Jesus told his followers some difficult things. They didn’t want to hear it – and walked away. The Lord looked at the apostles and said, “Do you want to go away as well?” (John 6:67). And Peter said, “To whom shall we go?” (v. 68)?
God answers repentance with forgiveness of sins and “times of refreshing” from the Lord’s presence (Acts 3:19-20). Repentance is a change of heart, mind, and spiritual direction. And its demands are very specific.
Satan enticed Eve with the prospect of becoming like God. Having the Lord’s power and wisdom is something everyone longs for, which explains the popularity of fantasy heroes. But actually becoming like God depends on our willingness to forgive.
The heavenly Father is the God of second chances. But what if I die lost? After entering the realm of departed spirits, will I have the opportunity to reverse my earthly choices?
The final chapter of Daniel predicts “a troubled time” for God’s people. The prophecy seems to foretell the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. But maybe the emotion stirred by Daniel’s vision is more important to the reader than the information revealed in it.
As Jesus traveled toward Jerusalem, he met ten lepers. They begged him for healing, and he graciously honored their plea for mercy. But only one of them gave thanks (Luke 17:15-17). The others seemed to be trading one disease for another – leprosy for ingratitude.
The English word “love” is really sloppy. The meaning depends almost entirely on context. But the usual word for “love” in the New Testament is very precise – and challenging.
In the aftermath of a terrible crime (like the one perpetrated in Thousand Oaks, California), do you ever wonder how people can be so inhuman and evil? Daniel’s vision on the bank of the Tigris River gives us an eye-opening answer.
Joy is a gift of God, something he wants his people to have. But it’s also a choice, which is why the Bible tells us to “rejoice in the Lord” (Phil. 4:4).
Legalism is making up black-and-white rules to address matters of opinion. Daniel’s prayer for mercy points to a great antidote for this spiritual problem.