Responding to Another’s Success “Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.”‭‭Genesis‬ ‭37:9, 11‬ ‭CSB‬‬Envy is a feeling common to humanity. It is also a monster—a giant that can eat anyone alive.How do ...  Read More

Perfect JusticeC.H. Spurgeon once said to his congregation in London, “If, my dear friend, you make it a rule that nobody shall ever insult you without having to pay for it, nor treat you with disrespect without meeting his match, you need not pray God in the morning to help you carry out your resolve.”[1] His point was simple: defending our reputations and getting even with those who cross us com...  Read More

Be of Courageous SpiritOnly be strong and very courageous.Joshua 1:7The tender love of God for His servants makes Him concerned for how they feel inside. He wants them to be courageous. Some people think it is okay for a believer to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God does not think so. From this text it is clear that our Master does not want us entangled with fears. He desires for us to live ...  Read More

An Awesome PrivilegeIn Jesus, we have access to the Father's presence and confidence that He hears our prayers.Hebrews 7:11-28Prayer is a truly remarkable privilege, and we must be careful to treat it as such. Have you ever paused to consider why a holy God would condescend to even listen to our petitions, let alone answer them? The Lord is so perfect that the smallest hint of sin is incompatible ...  Read More

Amos 2:9-19"Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, Though his height was like the height of cedars And he was strong as the oaks; I even destroyed his fruit above and his root below.  It was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, And I led you in the wilderness forty years That you might take possession of the land of the Amorite.  Then I raised up some of your sons to be proph...  Read More

Lord Over AllI am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.Revelation 22:13 Recommended Reading: Revelation 1:17-18“He knows everything from A to Z about football!” You have likely heard that phrase—“from A to Z”—before. The technical term for that phrase is merism—using two contrasting parts of a whole to refer to all the separate parts. Instead of describing eve...  Read More

Supreme LoveAll our works for the Lord mean nothing if they're not done in love.1 Corinthians 13:1-7Today’s Scripture is commonly known as the love chapter. Interestingly, Paul didn’t spell out a definition of love but instead described its importance and expression.This type of love isn’t human in origin; it comes from our heavenly Father and is part of His very nature (1 John 4:16). What the apo...  Read More

Amos 2:6Thus says the Lord, For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they sell the righteous for money, And the needy for a pair of sandals....  Read More

Love Offers a Place to Unloadby Pastor Chuck SwindollLove Offers a Place to UnloadImagine two mountain hikers trudging along, each carrying a backpack.The one on the left has a light pack that a child could carry. The poor soul on the right is so loaded down we can’t even see his head or body . . . just a couple spindly legs wobbling under the burden he’s carrying.The hiker on the right illustrate...  Read More

Amos 1:1-2The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he envisioned in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.  He said, "The Lord roars from Zion, And from Jerusalem He utters His voice; And the shepherds' pasture grounds mourn, And the summit of Carmel dries u...  Read More

The WordOne of the greatest privileges as a child of God is that we can have the heart of our heavenly Father. We don’t have to wonder how he feels about us. We don’t have to wonder if he will guide us. We don’t have to question whether he loves us or cares about us. Through the Holy Spirit we have continual, free access to the heart of God. May your relationship with God go deeper and become free...  Read More

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