Samuel: to appease man…

Cover to Cover Reading: 1 Samuel 15:1-17:31 Focus: 1 Samuel 15:22-25 It’s so easy for us to say, “Serve God, not people.” However, we walk out the front door and we’re confronted with a way of life which must choose to live as the world…

Deuteronomy: life’s best…

Cover to Cover Reading: Deuteronomy 30:1-32:47 Focus: Deuteronomy 30:11-20 The society we live in finds itself dissatisfied with rules, structures, and anything else really that limits their “freedom”. Human nature has never been satisfied with any of these settings and have always sought to break out from…

Deuteronomy: double trouble…

Cover to Cover Reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-29:29 Focus: Deuteronomy 28:1-6, 15-19 When it comes to the issue of reward and penalty in life, they are polar opposites. For a job well done, there is one reward, for a job not done well, the penalty is often the opposite…

Deuteronomy: I told you so…

Cover to Cover Reading: Deuteronomy 1:1-2:37 Focus: Deuteronomy 1:41-45 There is one particular line that I dread hearing from my parents… “I told you so.” It’s a line many of us never wish to hear. Yet, in our arrogance we think that our own ability and…

Numbers: the high price of obedience…

Cover to Cover Reading: Numbers 20:1-22:21 Focus: Numbers 20:6-12 In the world that we live in, it seems there has always been a high price for doing the right thing. You don’t get to your destination as fast because you keep to the speed limit; your…

Numbers: following in His steps…

Cover to Cover Reading: Numbers 7:1-10:10 Focus: Numbers 9:15-23 In the army, soldiers submit to the authority of the commanding officer. When the commander makes the decision to move out, everyone moves out; when he makes the decision to camp, everyone sets up camp. There is little…

Abraham: faithless

Cover to Cover Reading: Genesis 9:18-13:18 Focus: Genesis 12:10-20 Abraham, father of the Promise, man above men, good ol’ father Abraham… When we think of Abraham, we think of a man who left his family heritage, followed God’s call and lived a life of obedience. -cough-…

Actions: freedom in obedience

James 1:25 For most people, the two words ‘freedom’ and ‘obedience’ simply are not compatible. To be ‘free’ is to be unbound by submission to another authority, to be ‘obedient’ is to relinquish one’s freedom and submit to authority. Logically, they are incompatible ideals but James, and throughout…