After forty sweltering years in the wilderness, Moses is about to die, and the people of Israel stand ready to enter the long-awaited Promised Land without him. Since a new generation has grown up in the wilderness after Sinai, Moses reiterates the Law in his farewell address, the book we know as Deuteronomy (literally, “second … Continue reading Learning to Cling
Category: Spiritual Growth
The Lie of Easy Obey-ism
Did you attend Bible camp as a kid? I did, and it was probably my favorite place in the whole world. I loved the games, the cabin competitions, and the friends I’d see up there once a year. I even loved the food. (There was one very long, very steep hike that I didn’t care … Continue reading The Lie of Easy Obey-ism
Enough Really Is Enough
The most important day in the history of Israel had finally arrived. It had been 480 years since God had parted the Red Sea and freed His chosen people from slavery. And now, nearly five centuries later, Yahweh had a temple. Of course, King Solomon built this wonder of the ancient world, replete with splendor … Continue reading Enough Really Is Enough
Prayers to Kill the Green-Eyed Monster
We can thank one man for a number of common words. Hostile, auspicious, dwindle, and watchdog were all first written down by the Bard of Stratford, William Shakespeare. He coined a number of phrases still in use five centuries later as well. If you’ve told your teenager that he’s going to “eat you out of … Continue reading Prayers to Kill the Green-Eyed Monster
Are You a Control Freak?
King Asa wasn’t an idolater like his father. In fact, he did much to rid the southern kingdom of Judah of its pagan idols. Still, he was an idolater all the same. And he had the diseased feet to prove it. You can read the account for yourself in 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles … Continue reading Are You a Control Freak?
Do You Crave Comfort?
Do you ever whine about “first-world problems”? My guess is that, like me, you probably do. Anger with a cell phone battery that dies too quickly or a weak WiFi signal, a pizza delivery that arrived ten minutes late or the library not having the new release that I can’t wait to read (but don’t … Continue reading Do You Crave Comfort?
For My Fellow Approval Junkies
Whether or not you have a golden calf hanging out in your backyard, you are an idolater. So am I. Pastor Brad Bigney defines an idol this way: “An idol is anything or anyone that begins to capture our hearts and minds and affections more than God.” This means that a pagan deity, a number … Continue reading For My Fellow Approval Junkies
Are You Satisfied?
Which Disney princess are you? Which Hogwarts house would you be sorted into? What’s your Enneagram number? What’s your love language? Questions like these suck us in because we love personality tests. Or, more accurately, we love finding out about ourselves. We find it endlessly fascinating to delve into our own psyches and try to … Continue reading Are You Satisfied?
A One-Flavor Fountain
What do you do if you’re held hostage in the stomping grounds of a big-time war hero whom you defeated against the longest of odds? No SWAT team is on its way; and, in fact, the leader of your home country would like nothing more than to see these enemies do you in. How will … Continue reading A One-Flavor Fountain
Prayer Requests for a Critical Heart
I promise I’m not critical. I just happen to know how to do things the right way, and I want to use my gift of correct-ness to help others. Is that so bad? Actually, it is. And, actually, I am critical. From grammatical errors in the book I’m reading to what songs we should sing … Continue reading Prayer Requests for a Critical Heart
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