If you noticed something different about that title, you are not mistaken. In an effort to keep things fresh and to make sure you know what you’re getting into when you start reading, I’m going to introduce a new section of the blog. I’ll call this new part, “Morning Musings” (with many thanks to Ron for the title). Read the rest…
“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.” (ESV – Read the chapter)
One of the single greatest duties a father has is to charge his son or daughter to grow to serve and love the Lord. Everything else we do for them and teach them must necessarily come secondary to that. But, this is a charge that will only be heard when they see us living it out in our own lives. If we do not demonstrate what it looks like to be faithful to the Lord in our own lives, they will not likely pursue it themselves. Through our words and deeds, our actions and attitudes, we must call them to the life of Christ. We must teach them the faith and how to defend it from those who would call them away from it. We must show them how to give of themselves for the benefit of others and why that is so important. We must implant deep in their hearts and minds an unshakable love of the church. We must make sure they know the love of Jesus because of the way we love them. Most of all, we must teach them to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. If we can do all of these things we will be counted successful. We will be counted successful and our legacy will be one worth celebrating.
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” (ESV)
Have you ever wasted money and you knew it? That’s a frustrating feeling. Maybe it isn’t at the time (or else you probably wouldn’t have done it!), but eventually that little nagging sense of regret develops and you have to decide you’ll ignore it or else find a way to make amends. Read the rest…
“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw–each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.” (ESV – Read the chapter)
What kind of work are you doing? If you are a follower of Jesus, you have a role to play in the advancement of His kingdom into the lives of the people around you. As Paul has described in the previous few verses, different people have different roles to play in the process. Read the rest…
“But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, ‘Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he his honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?'” (ESV – Read the chapter)
According to the wisdom of the world, the best way for a new leader to establish himself in his position and among his peers is with displays of power and strength. Hanun was convinced by his counselors that in order to show the world that he was a king not to be trifled with, he needed to respond to David’s offer of sympathy after the death of his father by treating the servants sent to bring the message poorly and humiliating them. The message was: This is what will happen to your whole kingdom if you mess with me. His counselors apparently didn’t know much about David. Read the rest…
The Nexus 