Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Old Testament

Do We Really Pray?

PSALM 109:1-4 – Be not silent, O God of my praise!  For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues.  They encircle me with words of hate and attack me without cause.  In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.” Do you pray?  Please don’t delete me. I am not…

Yes, The Devil Is Real and Personal

JOB 1:6-12 – Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said…

Covered With the Blanket Of His Love

PROVERBS 10:12 – Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.”   We hurt people. People hurt us.  We say words we regret.  People say words to us they regret.  We sin against other Christians.  Other Christians sin against us.  We disappoint family members. Family members disappoint us.  These and many more failings in our relationships with people are simply facts…

Counterfeit Joy

ESTHER 5:9-14 – And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. And Haman recounted to them the…

Overcoming Discouragement in God’s Work

EZRA 4:4–5 – Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.”    In today’s scripture, God’s people are rebuilding the temple.  It is hard work met with…