READ: Psalm 61, Ezekiel 16-18, Mark 5, Romans 12 GOD IS FAIR God has always been open with humanity. God does not change the rules and He has no moral surprises. From the beginning God sat down with man and clearly explained: The soul who sins shall die (Eze. 18:4, 20). Humanity has ever known that God […]
Region: Arab World
Freedom
Independence Day isn’t Independence Day without a barbecue in the park. So when my host country celebrates theirs, I pack up my family, friends, and a picnic. Since local women spend a majority of their lives indoors, this is one of few opportunities to meet them in the park. We plant our picnic paraphernalia under […]
Abiding in Jesus: July 29
READ: Psalm 60, Ezekiel 13-15, Mark 4, Romans 11 THE DIVINE RESPONSE The demonic attack so often launched against us is this: “You are alone! No one really understands. No one has gone through what you have gone through.” Variations on this lie include the temptation to think that we are exceptional (better than others), irreplaceable, […]
Abiding in Jesus: July 28
READ: Psalm 59, Ezekiel 10-12, Mark 3, Romans 10 THE JOY OF ENEMIES When David was being pursued by Saul, surrounded in his own home by those who would kill him, he had a very intriguing response. David asked God that his enemies be scattered, not slain “lest my people forget” (Psalm 59:11). We need enemies! God […]
Abiding in Jesus: July 27
READ: Psalm 58, Ezekiel 7-9, Mark 2, Romans 9 JUDGED AND REWARDED We must constantly be vigilant not to reduce God to a manageable deity by playing His complementary characteristics against themselves. Because our minds so desperately (and sincerely) want to understand God, we reduce Him to a formula and end up with a zero-sum […]
Abiding in Jesus: July 26
READ: Psalm 57, Ezekiel 4-6, Mark 1, Romans 8 CRUSHING GOD A mystery of God is that while we cannot hurt Him, we can crush His heart. In one sense God is above the sin and folly of man, immune to our attacks, transcendent over our emotion and folly. In another sense God came to earth and […]
Abiding in Jesus: July 25
READ: Psalm 56, Ezekiel 1-3, Matthew 28, Romans 7 CELEBRATING TRINITY Rebellion begins with a disbelief of who God is. If we really believe God is good, that He is in complete control, that He does all things well, that mercy crowns all His works, that He knows what is best for us–if we really […]
Abiding in Jesus: July 24
READ: Psalm 55, Lamentations 4-5, Matthew 27, Romans 6 SUSTAINED God’s intention for us is not mere survival–He wants us to thrive. As we draw ever closer to the return of King Jesus, thriving will become more and more of a challenge. War, famine, sickness, trouble, and evil all are going to increase. It is the height […]
Abiding in Jesus: July 23
READ: Psalm 54, Lamentations 1-3, Matthew 26, Romans 5 MERCY CONTEXT In Bible interpretation it is often said that “context is king” or “a text without a context is a pretext.” Some of the most popular and comforting Scripture passages are in effect sadly modulated for lack of appreciation for their context. Lamentations 3:22-24 is […]
Abiding in Jesus: July 22
READ: Psalm 53, Jeremiah 52, Matthew 25, Romans 4 ONLY BELIEVE When a collection of the fallen come together to dream about the evangelization of the world and the return of the King, there is for them but one hope: belief. In these last days as we look at the ideological giants who defiantly raise […]
