaxerxes, king of…
“And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.” Isaiah 65:10 Several years ago, I was privileged to attend the General Conference in Toronto. After the night service, our group…
Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” When I was younger, I did not fully understand the depth of God’s love and mercy. Whenever I would make a mistake, I felt like the Lord had forsaken…
“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10, ESV) How do you turn a nation back to God when it seems to have lost its way? That question seems relevant…
“Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.” 2 Kings 23:25 Josiah was eight years old when he became king and…