In Psalm 81, the Lord says to His people, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” (v.10a) This sentence captures a miracle that transcends anything we can fully comprehend.  Pastor Jim Denison comments: “Egypt was the greatest empire the world had ever seen, its military feared the world over. […]

Concerning the “Plague of Fear” that has so many bent under the burden of stress, Jeff Myers, President of Summit Ministries, comments: “Adam and Eve had it easy. No shame, no fear, no intimidation. They must have been like little children, excitedly chattering about their discoveries and making God smile. In a fallen world, however, […]

In the midst of enduring circumstances that stray outside the boundaries of all we consider normal, do you find yourself wondering when life will return to its normal rhythm? I must confess that in my carnal moments I idolize all that makes me comfortable. If you flesh that out, it means that anything outside of [...]

Not since the attacks of September 11, 2001, has a crisis enveloped so much of the economy so quickly. If you're like most Americans, you are worried not just about the global economy or the national outlook but about your personal finances and retirement accounts. But we are not the first Christ followers to have [...]

Redeeming the crisis. One of the ways that God wants to redeem this COVID-19 deal is by showing us how much we need Him! But the Lord also wants to redeem it by showing us how much we need each other. It is difficult to make sacrifices that don't seem necessary at the time. If America [...]

What does is mean to taste and see that the Lord is good? Psalm 34 is an acrostic poem; in this case, each line of verse begins with a different Hebrew letter, arranged in alphabetical order. The primary purpose of the psalm is to teach moral lessons about God. Its theme highlights God's constant care for His [...]

During the course of our discussion last week we commented that in order for us to have a heart that is pliable and responsive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we must trust in the One who gave us a heart capable of such a divine connection. Trust comes from knowing. Psalm 34:8 tells us how […]

Jeremiah 24:7 says: "I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart." Note that Jeremiah references the Whole Heart. In Hebrew there is no distinction between the head and [...]

Last week we examined a passage from Ezekiel 36 discovering that our God desires for us to have a tender or pliable heart that is responsive His promptings. In essence, He has created us to have an intimate relationship with Him. He desires to share His heart with ours. Unfortunately, so many view God as [...]

Ezekiel 36:25 - 28 tells us that God desires to give each of us a "heart of flesh" so that we will be pliable and responsive to Him. When touched by the finger of God, a tender heart yields to the pressure and assumes the form He desires. Verse 27 communicates the result of this [...]