Chapters 15 and 16 of Isaiah reveal the coming judgment of Moab. Why would the prophet focus on a nation other than...
Are we supposed to be like God? This question can’t be answered with a simple yes or no, because the answer is yes and no—yes, in some ways, no, in other ways. In...
You can only be who you are. That sounds obvious enough, and we've all heard that message in one form or another. But many of us still try to be people we are...
For those of us who are so used to the grace of God, it’s easy to forget God’s justice. He does not dismiss evil as no big deal, something so common in our...
Do you drink deeply from the fountain of salvation? Or do you simply take a sip every now and then? Sometimes we...
We all know that the only opinion that truly counts is God's opinion. If you are doing the will of God, then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of you, your job...
In the early weeks of my new job as a school administrator, I crossed the campus with Headmaster Walter Sorensen. Slender and tall, he wore glasses and was never without a spark in...
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The greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves. (Luke 22:26)As a brash young college student, I attended a lecture by Ramsey Clark, former United...
God used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purposes, executing divine judgment upon Israel. But the king didn’t recognize that he was being used by the Lord. Instead, he boasted of his...
Throughout the Scriptures, God cares profoundly about justice. As it says in Psalm 99:4, he is the “Mighty King, lover of justice.” In particular, God seeks justice for those who aren’t in...
I can’t read this passage without hearing echoes of the glorious chorus from Handel’s Messiah: “For unto us a child is born. . . .” I envision a booming choir and a sanctuary...
Writer and professor J. Schaap has a nice piece out called, "Harvest Moon." ...
As Israel faced the imminence of a foreign invasion, all of their attention was focused on their enemies, rather than on the Lord. Isaiah called the people to put God first in their...
When Ahaz was king of Judah, the northern kingdom of Israel allied itself with Syria against Judah. No doubt this deeply troubled Ahaz and his subjects. But, through Isaiah, God reassured Ahaz,...
There are two places I stop for coffee in the morning: one if I'm in a hurry, and one if I'm not. My "in a hurry" stop is one of the nearly 10...
This post is from the Church Whisperer. ...
In an earlier chapter of my work life, I served as director of web marketing for a large hospital. It was a vibrant place with a compelling mission: to make sick children well. ...
When one of our children has felt rejected by a group or thought she was unattractive and unacceptable, my stomach has tightened and I have ached for her. I've wanted to run and...
Isaiah 6 begins with the prophet’s vision of a thrice-holy God. Isaiah’s first response is to lament his own sinfulness. Yet, through an angel, God removes Isaiah’s sin. Then the Lord poses a.....
