Let’s Hear It for Leviticus!
Why would God punish people for sins they didn’t know they were committing?
Bible Commentaries
If It Happened to Him …
Quick: What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say “Balaam”? Talking donkey? Greedy? Sold out God’s people? This is generally how we remember him. But we sometimes forget that Balaam was actually a prophet of God. Yes, a real prophet! In fact, he was so accustomed to talking to the Almighty …
Choosing Praise
Imagine this: You’re the head elder in a church that’s really on fire—growing, praising God, sharing the Word. One day some folks from a sister church move to the community and join your congregation. They fit right in. They’re strong in the faith and don’t mind working—just the sort of members every pastor loves. Except …
God’s Job Interview
I don’t know about you, but I’m not particularly good at interviews. Yet they seem to be a part of life, whether for college entrance, grad school, or job applications. For me, probably the toughest question is one everyone seems to ask: Why do you want to come/work here? Unless you’re being interviewed for your …
Warning: Biohazard
A nasty virus like smallpox or ebola is never “safe,” even when it’s contained in a laboratory. A contained biohazard is safer, but it is never safe. No matter how many times a lab technician sees a sign like this one, she can never, ever grow lax in her protocols for suiting up, handling, and …
God’s Delights
Have you ever had divinity? Mmm, mmm, good! As a kid, I thought that this yummy confection of egg whites, sugar, and nuts was actually from Heaven. I mean, who but God had the right to give it such a pretentious name? So I figured it must be His favorite candy, and I imagined Him …
Jonah the … Jerk?
Okay, maybe that’s a bit strong, but, really, what was Jonah thinking? He preaches to a doomed city, gets probably the best response any evangelist has ever received … and gets mad? I’m talking about Jonah 4, which is today’s chapter in the Revived By His Word reading plan. The commentary by Jim Ayer on …
How stubborn are you?
Anyone who’s ever been around a toddler knows the meaning of the word “stubborn.” To a two-year-old, “No!” means “Try again later when mom’s not looking.” Although we don’t generally consider stubbornness to be a desirable quality, I have to wonder if it wasn’t one reason for Elijah’s effectiveness. He just kept on praying for …
Handling Hostility
I’ve never understood politicians. Why would anybody want a job where, no matter what you do, somebody’s sure to complain and call you names? Talk about a hostile work environment! Apparently running a country was just as tough in David’s time, and it sometimes got him down: “The enemy has pursued me, crushing me to …
Right Sacrifices
In Psalm 4:5, David gives us some good advice: “Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord” (NIV). Among the blessings we’re to reap from this are great joy and peaceful sleep (verses 7 and 8). Sounds great, doesn’t it? In our hectic world, such blessings are priceless. Just one question: What are “right sacrifices”? …