Sometimes God allows circumstances that should get our attention—events that expose our weakness, shake our sense of security, and remind us how much we need Him.
Judah had received just such a “warning shot.” But instead of turning to God and trusting His Word, many looked elsewhere for answers—to mediums and wizards.
Could America have received warning shots of our own? And rather than turning back to God, have we simply found our own modern-day sources of wisdom and security?
Where do we look when our nation is troubled, when the future seems uncertain, or when we’re afraid? To politicians, experts, commentators, and human solutions—or “to the law and to the testimony”?
Ultimately, the question is not merely what they will do. It’s what we will do. Will we trust God and His Word, or continue looking everywhere else for answers?
God, through the prophet Isaiah, had a great deal to say about judgment. And in Isaiah 3, He spoke directly to the women of Zion. Their clothing, jewelry, perfume, beauty, and appearance had become connected to something much deeper—a heart of pride and a desire to attract attention.
God warned that judgment was coming, even in the very areas they valued so highly.
But does that mean God is against attractive clothing, jewelry, perfume, or other ways we care for our appearance? And what principles might this passage give us about modern questions like tattoos, piercings, t-shirts, modesty, and fashion?
The answer goes deeper than a list of rules. It requires us to examine our motives, our consciences, and the effect our choices may have on others.
And there is another important truth in Isaiah’s warning. God wasn’t warning His people because He delighted in judgment. He was calling them to repent. And in the middle of those warnings, He gave His faithful people a wonderful word of encouragement:
“Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them.”
What does that promise mean when God’s judgment affects the culture and nation around us? And what kind of “divine supports and comforts” does God provide His people in difficult times?
But God didn’t send Isaiah to His people out of meanness. He sent him to warn them so they could repent and turn from evil and going their own way because God cannot be just, holy, and righteous and not judge evil. Something our nation, as a whole, needs to understand.
So, what does all this have to do with tattoos and t-shirts? And what words of encouragement did Isaiah include in his warnings?
But God didn’t send Isaiah to His people out of meanness. He sent him to warn them so they could repent and turn from evil and going their own way because God cannot be just, holy, and righteous and not judge evil. Something our nation, as a whole, needs to understand.
So, what does all this have to do with tattoos and t-shirts? And what words of encouragement did Isaiah include in his warnings?
“Let your women keep silent in the churches … they are to be submissive.”
Those words can stop a modern reader in her tracks.
For many women, the first reaction is confusion. For others, it may be frustration or even anger. Does God value men more than women? Is Paul saying women have nothing important to contribute? And how do we reconcile this passage with other Scriptures that clearly show women praying, serving, teaching other women, exercising spiritual gifts, and being fellow heirs of God’s grace?
The key is not to isolate one difficult verse from the rest of Scripture.
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul was addressing a church marked by confusion, disorder, and the misuse of spiritual gifts. His concern throughout the passage was that worship be orderly, edifying, and conducted under God’s authority.
So what does “let your women keep silent” actually mean in that context? What does biblical submission have to do with worth, roles, and authority? And why is submission not something unique to women?
We’ll also begin the book of Isaiah, where God confronts His people for practicing outward religion while their hearts were far from Him. Judgment was coming—but even in those opening chapters, we begin to see glimpses of the mercy and grace He would later provide.
Does God really approve of a passionate—perhaps even red-hot—sexual relationship between a husband and wife?
Some Christians have grown up with the idea that sex is somehow less spiritual or that God merely tolerates it within marriage. Yet, the Song of Solomon paints a very different picture.
As we finish this beautiful and sometimes surprisingly descriptive book, Solomon and his bride openly express their attraction to and desire for one another. Their words are romantic, suggestive, and unmistakably passionate. And God chose to include them in His Word.
So, what does that tell us about God’s view of sexual intimacy within marriage?
And what about pornography? Some claim that pornography can enhance a married couple’s sex life. But does bringing other people—even images of other people—into our sexual thoughts fit God’s design for marital intimacy? And what does Scripture say to singles who are tempted to satisfy sexual desires outside God’s boundaries?
Today we’ll look at the striking contrast between God-honoring marital passion and a counterfeit that promises satisfaction but can ultimately undermine genuine intimacy.
We’ll also look at the wonderful way Psalm 104 ends in praise to God, the importance of fearing the Lord rather than men, and Paul’s reminder that spiritual gifts should be used in ways that benefit others.
It’s relatively easy to be loving when the other person is considerate, appreciative, and treating us the way we want to be treated. But what happens when that person is being selfish, inconsiderate, or unkind?
That’s when we discover whether our definition of love is based primarily on feelings and what we’re getting in return—or on God’s definition of love.
In today’s reading, even Solomon and his bride experienced a lovers’ quarrel in which selfishness got in the way. But the principles involved aren’t just for marriage. They apply to our relationships with parents, children, co-workers, friends, neighbors, extended family, and even strangers.
And 1 Corinthians 13 gives us one of Scripture’s clearest pictures of what that kind of love looks like. Biblical love is patient when we’re tempted to be impatient, kind in the face of unkindness, willing to believe the best, doesn’t allow itself to become provoked, and able to persevere without demanding something in return.
So, can we really love someone that way when he or she isn’t loving us back?
We’ll also look at God’s amazing care for all His creatures, what Proverbs says about our attitude toward the wicked, and I’ll share a FREE printable you can use during your devotional time to help examine how you’re doing in the area of biblical love.
Most of us think of holiness primarily in terms of what we do or don’t do. But God’s standard goes much deeper. He is concerned about what is happening in our hearts long before anyone else can see it.
That means the thoughts we entertain matter.
We may tell ourselves, I’m only thinking about it. I’d never actually do it. But Scripture warns us that the thoughts and desires we allow to take root can eventually control us.
In the book of James, God gives us two powerful pictures of how temptation and sin work. One comes from fishing and the other from conception and birth. Together, they show us how our desires can lure us toward sin and how thoughts that seem harmless can be fed and nurtured until they eventually produce something destructive.
The sinful thoughts we believe we can handle may eventually end up handling us.
So, how do we stop that process before temptation gets its hook into us? And how can we pursue the kind of holiness that begins in the heart?
We’ll also look at how God says we should respond when someone who has hurt us falls and why spiritual gifts were never intended to make us feel important or superior to other believers.
We often talk about having a guilty conscience or a clear conscience, but how much do we really understand about what the conscience is and how it works?
Our consciences can make us uncomfortable when we’re doing something we believe is wrong. And sometimes we’d rather silence that discomfort than deal with what it’s telling us. In fact, our culture often encourages us to throw off old standards and simply do whatever feels right to us.
But God gave us a conscience as a mercy. It can warn us when we’re headed in the wrong direction and prompt us to examine our lives, repent, and change.
Yet, there’s something else we need to understand: our consciences aren’t infallible. They operate according to what we believe is right and wrong. That means a conscience can be poorly informed and needs to be continually brought into alignment with God’s Word.
So, can you trust your conscience? How do you know whether it’s guiding you according to God’s standard or your own? And how can you re-inform it with biblical truth?
We’ll also look at Paul’s warning about examining ourselves before taking the Lord’s Supper, why biblical self-examination is different from unhealthy introspection, and some practical questions that can help us evaluate how well we’re loving God and the people around us.
We may tell ourselves that a sinful habit, attitude, or choice is private—that it only affects us. But sin rarely stays neatly contained. What is in our hearts eventually works its way into our words, attitudes, priorities, and relationships.
And nowhere can the effects be more profound than in our own homes.
Our children hear what we say about God, marriage, forgiveness, obedience, and the Christian life. But they also watch how we live when no one else is looking. They see how we treat our spouses, how we handle conflict, what we do when we’re angry, and whether we repent when we’re wrong.
So, what are we really teaching our children?
The good news is that our failures don’t have to be the end of the story. Our children can also see the gospel lived out when we confess our sin, ask forgiveness, and humbly seek God’s help to change.
Also, we’ll look at the conclusion of Ecclesiastes and the purpose Solomon gives us for life, along with a beautiful picture in Proverbs of the sweetness and value of God’s wisdom.
When you’re in love, it can be easy to overlook warning signs. Emotions are strong, wedding plans may already be underway, and friends and family may be excited about the relationship. But ignoring wisdom before marriage can lead to years—even decades—of heartache afterward.
God’s Word gives us principles that can help us make wise choices, and sometimes that means being willing to slow down, seek counsel, and take an honest look at the person we’re considering marrying.
So, what are some premarital red flags we shouldn’t ignore? What behaviors should cause us to put the brakes on a relationship? And is there one issue that, for a believer, should be more than a red flag—a biblical deal breaker?
Even if you’re already married, these are important truths to understand when counseling your children, grandchildren, or others about dating and marriage.
Also, we’ll look at what Ecclesiastes says about delayed justice, what it really means to “eat, drink, and be merry,” the value of wisdom even when people refuse to listen to it, and some important questions to ask before exercising our freedoms in Christ.
The Bible is full of promises for those who will trust in God. One of God’s promises is very important for those going through tests and trials. But this promise has good news and bad. And if we don’t understand it, we can make our trials much worse. Perhaps, even last longer.
