1 Kings 13:1-26 Vs 19: "So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house". In this account in I Kings 13, a prophet came to King Jeroboam with a word from the Lord. This prophet was given specific words to say and specific actions to take ("You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.") The prophet obeyed God when asked by the ki...

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" John 10:27 July 6th: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them," John 10:27b Jesus moves from the amazing reality that He gives us His life giving voice to a statement that is beyond human comprehension. The God of all eternity,the God who rules the nations, the very sovereign King of all kings knows us! He know...

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" John 10:27 July 5th: "My sheep hear My voice," John 10:27aJesus makes a statement here that has riveted me for many years: "My sheep hear My voice..." He doesn't say "My sheep might hear my voice" or "My sheep can hear My voice" or "My sheep have My permission to hear My voice." Instead Jesus says, as a stateme...

Reading: Ezekiel 16 'God of Grace' "When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!' Ezekiel 6:6 God's grace and splendor is so easily forgotten when everything is going well. God's grace is the focus in this story about an unwanted child born out of har...

Reading: Ezekiel 14 'Idols in the Closet' Then some elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all? Ezekiel 14:1-3 A continual examination of my ...

Reading: Ezekiel 3 'Preparation for Service' "Then He said to me, 'Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. He said to me, "Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you." Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth. Ezek 3:1-3...

Reading: Job 38 'Hey Mister Know-it-All!' "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Job 38:2 The best way to acquire and maintain humility is residing in the presence of God. It is His doing and delight to keep us humble, not ours, because we are not very good at it. The Puritans knew how to practice the presence of God in prayer. Consider the follow...

Reading: Nehemiah 1 'Prayer that Gets God's Attention' "When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven". Neh 1:4 When all things are lost, and your freedom is taken away, without a doubt one can feel a sense of hopelessness. Psalm 137:1-4 gives us a little insight into the life of the children o...

Reading: Ruth 1 'The Mark of a Follower' "But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go," Ruth 1:16 Loyalty is not a common value practiced in our culture anymore. We know of many instances where spouses are not loyal, politicians are not loyal, law enforcement officers are not loyal, church members are not loya...

Reading: 1 Samuel 8 'Let's be Like Everyone Else' "Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, "Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations." But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge...