“The best place any Christian can ever be in is to be totally destitute and totally dependant upon God, and know it” (Alan Redpath). The last two chapters in Leviticus show how disobeying God through pride and independent spirit results in both personal and city-wide tragedy, but obeying God through confession of sin and complete…
Martin Luther wrote, “The idea that service to God should have only to do with a church altar, singing, reading, sacrifice, and the like is without doubt but the worst trick of the devil. How could the devil have led us more effectively astray than by the narrow conception that the service of God takes…
Amy Carmichael wrote, “All the great temptations appear first in the region of the mind and can be fought and conquered there. We have been given the power to close the door of the mind. We can lose this power through disuse or increase it by use, by the daily discipline of the inner man…
Priscilla K. Coleman, Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Bowling Green University, controlled for demographic groups and prior history of mental health problems and found that women who had undergone an abortion had an 81 percent increased risk of mental health problems. Almost 10 percent of the incidence of mental health problems was…
Leonard Ravenhill wrote, “Many of us are hunting mice – while lions devour the land.” Some parts of the church emphasize sexual purity in dealing with issues like abortion and homosexuality while others focus on social justice to the poor and disenfranchised. God balances sexual purity and social justice while people balance loving God and…
In the book, Habits of the Heart, Robert Bellah interviewed a young nurse named Sheila who represented many Americans views on religion. She said, “I believe in God. I’m not a religious fanatic. I can’t remember the last time I went to church. My faith has carried me a long way. It is ‘Sheilaism.’ Just my…
Sadhu Sundar Singh wrote, “It is not necessary that every single member of the body should become useless and weak before death occurs. A weakness of, or a blow upon, the heart or the brain will suffice to bring an end to life, however strong and healthy other parts of the body may be. Thus…
Many of us tend to dichotomize and compartmentalize our lives by dividing things into categories of either secular or sacred, material or spiritual, refined or natural. We separate what we are at church from our lives on the street. God wants you to move every mundane activity into the realm of holiness. Holiness is not…
Because leaders don’t surrender to God, people under their care lead ungodly lives. Lev. 9 is a call to leaders to spend much time in the presence of God confessing their sin and praying that others get right with God. This passage teaches how to get others right with God. On the eighth day,…
Dr. Yu, a Chinese martyr wrote, “The Father wants us to be filled only with His Christ. Will you let Him deal so thoroughly in His love, until you are consumed with Him, having to continually depend upon Him, instead of anything of yourself? For God to take you deeper into Himself, He must expose…
Greater than 400 years ago, St. Ignatius Loyola encouraged prayerful reflection on the events of the day to detect God’s presence and discern His direction for anyone through the Daily Examen: 1. Become aware of God’s presence by looking back at the events of day through partnering with the Holy Spirit. 2. Review the day…
Beer commercials say to get all the gusto you can from a party lifestyle. Motivational speakers say you should have a positive mental attitude to be successful. The world says to pursue professional careers like being a doctor, lawyer or engineer to live the American dream. The first five chapters of Leviticus explain five different…