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Consecration: Praying with King Solomon
Last time we looked at 2 Chronicles 6 and Solomon’s dedication prayer. Let’s look now at 2 Chronicles 7 and see how God responded to the prayers and sacrifices in the temple, and what this means to us as believers now. Fire from Heaven 2 Chronicles 77 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.2 And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and…
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Book Review: Pilgrim’s Progress
“As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I came to the place where there was a den. Inside, I lay down to sleep, and as I slept, I had a dream.” John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress When I first read Pilgrim’s Progress as a young believer I was captivated by the adventure and all the clever ways Bunyan brought Scripture and doctrine to life through allegory. The story follows a man named Christian, who begins with a burden in the city of Destruction. Bunyan shows the clear gospel when at the “place of Deliverance” (the cross) Christian releases his burden and sets out to journey on the “King’s Highway”…
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Book Review: Redeeming Love
“Oh, Lord, why was I so blind? Why couldn’t I hear? Why did it take so much pain for me to see that you have been reaching out to me all along?” Angel, Redeeming Love The book Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers brings the story of redemption to brilliant life. It is full of struggle, heartache, and revelation. It’s a fictional allegory of the minor prophet book of Hosea from the Bible set during the California gold rush. It follows a girl from the devastation of being sold into prostitution at a young age to her rescue by a man named Michael Hosea, and ultimately her salvation by God. Michael’s…
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Summer Fruit Devotion: Self-Control Day 5
By the Spirit “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before,…
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Summer Fruit Devotion: Self-Control Day 4
Enough is Enough “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who…
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Summer Fruit Devotion: Self-Control Day 3
Train the Young “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your…
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Summer Fruit Devotion: Gentleness Day 3
Gentle Correction “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:22-26 Doesn’t it sound awesome, that correcting our opponents…
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Summer Fruit Devotion: Gentleness Day 1
Meekness of Wisdom “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who…
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Summer Fruit Devotion: Faithfulness Day 5
Divine Power “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is…
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Summer Fruit Devotion: Faithfulness Day 4
Working Faith “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God…
