repent ⁽²²⁾

Malachi 1:6-9 Perhaps you've heard an acquaintance, a friend, a family member say, "God won't accept me until I clean myself up." Or perhaps, "if I enter the church, lightning will come down and/or the church will catch on fire." Behave, believe, belong has long…

Psalm 115; Ezra 9:5–15; John 16:16–24 Collective guilt has been on the top of many lists in the last year. Regardless of your political, philosophical, or religious perspective of the collective guilt issues, it does allow us to better understand the pressure that Ezra felt…somewhat.

Psalm 95; Micah 7:8–20; Mark 14:26–31 In this passage in Micah, Zion is the personification of Jerusalem and the Promised Land. Zion also takes on the aspect of the people themselves. What is interesting is that Zion proclaims guilt in regards to God, but the…

Psalm 25:1–10; Daniel 9:1–14; 1 John 1:3–10 “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from everything we’ve done wrong.” —1 John 1:9 Have you said those words to yourself lately or ever? The…

Jonah 3:1–5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29–31; Mark 1:14–20 Jonah may have been the most successful preacher in history. He preached and an entire city repented, and a large city, at that. The church celebrates 4000 in one day as a supreme act, yet cranky Jonah…