“Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.” (ESV)
When was the last time something unjust or even simply deeply inconvenient happened that prompted you to think, “I’ve got to do something about this”? Did you follow through on that thought? How did that go? Read the rest…
“And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'” (ESV – Read the chapter)
This has always struck me as one of the more remarkable stories in the Exodus narrative. Here were Joshua and the people of Israel ready once again to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land. The bounty of God’s provision and promise lay ahead of them. The only thing that stands in their way is the Jordan River. But, this should present no real trouble to them. After all, God had already parted a whole sea for them. What threat does a river pose? Read the rest…
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV – Read the chapter)
This verse is one of the single biggest clichés in the Scriptures. We hear it often as a way to justify practically anything. If something bad happens, well, God will work it out for good. If something good happens, see, Paul was right. If something good doesn’t happen quickly after something bad, well, we must not love Him very well. If tragedy strikes, God can still bring good out of this even though you can’t imagine what it could be. Clichés! Read the rest…
This week we begin a brand new series called Stand Up: How to Fight Injustice. For the next six weeks and with the story of Esther as our guide, we are going to look at how as followers of Jesus we can stand effectively against injustice in the world around us. Sometimes we’ll be called to do that in big, bold ways, but more often than not, our best chances will be small and seemingly insignificant. But, if we don’t make them, injustice is given that much more space to flourish, so make them we must. Stay tuned in the weeks ahead for how to do it.
Be Ready to Stand
Have you ever heard the word “serendipity” before? I’m sure you have. Better question: Do you know what it means? You might know it was the title of a romantic comedy starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. That doesn’t really answer the question, though. Serendipity is a word used to describe a random, but fortunate turn of circumstances. In other words, serendipity is when something good happens to you totally unexpectedly. The idea is that the universe has contrived to bless you in some kind of a way without your realizing it. Now, this is not a concept that connects with the Christian worldview at all. As followers of Jesus, we believe that God is the giver of all good gifts, not some impersonal entity such as “the universe.” But, many people don’t have a category for something like this happening because they don’t have the proper worldview framework and so they simply call it serendipity. Read the rest…
“O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (ESV – Read the chapter)
Where do you look when you are surrounded by troubles in this life? When things seem to have fallen completely to pieces, on what do you first set your eyes? Read the rest…
The Nexus 