Because of their rebellion and disobedience, the Jewish people had been taken captive into Babylon for seventy years (Jeremiah 29). There are always consequences for sin, the most significant being separation from the Lord. When we feel that separation and desire to be restored to the Lord, repentance is beginning […]
Have you ever longed to be in the presence of the Lord? The psalmist in Psalm 84 described his deep desire to be in God’s presence and the blessings that came from it. He begins by saying, “How lovely is Your dwelling place, Lord Almighty” (v. 1). During that day, […]
Have you ever felt surrounded by enemies, like everyone was out to get you? While it’s doubtful that everyone is against you, it can sometimes feel that way. We must take captive vain imaginations that exaggerate the work of the enemy (2 Corinthians 10:5). We must submit ourselves to God […]
A Scripture commonly taken out of context today is “judge not lest you be judged” (Matthew 7:1). The correct interpretation of that passage (Matthew 7:1-6) is cautioning wrong judgment, not no judgment at all. For instance, verses 3-4 instruct someone to consider the plank in their eye before rendering judgment […]
Worship and obedience go together. If we worship without obedience, we celebrate God only when He does what we want how we want it. If we obey without worship, we respond to God’s Word and Spirit begrudgingly. One without the other soon cancels the other out. If we only attempt […]
God can reconcile those divided, whether a marriage, church, family, or friends. He knows how to make two become one (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5) and two groups one (Ephesians 2:14). Asaph’s prayer in Psalm 80 was for the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah to be […]
The sins of one generation can affect those of the next generation. How detrimental are sins like drunkenness, anger, and child abuse? They can have long-lasting adverse effects and sometimes cause children to follow in their parent’s wicked footsteps. As Lamentations 5:7 says, “Our ancestors sinned and are no more, […]
As a parent, I want my kids to learn from my mistakes and do things better than I did at their age. Foremost, I want them to serve the Lord in their youth and lay a foundation of following Jesus that carries over into their children. This was the heart […]
Have you ever lay awake in bed, not able to sleep because you had questions for God? I have. Asaph did. Asaph mourned over the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of the Jews. In Psalm 77, Asaph prayed to God in the middle of the night in his distress. […]
Which do you praise more, the miracle or the God of the miracle? God performed a miracle when He defended Judah and defeated the King of Assyria and his army in their sleep (Isaiah 37-38 and 2 Kings 18-19). God did an amazing miracle for His people! In Psalm 76, […]
STEPHEN R HARRISON 