Compassion

Photo by Melissa Laun on Unsplash We live in a violent world; it becomes more violent every day. But Psalm 11 tells us that the Lord hates anyone who loves violence. How do we reconcile that with the state of our world? Scripture:        1 Samuel, chapter 18; 1 Chronicles, chapter 6; Psalm 11; Matthew, chapter 3 Psalm 11 (CEB): I have taken refuge in the Lord. So how can you […]

Photo by Greg Jenkins on Unsplash In the midst of a world that is filled with anger and fear, Psalm 9 reminds us that “the Lord rules forever!” So let’s thank him and trust him to lead us each day! Scripture:        1 Samuel, chapter 17; Psalm 9; Matthew, chapter 2 Psalm 9:1-10 (CEB): I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart; I will talk about all your wonderful acts. […]

Photo by Dona Moltio on Unsplash “Don’t look back!” We often recognize the importance of moving ahead, leaving the past behind. Samuel challenges the Israelites to not turn back to their sin, but to follow God faithfully! Scripture:        1 Samuel, chapters 11-12; 1 Chronicles, chapter 1; 2 Corinthians, chapter 11 1 Samuel 12:18-25 (CEB): Samuel called upon the Lord, and God sent thunder and rain on that very day. Then all […]

Photo by Alec Krum on Unsplash The old saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Today’s passage from 1 Samuel 8 illustrates that in a powerful way! Scripture:        1 Samuel, chapters 8-10; 2 Corinthians, chapter 10 1 Samuel 8:1-9 (CEB): Now when Samuel got old, he appointed his sons to serve as Israel’s judges. The name of his oldest son was Joel; the name of […]

The priests and diviners of the Philistines said, “Why be stubborn like the Egyptians and Pharaoh?” Even though they didn’t serve the God of Israel, they recognized his power. So why don’t we? Scripture:        1 Samuel, chapters 6-7; Psalm 72; 2 Corinthians, chapter 9 1 Samuel 6:1-9 (CEB): The Lord’s chest was in Philistine territory […] Source link

Rick, Frank, and David Rice (author’s photo) My Dad “My dad passed away last Thursday.” Actually, it was a few Thursdays ago – March 14, to be exact. But that phrase – “My dad passed away last Thursday” – has been stuck in my head ever since then. As time went on, I realized that I was not going to be able to write anything else until I wrote about […]

Photo by trail on Unsplash In Psalm 27, David prays “to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life.” What does that mean for us? What does that look like in our lives? Scripture:        Numbers, chapters 10-11; Psalm 27; Mark, chapter 1 Psalm 27 (CEB): The Lord is my light and my salvation. Should I fear anyone? The Lord is a fortress protecting my life. Should I […]

Photo by Alec Krum on Unsplash The Israelites saw God’s presence in “the Lord’s cloud”; that enabled them to know the Lord’s command. But “knowing” and “doing” are two different things! Scripture:        Numbers, chapters 8-9; Acts, chapter 28 Numbers 9:15-23 (CEB): On the day the dwelling was erected, the cloud covered the dwelling. At night until morning, the cloud appeared with lightning over the dwelling. It was always there. The […]

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash In Numbers 6, God tells Moses to have the priests bless the people. The first line of that blessing is, “The Lord bless you and keep you.” How does God want to bless us? Scripture:        Numbers, chapters 5-6; Psalm 22; Acts, chapter 26 Numbers 6:22-27 (CEB): The Lord spoke to Moses: Tell Aaron and his sons: You will bless the Israelites as follows. Say […]