Divine Pleading

“Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the LORD GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.  Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!  Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’” Ezekiel 33:11 Turn Back – God is…

The First Law

“Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the LORD GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.  Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!  Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’” Ezekiel 33:11 As I Live – When…

The Second Law

“Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we are rotting away in them; how then can we survive?” Ezekiel 33:10 Rotting Away – Everything goes down hill!  Have you come to terms with the Second Law (of Thermodynamics)?  No matter what you do, the slippery slope syndrome rules the fallen world.  As…

The Quality of the Kingdom

But Jesus said, “Allow the little children and do not prevent them to come to Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14 Of Such – Honor your parents.  Why?  Because they have the God-given responsibility to present you with the covenant relationship with God.  So, what do parents do?  Well, if…

Chain Mail

Honor your father and your mother Deuteronomy 5:16 Honor – God never does anything without a purpose.  When it comes to the world of human beings, all of God’s actions have redemptive purposes.  So, honoring your parents is not just about respect.  It’s not just the “Yes, sir,” “No, ma’m” attitude.  There are critical redemptive…

A Creative Act

and you shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day. Deuteronomy 5:15 Sabbath – God’s command concerning the sabbath has…

Personal and Practical

and you shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day. Deuteronomy 5:15 Remember – Most Christians think that God instituted…

Out of the Ordinary

Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy Deuteronomy 5:12 Holy – Go fishing!  Is that what you think of when you hear the words, “keep it holy?”  Or are you immediately convicted, bringing to mind the classic image of someone spending the day is mediation, prayer and Scripture reading, seated on a hard wooden…

Images of the Divine

You shall not make for yourself an image or any form of that which is in heaven above, or of that which is in the earth beneath Deuteronomy 5:8 Any Form – God does not allow representations of His divinity in any form or image –   no statues, no obelisks, no pictures, no venerated relics;…

Circular Reasoning

and you shall love the LORD you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength Deuteronomy 6:5 Strength – Most Christians think that this verse is about parts of my spiritual anatomy.  So, we refer to the quotation of this verse in Matthew 22:37 or Mark 12:30 or…