Do you cut corners? Do you tell yourself, ‘it will be okay, just this once’? King Saul did. Before one battle, Israel was greatly outnumbered. The Philistine army had “troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore” 1 Samuel 13:5. The men of Israel were terrified and “hid in caves, thickets, among rocks, andContinue reading “Corner Cutting.”
Category Archives: Obedience
Israel Rejected its True King.
When Israel kept begging for a king (“so we can be like the other nations”), God finally gave them Saul. And they were pleased: Saul was exactly what people would want in a king—he was handsome and stood a head taller than everyone else, an impressive physical specimen. He probably had a deep voice andContinue reading “Israel Rejected its True King.”
The Spirit of the Lord Took Control of Gideon.
Do you ever feel amazed by the incredible feats in the Bible? How did Samson kill 1,000 men with a piece of bone? How did little David, a teenager at best, face Goliath with such boldness? How did Gideon and 300 men take on over 100,000 Midianites—an enemy who filled the land “like a greatContinue reading “The Spirit of the Lord Took Control of Gideon.”
Perfection and Perfect Obedience.
Is it possible to be perfect? Well, how do you define “perfect”? It is not possible to be perfectly sinless. But it is possible to earn a perfect score on a test, right? Is anyone in the Bible perfect? God’s word never hides the flaws of God’s people: Moses was angry, Joseph was spoiled, NoahContinue reading “Perfection and Perfect Obedience.”
Oratory.
There is nothing like a great speech. President Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg after a battle that claimed 50,000 lives (MLB stadiums seat 40,000) and in 275 words he assured the nation it would survive the war. Martin Luther King took the pulpit at the most inspiring location in America, convincing 200,000 that his dream wasContinue reading “Oratory.”
Choose Life!
Karma. You reap what you sow. What goes around comes around. Moment on the lips, lifetime on the hips. Consequences are an essential truth of the universe: EVERYONE reaps what they sow. Nonbelievers who work hard and live honest, clean lives, are healthier financially, physically, emotionally, and in other ways. They may have better families,Continue reading “Choose Life!”
Choices.
Life is a series of choices, right? You have good options and bad options. God says: “Today I have set before you both life and blessings, death and curses. For I am commanding you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, statutes, and ordinances, soContinue reading “Choices.”
Walk the Talk.
When Christian television came to Houston, there was one bit of Christian lingo I had not heard until I heard it shouted by TV preachers: “I am the head and NOT the tail!” Preachers would encourage audiences to claim it, believe it. To personally put on that phrase like a winning golfer putting on aContinue reading “Walk the Talk.”
How Do You Keep Children Obedient?
If you were God, you would face the challenge of parenting humans: when you bless them, they get cocky, rude, and selfish. When you punish them, they repent—but it hurts to watch them suffer. This is the Deuteronomic principle: if you love children, you want to lavish them with gifts—but when you do they becomeContinue reading “How Do You Keep Children Obedient?”
Why Do We Obey?
God provides reasons to obey His laws. Most obvious? To avoid punishment. Consider: These punishments are SEVERE and are a warning that God takes them seriously. He knows we need the fear of consequences. When we are tempted, sometimes only the fear of horrible consequences can stop us. But as we grow in Christ, aContinue reading “Why Do We Obey?”
Household Words: 