Month: June 2024
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The Goodness of God
3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:3–4) There is…
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The Danger of Daily Bible Reading
There is a great, severe, and terrible danger to reading the Bible regularly. There is no question that this is the case. There is no doubt that such is the reality of the effort and time spent therein. This danger is a special kind, unlike any other in the world. Regularly reading the Bible is…
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Hosea’s Message
In Hosea 1:2 the prophet was instructed to take a wife of harlotry, and this was a vivid reflection of the relationship between God and His unfaithful people. They had committed harlotry with the false gods of the land and so Gomer would be a wife of harlotry for Hosea. Each of their three children…
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God’s Pursuit of Israel in Hosea
Two separate images are presented in Hosea that remind us of the depth of God’s love and His desire to be with His people: (1) husband and wife and (2) father and child. Both images are so easily relatable that we sometimes forget the seriousness of the subject. God pines after His love, Israel, like…
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Is God Critical of Worship?
Yes, God is critical of worship. Amos 5:21 opens with a strong comment: “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies” (ESV). God hated their worship. They offered Him all the burnt, grain, and peace offerings, played the songs, and struck the harps, but God was repulsed. The…
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Poetry to Help You Think Deeper
Poetry has a powerful way of making you pause to reflect. It forces you to slow down and think about what you read, say, or sing. It leaves you asking, “What does that mean?” Although, sometimes it leaves you saying through tears, “I felt that.” That’s the beauty of poetry. Take this snippet from Psalm…
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Challenges to Interpretation
Take Isaiah 49:1-6 as an example: Isaiah 49:1–6 (ESV) 1 Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. 2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he…
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