Truth Teacher

“You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”  This verse struck me in a new way today.  Not because of the sheer magnitude of it’s importance, but because of the context in which it was spoken.  I am referring to Matthew 4:10 and it was Jesus that quotes this Scripture to Satan, after Satan wants Jesus to worship him.  Think about this.  God (John 1:1), in human flesh (John 1:14), who inspired the Scriptures for man (2 Tim 3:16-17) is now quoting them back to a being that is not human and lives in a different realm.  This shows the universal impact of the inspired Word of God.  Jesus doesn’t quote from some heavenly doxology or some unwritten ideology, he uses a commandment spoken to men for his defense.  The truth spoken in the pages of our Bible hold the same power in heaven as they do on earth.  I just found that amazing.  That Jesus could have used anything for his defense and yet he goes to the written and i...

There it is, in black and white, OMG is among the top Twitter abbreviations.  O my God!  A term commonly used by teenagers and young adults as an expression of surprise or amazement, especially in instant messaging or other social media.  This little expression has been so misused and overused that today as I read Psalm 25, I was stopped in my tracks at verse 2. "O my God, in you I trust; let my not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me." I could barely get past the phrase "O my God" without hearing it in a teenage girl's voice.  A phrase once used by the humble and contrite to express the deep longings of their heart, is now redefined by a generation that has forsaken God.  I would love to call it ironic but it's what a nation does that turns their back on God.  We take the familiar items of worship and veneration and we alter our perception and dispell the original meaning.  Psalm 25 was the second passage of Scripture I read on ...

The Key to Continued Success As Joshua led Israel from victory to victory through the promised land, the time came to send them away to their new homes.  God had been their victor.  God had conquered the land.  The people had served the Lord all the days of Joshua (Joshua 24:31a) and God had blessed them.  Unlike the skilled politician who talks a lot but says nothing or the legal quagmire of endless documents required to buy a home, Joshua’s final speech is short, simple and ever so powerful.  He lays out the key to continued success in a few short words:     “Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”  Joshua 22:5 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away to their homes. You have been successful and you...

Have you ever seen the show “Fear Factor”?  I seen a few episodes, enough to get the general gist.  For the chance to win a large sum of money, you are put in difficult situations and given a task.  If you complete the task ahead of your competitor, you win.  What makes the situation more difficult is the fact that the show preys on your fears.  They capitalize on your fears by showing you the dangers that you must face before you ever start the task.  How often have I heard a Christian say, “If you knew what God had in store for you, you never would have done it.”  As I reflect on the last 12 years, I know that this statement is true.  My journey, not yet complete, has been shrouded in mystery.  Last summer I had no earthly idea that I would be were I am today.  And, it would come as no surprise if next summer I look back on this summer and say the same.  God reveals just what we need, when we need it, so that we have the opportun...

    Mankind, He has told you what is good     and what it is the LORD requires of you:     to act justly,     to love faithfulness,     and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (HCSV)       He has told you, O man, what is good;       and what does the LORD require of you       but to do justice, and to love kindness,       and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 (ESV)

This morning I was reading about some of the most influential men in Scripture.  Abraham, Moses, David, Abel and Enoch.  They are influential to every Christian that ever has been and ever will be.  I think you could sum up their reason for eternal impact in a word, “relationship”, specifically relationship with their God. The Scriptures reveal the importance of their personal relationship to the Almighty God which at times resembles best friends.    Quick, in a word or two, what character trait is associated with Abraham?  Faith.   How about David?  Heart for God.   This one might be a bit harder, Moses? You might say humble, you might say spoke to God face to face, like two friends or you might just say relationship.   All these biblical heros are canonized by their hallmark accomplishments and their walk with their Creator.  It is the relationship they had with God that makes them stand apart...even to this day.  They ...

The way we think, the way we respond, our actions to any given situation is defined by our life view.  I have been watching the new series Duck Dynasty and I have to say I love it.  Redneck millionaires that, for the most part, have not allowed their riches to change “who” they are.  Yes, they live in mansions, they drive expensive cars and they fly to business meetings in helicopters, but they still eat off the land, have strong moral values and recognize the importance of family and God.  For us city dwellers, I would venture to surmise that the majority of us are more susceptible to our environment.  We grow restless and discontent with our two year old car, we want a bigger and better house (though we can’t afford it), we see what our neighbors have and we desire to have the same...or better.  Hollywood produces our heros and they change spouses more often than we change cars.  We venerate their unrealistic lifestyle with reality TV (see the iron...