Every one of us faces temptation. Even Jesus was not immune, “tempted in every way, just as we are” (Hebrews 4:15). Anyone who has read the Gospels knows that Jesus was tempted during his 40 days in the desert and then again in the garden just before his trial and suffering. But the writer of […]
I perched on the edge of the hot tub. Worship music played through my earbuds. My heart raced with anxiety as I anticipated sitting in the water alone. I slid to the top step and immediately had to talk sense into my imagination. The creatures I pictured lurking beneath the surface couldn’t possibly fit into […]
MONDAY Reading for Today:Luke 3:1-20 Ephesians 4:25-32 Psalm 119:65-72 1 Kings 13–14 Ephesians 4:25-32It’s not a sin to be angry. Jesus was angry, after all. Anger, in and of itself, isn’t wrong. It’s a natural emotion. What anger can do if you’re not careful, though, is lead you into sin. If left unchecked, anger can […]
Charles Caleb Colton is credited as having said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” (though others said similar things dating back as far as the time of Marcus Aurelius). There is an appropriate plagiarism when it comes to Jesus. Paul told the Ephesians to “follow God’s example.” This expression comes from a verb that […]
The first of the Ten Commandments states, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Idolatry isn’t just wrong, it’s irrational. Jeremiah mocked those who chopped down a tree, shaped the wood with a chisel, adorned it with silver and gold, secured it with nails so it wouldn’t topple over, then bowed and […]
