Lessons from an Unlikely Idol
The history of the kings of Judah can read like a back-and-forth between construction of idols by bad kings and the destruction of idols by good kings. Hezekiah was one of the few good kings, and one reason is recorded in 2 Kings 18:4, which says: “[Hezekiah] removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses…
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Daily Readings for October 26 – November 1
Fellow travelers: For those looking for a Bible reading plan, each week I post 2 chapters to read per day as a main reading plan, and for anyone who wants to read the whole Bible in 2026, I’ll post the extra chapters to read that week. The main readings include nearly all of the New Testament, plus Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Prophets, and a few other Old Testament books. Reading…
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Changing Focus
Anyone who has been reading here for a while knows that I love the Psalms. In so many of them, we can relate to what the writer feels or is going through and then learn from them how to better relate to God. I find myself praying richer prayers when in the Psalms. This post is about a Psalm I think about when things aren’t going well and God seems…
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God’s Justice is Good
Many of the Bible’s Psalms are beautiful songs of praise, but some are harder to read, including what are called “imprecatory” Psalms. To “imprecate” is to curse, and in the case of these Psalms, the writers curse the enemies of the writer and of God. Psalm 58, written by David, uses some very harsh language, such as “O God, break the teeth in their mouths” (in vs. 6) or “Let…
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God is Faithful in Trouble
Fellow travelers, Psalm 71 was likely written by an old man, looking back over his life and the many instances of God’s faithfulness. Looking back over a lifetime of walking with God strengthens his current faith, and he writes to strengthen ours. Although some might expect a testimony of God’s faithfulness to talk about uninterrupted good fortune and all the good times the Psalmist has had, in verse 20, they…
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Christians are So Unlikable
Mahatma Gandhi is sometimes quoted as saying “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” People often think this statement is shocking and the world is expert at finding hypocrisy, as if evidence of hypocrisy determines the loser of every argument. But what’s really shocking is “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.…
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You are What You Eat
You’re probably familiar with that phrase: “you are what you eat.” You probably also know that it doesn’t mean that if you eat broccoli you turn into broccoli. What the phrase does mean is that there is a very close connection between what we eat and drink and our overall health and well-being. Good food is good for us, and bad food is bad for us, but in a broader…
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Of Love and Forgiveness
Fellow travelers, Have you known Christians who love well? Not ones who know the Bible well, or who know all the right doctrines, or who are involved in many church activities. Not even a person who writes (or reads) a great blog. These are not bad things, and they may help someone become more loving, but they aren’t the same thing as being a person who loves as Christ loved. …
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Daily Readings for October 19 – 25
Fellow travelers: For those looking for a Bible reading plan, each week I post 2 chapters to read per day as a main reading plan, and for anyone who wants to read the whole Bible in 2026, I’ll post the extra chapters to read that week. The main readings include nearly all of the New Testament, plus Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Prophets, and a few other Old Testament books. Reading…
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Time to Build the Church
What’s more important, your house or God’s? Haggai was a prophet during the time shortly after the end of the Babylonian exile. His main focus was encouraging the people to complete the rebuilding of the Temple, which had been destroyed at the beginning of the exile, in 586 B.C. After returning to Israel, the people had become lazy and complacent about God’s house, the Temple, saying “the time has not…
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