If someone examined your bank statement, what would they conclude you value most?
It’s easy to recognize idolatry in the lives of people like Athaliah or the pagans of the Old Testament. But Scripture repeatedly warns that idolatry isn’t just carved images or false gods—it can quietly settle into our own hearts.
One of the clearest ways it reveals itself may surprise us.
Our spending often tells the truth about what we treasure, what excites us, and ultimately what we worship.
Today’s readings also show us God’s remarkable protection of the promised Messiah, the life-changing influence of wise counsel, and the humility of a gifted teacher who was willing to be taught.
It happens to us all. Maybe it’s someone standing on the street corner with a cardboard sign, maybe it’s a friend or a co-worker, or maybe it’s a grown son or daughter. They need a loan. Or another loan. Or just a little help. Maybe it doesn’t seem right, but there’s the guilt. You wonder … what is the right thing to do?
God has a lot to say about generosity. In today’s post, we’ll talk about a woman whose faith and generosity were commended by Jesus and talked about for over two thousand years. We’ll also look at others who had the wrong heart attitude about giving.
In our Old Testament reading, we’ll look at one of the most interesting stories in the book of Numbers, where God used a talking donkey to get his point across to a greedy, ungodly man.
If you’re like most people, friends and family members talk to you all the time. They share struggles and hurts, and they are looking to you for input. “How did you handle a similar situation?” or “What would you do?” Those are questions people often ask. What it boils down to is that we are all counseling.
If you’re a parent, you are constantly advising your children. You may be talking to your daughter about that mean girl at school or the pain of not being invited to the party. Or to your son about his first love and how she broke his heart.
The question is, “Are we counseling well?” Are we giving godly or worldly advice? And how can we be better equipped to do it well?
While adultery is not the unforgivable sin, the effects of adultery are devastating. Whether someone is the perpetrator or the victim, lives are turned upside-down. Maybe it’s happened to you. If you’re the one who was sinned against, you know those things to be true. But what if you’re the one who committed adultery? Or what if you’re struggling with the temptation now?
