Daniel’s three friends were told to bow to the king’s statue. If they did, they would live. If they didn’t bow they would burn. They refused. “…even if he does not [rescue us],” they said, “…we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:18).Let me share … Continue reading Glorifying him or denying him
putting God first
Prepare for big moments by starting small
In yesterday’s devotional we talked about having an “even if” kind of faith. This was based on the words of Daniel’s three friends. They were told to bow down to the king’s statue. If they didn’t, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. They had two options: Bow or burn. But they said No. “If … Continue reading Prepare for big moments by starting small
Having an “even if” kind of faith
It was a ruthless time. Daniel’s three friends—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—were threatened with death. If they didn’t bow down to the king’s statue they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. The king gave them one last chance—bow or burn.In response, this is what the young men said: “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, … Continue reading Having an “even if” kind of faith
When everything is stripped away
“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it” (Daniel 1:1). And with that, Daniel and his friends—and many others—were exiled to Babylon.As I study the book of Daniel, I’m struck by the abject calamity which came up on him:His ancestors had rejected … Continue reading When everything is stripped away
“I’m doing this for God’s glory!” Um, really?
[1-week pause alert. See notification at the end of today's devotional.] ~ In 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul writes: “whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”It’s a famous verse. It reminds us to give God the glory no matter what. It’s not about us; it’s about him.When we feel overlooked or taken … Continue reading “I’m doing this for God’s glory!” Um, really?
Modern idolatry
In Exodus 20:3-4 God says: “you shall have no other gods before me.” Makes sense. After all, he is our Creator and Redeemer.He goes on to say: “You shall not make for yourself an idol…” No problem. Back in Egypt and Canaan, people crafted idols, usually out of wood or stone. They represented the deity … Continue reading Modern idolatry
No other gods before me
The first commandment is well known: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).It’s about putting God first. But we easily miss something else that is very important. It’s connected to the word “gods.”Let’s be honest. That word can make many of us uncomfortable. We know there is only one true God, the … Continue reading No other gods before me
They trigger within us the image of God
“If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love…” (John 15:10)I can’t overstate the global influence of the 10 Commandments. They have shaped not only individuals, but entire societies. To a lot of people, however, they seem random. But they’re not. Amongst other things, they actually reflect God’s character. For example, we shall not murder … Continue reading They trigger within us the image of God
Render to Caesar
In Mark 12, some hypocritical leaders were trying to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar.It was a clever trap. Caesar (the Roman emperor) was a man named Tiberias. He was not very popular, could be very cruel, and levied heavy taxes on the people. The Jews felt like they weren’t fully … Continue reading Render to Caesar
Disordered love
Church Father Augustine said: “The essence of sin is disordered love.”*What did he mean?We all love things. We love people, we love friends, we love music, we love certain ideas, we love our favourite snacks, we love our hobbies, and we love God (hopefully!) But if we love things in the wrong order this, Augustine says, … Continue reading Disordered love
