The End Is Praise!
The end is praise. The last Psalm reveals our chief end as the people of God!
Prayer in the Midst of the Insurmountable
When we are at our weakest, God delights to show himself strong. Pray to that end.
The Word of His Grace
Day 181 2 Kings 17:1‐18:12; Acts 20:1‐38; Psalm 148:1‐14; Proverbs 18:6‐7 The Word of His Grace Today’s reading, Acts 20, relates Paul’s journey through Macedonia, Greece, and parts of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) on his way to Jerusalem, where he expected to encounter “imprisonment and afflictions.” As he meets with believers, he encourages them,…
Deeper in My Faith
Day 180 2 Kings 15:1-16:20; Acts 19:13-41; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 18:4-5 Deeper in My Faith As a child, I desired to go deeper in my faith. Faith was explained to me as having two components: believing in who God is, and trusting everything about Him. My youth pastor often used the illustration of a chair…
Do Not Put Your Trust In Princes
Day 179 2 Kings 13:1-14:29; Acts 18:23-19:12; Psalm 146:1-10; Proverbs 18: 2-3 Do Not Put Your Trust In Princes Psalm 146 has really struck a chord for me. How easy it is for us to put too much trust in other people. We do it through love and admiration most of the time and maybe…
God Is Working His Purpose Out
Day 178 2 Kings 10:32‐12:21; Acts 18:1‐22; Psalm 145:1‐21; Proverb 18:1 God Is Working His Purpose Out The hymn “God Is Working His Purpose Out” is one of my favorite hymns. It speaks of the ebb and flow of time, energy, people, and the mission of God. In many ways, this hymn summarizes our texts….
Silence Is Golden
Day 177 2 Kings 9:14‐10:31; Acts 17:1‐34; Psalm 144:1‐15; Proverbs 17:27‐28 Silence Is Golden “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent and discerning if he holds his tongue.” – Proverbs 17:27-28 What powerful words are these two…
The Adventures of Following Jesus
Day 176 2 Kings 8:1‐9:13; Acts 16:16‐40; Psalm 143:1‐12; Proverb 17:26 The Adventures of Following Jesus Following Jesus is an adventure. There are so many moments in this narrative from Acts that seem to be matter of fact. A deliverance of a slave girl from demons, being beaten and thrown in jail, singing praise in…
Parting Ways
I believe it grieves our Lord when we fail to maintain the bonds of fellowship, regardless of how “right” we may believe the cause.
The Temptation Trap
Day 174 2 Kings 4:18‐5:27; Acts 15:1‐35; Psalm 141:1‐10; Proverb 17:23 The Temptation Trap When you are surrounded by corrupt people on every side and when your environment is one which is hostile to the Christian life, it can be very easy to lose conviction and be drawn into sin. This is the situation out…
Rise Up, O Lord!
Day 173 2 Kings 3:1‐4:17; Acts 14:8‐28; Psalm 140:1‐13; Proverb 17:22 Rise Up, O Lord! One of the main concerns of our day is oppression. There are many people, groups, and individuals, across the nation and around the world who are experiencing some form of oppression. Oppression can show itself in the work place, the…
A Plea for Intimacy
Day 172 2 Kings 1:1‐2:25; Acts 13:42‐14:7; Psalm 139:1‐24; Proverbs 17:19‐21 A Plea for Intimacy When the psalmist had meditated on the absolute knowledge of God, he sent up a plea for intimacy. Prayers like this inevitably bring us into a closer and more intimate union with the holy fire of God’s love. Prayer: “Search…