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"I will come to you in judgment, and I will be ready to witness against sorcerers and adulterers; against those who swear falsely; against those who oppress the widow and the fatherless, and cheat the wage earner; and against those who deny [justice to] the foreigner. They do not fear Me," says the Lord of Hosts. "Because I, Yahweh, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.” – Malachi 3:5-6 HCSB

There has been a very popular fallacy propagated among American Christians over the last half of a century. It purports that the God…  ( Click for more )

Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day when you came out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, for the Lord brought you out of here by the strength of [His] hand… - Exodus 13:3 HCSB

A characteristic of the wise is that they not only survive life lessons, but they recall what was learned and apply that knowledge to future challenges.[1] Perhaps that is why Jesus became so frustrated with the crowd that asked for another miracle.[2] Right after He fed four thousand men, plus all their women and children with seven loaves and a few small fish[3], they asked…  ( Click for more )

You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance. Selah – Psalm 32:7 HCSB

A young boy ran, ducking and dodging, trying desperately to avoid the hail of rocks that flew through the air. His persecutors yelled instructions to each other in their hunting language as they tried to head him off. He cried as he ran, though he despised himself for the weakness. A couple of the rocks had landed hard, leaving bleeding gashes on his shoulders and head.

He was used to running and hiding, and soon was able to elude his tormentors.…  ( Click for more )

A patient person [shows] great understanding, but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness. – Proverbs 14:29 HCSB

One of the greatest gifts we can give is an honest answer.[1] Though it may take a while to be truly appreciated, any wise person will value honesty over flattery.[2] Being dishonest with our spouse is as harmful as physical abuse[3] and in the end, will only cause trouble.[4] El Emet[5] expects and deserves truthful followers[6], so we need to strive for honesty and openness with each other[7], especially about our motives.[8]

However, honesty must be…  ( Click for more )

You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert. I have seen your power and your glory in the place of worship. You love means more than life to me, and I praise you. – Psalm 63:1-3

“I love you.” We think of our first grade school crush. We demonstrate it by punching her or pulling her pony tail if we’re male. If we’re female, we ignore him or call him names.

“I love you.” We tell our lover as we show them the ring. In our search for their hearts we seek first their hands…  ( Click for more )

As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him. - Mark 1:16-20 (NASB)

Being a disciple of Christ…  ( Click for more )

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. – Acts 2:42

My grandmother is a great, godly lady. For as long as I can remember, she has read the Bible once a year, the New Testament twice a year and the book of Proverbs once a month. Year after year, decade after decade, she has followed this disciplined practice. As a result of constantly bathing her mind in the Word, her daily conversation is filled with Scripture. She doesn’t make a show of it – she has simply so filled her spirit…  ( Click for more )

…for He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace – Ephesians 1:4-7 HCSB

Eons ago, long before creation, Elohim Elohay decided to create self-determining creatures and give them the opportunity to choose to love Him on…  ( Click for more )

I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know Me, so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. – Isaiah 45:5-7 HCSB

There is a lot of talk in the modern American church about God being Love. Obviously, the Bible agrees[1]ALL He is. Do you love only? Do you hate completely? Is any person truly that simple? , but the problem…  ( Click for more )

The Israelites' cry for help has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. Therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." – Exodus 3:9-10 HCSB

One day while minding his own business, Moses came across a thing of wondrous beauty – a bush that burnt continuously without being consumed[1]. While gazing at it in awe, a voice suddenly emanated from the bush telling Moses to remove his sandals, because the ground he was standing on was holy.

Moses did exactly as Adam and…  ( Click for more )

The nations will see your righteousness. Kings will be blinded by your glory. And the Lord will give you a new name. – Is. 62:2

A great general was surrounded one time. He was in his tent discussing strategy with his subordinates when an aide came running in. “General, the enemy has surrounded us with eight regiments! We are outnumbered 20 to one!” Everyone turned to the great man as he gazed calmly at the panicked aide. “Well that’s outstanding!” he replied “We’ve got them right where we want them. We can shoot anywhere…  ( Click for more )

He is the one who was in the congregation in the desert together with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our forefathers. He received living oracles to give to us. Our forefathers were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him away, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. They told Aaron: Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what's become of him. They even made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to the idol, and were celebrating what their hands had made. – Acts 7:38-41 HCSB

The…  ( Click for more )

Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? Matthew 7:3

A man went to his doctor for a physical examination. The doctor gave him an initial exam and then sent him to five other physicians, who checked him out in their areas of specialty. A week later, the man returned for a report on the results.

Sitting behind his desk, the doctor fingered several sheets of reports, lingering over a few pages. Finally, he closed the manila folder and reported, “You are in fine shape – your heart, your lungs, all those things are in good order.…  ( Click for more )

The Lord appeared again to Abraham while he was camped near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day about noon, as Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent, he suddenly noticed three men standing nearby. He got up and ran to meet them, welcoming them by bowing low to the ground. “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. - Genesis 18:1-3

One day while walking with some children, Queen Mary was caught in a sudden shower. Quickly taking shelter on the porch of a home, she knocked at the door and asked to borrow an umbrella. “I’ll…  ( Click for more )

"Have your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve Me as priest-Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty. You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron's garments for consecrating him to serve Me as priest.” – Exodus 28:1-3 HCSB

Frankly, I have a problem with Aaron. I don’t understand why God chose him to be a priest. Yes, I know that he had the same lineage as his worship-team-leading sister…  ( Click for more )

Even now-[this is] the Lord's declaration-turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, [so you can] offer grain and wine to the Lord your God. – Joel 2:12-14 HCSB

Most of us have seen the crazy guys on the streets wave their signs, “Repent, the end of the world is near!” But when God…  ( Click for more )

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn't need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15 HCSB

Have you ever read a passage of Scripture and thought, “So what?” Or, perhaps even worse, you shrugged your mental shoulders and wondered, “What the heck did that mean?” Have you ever left your prayer closet, prie-dieux (a prayer kneeler), meditation pillow or kitchen table with the nagging feeling that there was more to what you just read in the Bible but you just couldn’t put your finger…  ( Click for more )

I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all. For certain men, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. – Jude 1:3b-4 HCSB

People come into our lives claiming to be great teachers, spiritual gurus, or possessors of inside knowledge of the spiritual realms. How do we tell who’s real and who’s not?

False teachers worm their way in. Their attack…  ( Click for more )

These evil people, who refuse to listen to Me, who walk in the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who have followed other gods to serve and worship-they will be like this underwear, of no use whatsoever. – Jeremiah 13:10 HCSB

Jeremiah 13 is definitely one for the “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” books. God told His prophet to go buy some linen underwear, to put it on, and to be careful to not get it wet.[1]Euphrates River and hide it in a rocky crevice.”[2] Okay, why was that last part necessary? I have no idea because God shortly came back to Jeremiah…  ( Click for more )

The Lord’s searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive. – Proverbs 20:27 NLT

King Solomon had a remarkably pithy, if not always pleasant, way of putting things. “Don't eat a stingy person's bread and don't desire his choice food, for as he thinks within himself, so he is. ‘Eat and drink’ he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit the little you've eaten and waste your pleasant words.”[1]

We immediately recognize the truth of what he said, but like children first trying to grasp algebra, we can’t…  ( Click for more )

So she named the Lord who spoke to her: The God Who Sees, for she said, "Have I really seen here the One who sees me?" That is why she named the spring, "A Well of the Living One Who Sees Me." It is located between Kadesh and Bered. – Genesis 16:13-14 HCSB

Hagar, the Egyptian slave that Sarai offered to Abraham as a surrogate mother, was fleeing her mistress’ mistreatment when she came to a spring[1]Egypt,[2] her home country. The fact that her son, Ishmael, later settled in Shur[3] would seem to support this theory. Wherever she was going, as…  ( Click for more )

Both the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Anyone who hears should say, "Come!" And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift. - Revelation 22:17 (HCSB) Water is an important feature, appearing some 722 times in the Scriptures. For obvious reasons in the Middle East, water is often used in the Bible to illustrate the concept of life.

It is cited as the first place that life occurred.[1] Taking the common element of pregnancy that we call the “water breaking”, Jesus used water as a metaphor to contrast…  ( Click for more )

"Get out of the way!" they said, adding, "This one came here as a foreigner, but he's acting like a judge! Now we'll do more harm to you than to them." They put pressure on Lot and came up to break down the door. – Genesis 19:9 HCSB

The Son of God told Abraham that the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was immense, and that their sin was extremely serious. He had decided to go there to see if what they had done justified the cry that had come up to Him.[1]

This statement caused me to wonder, “Who was raising that cry?” It was certainly…  ( Click for more )

This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and hound from town to town.So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.I assure you: All these things will come on this generation! – Matthew 23:34-36 HCSB

What an amazing statement to come from the Master Who also said “Do not judge, so that you won’t be…  ( Click for more )