Read Reflect After reading yesterday’s passage of hope and joy, we have one lingering fear. How do we know it won’t happen all over again and that history won’t repeat itself after Israel has returned to the Promised Land? With prophetic insight Jeremiah answers this question. This is the only place in the Old Testament […]
Read More cross, new covenant, communion, faithfulness
In the movie The Passion of Christ, Pontius Pilate asks his wife: “What is truth, Claudia? Do you hear it, recognize it when it is spoken?” We live in a day and age where there is a whole range of differing beliefs about God, scripture, and other spiritual matters. Things really don’t change that much, do they? In this chapter, Paul is confronted with a church that has been led astray by false teachings.
Read More truth, faithfulness, shepherd
Psalm 78 rehearses sad events from Israel’s past and does so for a purpose. The psalmist “give[s] instruction and explain[s] the mystery of what happened long ago” (v 2). God gave his people his law so they would know how to obey him in a way that would please him and allow their lives to flourish (vv 5-8).
Read More obedience, faithfulnessPaul is writing to the Corinthians about coming to make sure they are being truly faithful to Jesus. He urges them to evaluate themselves before he gets there. He wants them not to sin so that when he comes he does not have to be hard on them. Finally, he prays for their restoration (v 9).
Read More peace, self-examination, faithfulness, readinessPaul leaves Greece and proceeds on his way to Jerusalem before the Feast of Pentecost. We learn from the book of Romans that Paul has an offering for the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. This financial aid had been collected from the Gentile churches in Macedonia and Achaia.
Read More faithfulness, perseverance, risk, finishing the course, going to the endThe world can seem like an ugly place. Evil at times appears overwhelming, even unstoppable: it is easy to slip into the mindset that there is little hope. We look at the big picture and see random acts of terror destroying lives and societal trust. We look around us and find small acts of offense at almost every turn.
Read More evil, sin, faithfulnessHaving turned the spotlight on sins which marred the believers’ witness, Paul calls them to face up to their guilt. Aware that he’s been appointed by Christ to be a witness to His people, he seeks to correct, comfort and guide them.
Read More faithfulness, purity
These verses are straightforward advice about marriage. They are a warning to remain faithful, to be content, to be happy, to “stay deeply in love.”
Read More faithfulness, marriage
“Let those suffering in accordance with God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful creator, while continuing to do good” (4:19 NRSV). This is a good summary of 1 Peter’s theology of suffering. It does more than acknowledge the reality of persecution and suffering; it expects it and accepts it as an element of God’s will.
But not just any suffering qualifies. Suffering caused by unethical and criminal behaviour is not within God’s will.
Read More suffering, love, faithfulness, conflict, standing outMalachi’s harsh words of judgment now fall on the common people. His complaint is that they have been unfaithful in their spiritual and human relationships. They have gone after other gods, worshipping them, even disgracing the temple recently rebuilt. Even when they worship, it is not with the heart.
Read More judgment, covenant, forgiveness, faithfulness, marriage