Digging in Deeper – Page 139

Digging in Deeper: Matthew 10:17-18

August 24, 2018August 21, 2018Leave a comment

“Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Jesus was nothing if not a realist when it came to the kind of reception His followers should expect when they set out to advance the kingdom by proclaiming the Gospel to the unbelieving world. He made this abundantly clear: We should expect trouble. In these couple of verses He makes clear we should expect three different kinds of persecution. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: 1 Samuel 4:3

August 22, 2018August 21, 2018Leave a comment

“And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, ‘Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.'” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Have you ever been to a magic show? I’ve seen a few live, but I’ve watched plenty of them on TV. I love magic shows. I enjoy trying to figure out the tricks, but I enjoy even more being completely stumped. The best magic tricks always leave you feeling a bit like the magician has some kind of power over the natural world. He can make things happen that aren’t supposed to happen naturally. This is the connection modern magicians have with their more ancient counterparts. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: 1 Samuel 2:5

August 17, 2018August 14, 2018Leave a comment

“Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Put yourself in Hannah’s shoes for a moment. If you are a woman there is a chance you can. She had been barren for years. In spite of much effort, childbearing remained painfully elusive. Meanwhile the woman she was forced to be with all the time seemed to be able to get pregnant at the drop of a hat. They each had the thing the other desired most, though: Peninnah, children, and Hannah, Elkhanah’s heart. Peninnah could at least take solace in her many children. Hannah merely endured the constant scorn of her rival and wondered why God hated her so much. And then she was pregnant. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Judges 20:27-28

August 10, 2018August 7, 2018Leave a comment

“And the people of Israel inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, and Phineas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, ‘Shall we go out once more to battle against our brothers, the people of Benjamin, or shall we cease?’ And the Lord said, ‘Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.'” (ESV – Read the chapter)

The people were surely confused by now. They felt they were doing their righteous duty by punishing the people of Benjamin militarily for not condemning the terrible acts of the evil men of Gibeah, but also for refusing to turn them over so the rest of the nation could hold only them accountable. Their refusal amounted to a defense of their actions which essentially made the whole tribe guilty of them. But now, even after seeking the Lord together for direction twice and feeling assured of His presence to guide them, they had lost in battle against the Benjaminites twice…badly. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Judges 16:4

August 8, 2018August 7, 2018Leave a comment

“After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Sometimes God works through our strengths. Sometimes our weaknesses. In Samson’s case, the latter was most definitely the case. Samson has many weaknesses, but his near total inability to choose wisely when it came to women was very near the top of the list. Read the rest…