freedom ⁽⁶⁸⁾

Genesis 12:1-7, Ruth 2:13–19, Job 31:24–32 For many of us (if not most), the call of Abram (who would become Abraham) doesn’t seem that significant from a strictly human perspective. Yes, any of us would find being called by God significant, but the calling away…

Psalm 63:1–8, Isaiah 5:1–7, Luke 6:43–45 “…Your faithful love is better than life.” Do you see God’s love for you that way? Greater than life. This is similar to Jesus’ words about surrendering one’s life to the cross (Luke 14:25–27). David’s psalm is full of…

Psalm 99, Exodus 34:29–35, 2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2, Luke 9:28–36 Sometimes things we are unaware of about ourselves become a separator be us and others. Imagine Moses already feeling the pressure of leading these people. The strain of leadership along with the regular stubbornness of the…

Deuteronomy 9:1–9:7, Psalm 36, Romans 5:20–6:11 You have been trouble from the beginning of this! Moses’ long good-bye speech (all of Deuteronomy) is a summary of God, God’s message, God’s calling, and Israel’s past, current, and future response. It’s not pretty. We can often look…

Jeremiah 17:1-4, 2 Timothy 3:1–9, 1 Peter 2:4–10, Luke 3:7-8   Imagine having a heart so hard that you need an iron needle or a diamond point to put a mark in it. That is the hardness of the human heart, not just toward God,…