“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” (ESV – Read the chapter)
Friday morning I started a conversation with you about two important things that we’ve got to understand in what Jesus says here. The first thing is that we are going to be judged someday and so need to be living like it now. Read the rest…
“And Joshua said, ‘Alas, O Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we have been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! . . .The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?'” (ESV – Read the chapter)
Joshua was devastated and dismayed. He had put his entire being on the line before the people that God was leading them to occupy this land and drive out its inhabitants entirely. They had crossed the Jordan on dry ground. They had conquered Jericho with its impregnable walls. There was nothing that could stand in their way for the Lord was obviously with them. And then they got beat by Ai. Read the rest…
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (ESV – Read the chapter)
Isn’t this a nice verse of deliverance? God delivers us from all of our afflictions. What great comfort this offers us when we are low. God won’t leave you on the ground when you are down. That could almost go on a bumper sticker. My take? If that’s how you are reacting to this verse, you might want to take a second look…and this time, take a minute to actually read it. Read the rest…
“…as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” (ESV – Read the chapter)
Here, Paul is talking about his current physical situation and how some folks are responding to it. Just before v. 20 here, he talks about people who are sharing the Gospel out of both pure and selfish motives. Either way, Paul says, the Gospel is proclaimed, which brings him joy. Verse 20 is followed by his much more famous declaration that to live is Christ, but to die is gain. Read the rest…
“Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink. . .Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (ESV – Read the chapter)
Do you want to live like a king? Who doesn’t? And yet, what exactly does it mean to live like a king? Most cultures certainly have an answer to that question. It means getting to be wealthy. It mean getting to have whatever–or whomever–you want. It means getting to do whatever you want. It means getting to go to neat places and meet amazing people. It means getting to live like…well…a king. Read the rest…
The Nexus 