Nations have long struggled with corruption in government. What if organized crime bosses are paying bribes to the police so officers will look the other way? Who will police the police? What do you do when the justice system is unjust? What can you do when men of God are ungodly? Peter says, “It isContinue reading “Policing the Police. Joshua 8:25.”
Tag Archives: holiness
Do you imagine Jesus as a judge or as a forgiver? John 8:10-11.
Is Jesus Judge or Forgiver? He’s both. He is God. He will judge sin. But to His people He offers infinite grace. He said to the woman caught in adultery: “Where are your accusers? Does no one condemn you? Neither do I condemn you. [But don’t miss the next sentence]: Now go your way andContinue reading “Do you imagine Jesus as a judge or as a forgiver? John 8:10-11.”
THAT VERSE I ONCE SHARED WITH COOPER WOLFF…. Ezekiel 44:18-23.
Ezekiel 41-44 is not a passage with a lot of practical application, but I like this part about Israel’s priests: “They are not to put on anything that makes them sweat…. They may not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but must carefully trim their hair. No priest may drink wine beforeContinue reading “THAT VERSE I ONCE SHARED WITH COOPER WOLFF…. Ezekiel 44:18-23.”
JESUS HEALS ADDICTION. Jeremiah 3:22
God used Jeremiah to confront Israel about its idolatry and unfaithfulness. The book prophecies destruction and judgment for 52 chapters. At one point, God reminds Israel of its own addictions, that the people are not faithful to God, but continue to be seduced by every new stranger or idol that comes along. God argues thatContinue reading “JESUS HEALS ADDICTION. Jeremiah 3:22”
Obedience, Holiness, Glory.
Do you remember Uzzah? He touched the ark of the covenant and died. “Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord burned and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died” 2 Samuel 6:6-7. Why did heContinue reading “Obedience, Holiness, Glory.”
Corner Cutting.
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.”
Bald Samson.
God called His people to be different. Holy. Set apart. A “peculiar people.” The nation followed complex food laws. They circumcised every male child. They sacrificed animals. They never worked on Saturday. Sometimes God’s “Peculiar People” must have felt peculiar. Within Israel, there were individuals whose lives were even more peculiar: Levites, priests, and NaziritesContinue reading “Bald Samson.”
Worship Means Recognizing God’s Holiness.
“Holy” means “other.” God is OTHER than us, He is different, He is perfect. He embodies TOTAL TRUTH and PERFECT PURITY. He must be FEARED and RESPECTED. After a lifetime witnessing miracles, Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu were ordained as priests through a week-long process of sacrifices. How did they respond? “Now Nadab and AbihuContinue reading “Worship Means Recognizing God’s Holiness.”
Mercy and Holiness.
What if your son treated a loaded gun like a toy? What would you do? Some things require an absolutely sober seriousness, right? It’s not about the child, but the NATURE OF THE OBJECT. Guns, by nature, command sobriety and respect. They are DIFFERENT than other things. They are SET APART. Aaron’s sons brought “unauthorizedContinue reading “Mercy and Holiness.”
Would You Stop for the Burning Bush?
While Moses was shepherding his father-in-law’s sheep, he saw a bush that was burning, but not burning up. Moses said “I must turn aside and see this marvelous sight…!” Exodus 3:2-4. Burning but not burning up is an indication of holiness. This was a special fire, a holy fire, a fire that lit up theContinue reading “Would You Stop for the Burning Bush?”
Household Words: 