Powerful Words from the Prophets“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.” – Isaiah 1:18 (NLT)“God Buys Ugly Hearts” “We buy ugly houses.” Have you ever seen one of those signs? It always makes me laugh when I see it. I envision someone obsessed with ugly ...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever? Your head is injured, and your heart is sick. You are battered from head to foot--covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds—without any soothing ointments or bandages.” – Isaiah 1:5-6 (NLT)“Pain Is a Gift from God” As I started my prayer walk on New Year’s Day, I began by thanking God for His ...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master’s care—but Israel doesn’t know its master. My people don’t recognize my care for them.” – Isaiah 1:3 (NLT)“God’s Caring” When you look back on your childhood, were there ever times you thought your parents didn’t love you? Or maybe, at least, times you didn’t think that they cared about you very much? I...

Powerful Words from the Prophets"Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the LORD says: 'The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me.'” – Isaiah 1:2 (NLT)“Don’t Take It Personally” “To open yourself up to the greatest love is to open yourself to the greatest pain.” Ever heard that before? It’s true. Anyone who has ever raised kids can attest to it. When we were livin...

Walking Through the Psalms“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” – Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)“A New Year’s Transformation” I’m doing a two-part sermon series at church right now focused on maximizing the New Year that lies before us. It’s called “Out with the Old, In with the...

Walking Through the Psalms“O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.” – Psalm 139:1 (NLT)“The One Who Knows You Best, Loves You the Most” This verse should give you great comfort. It might also disturb you a bit. God knows your heart. That means when everyone else is accusing you of stuff you know isn’t true, you can rest assured that God knows better. When someone misinterp...

Walking Through the Psalms“Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.” – Psalm 138:6 (NLT)“You Can’t Force Free Will” Say this out loud: “You can’t help people who don’t want help.” Now think of that person whom you have been killing yourself trying to fix, and say it out loud again. “You can’t help people who don’t want help.” For many of us, if w...

Walking Through the Psalms“When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.” – Psalm 138:3 (NIV)“The Courage to Fight One More Round” Emboldened. What a great word. It’s the infusion of courage. It’s not the removal of the problem on the outside, but the strengthening of resolve and commitment on the inside. When I read this verse, it reminded me of the prayer in Acts 4, where the discip...

Walking Through the Psalms“But how can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a pagan land?” – Psalm 137:4 (NLT)“Let Your Life SING!!” This verse reminded me of so many people who complain about how ungodly their workplace or school is. In fact, some will use the term “pagans” to refer to their coworkers and classmates. And maybe they are. But they get so focused on the circumstances that they ove...

Walking Through the Psalms“Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem.” – Psalm 137:1 (NLT)“Look In, Look Up, Look Forward!” Do you ever long for the “good old days?” Do you ever wish you could go back to a time before your life became so complicated or painful? Do you ever wish you could just undo it all? Do you ever wish you could rewind the tape to a time before yo...

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah...

Walking Through the Psalms“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” – Psalm 133:1 (NIV)“The Power of Unity” Two years ago, there was a group of swimmers in danger in Panama Beach, Florida. A couple of young boys got pulled out by a riptide and couldn’t get back to shore. As they yelled for help, a group of seven adults swam out to help them. But they, too, got caught ...

Walking Through the Psalms“I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.” – Psalm 130:5 (NLT)“You Can Count on Him” Have you ever heard someone say, “Doesn’t ANYONE do what they say they’ll do?” I bet you have. You may have even said it yourself a time or two. What a sad, but true, commentary on people. Workers who promise they’ll take care of a project by a...

Walking Through the Psalms“LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?” – Psalm 130:3 (NLT)“The God Who Forgives AND Forgets!” I read one of the saddest blogs I’ve ever seen a while back. It was from a woman who was grieving over her relationship with her mother. She said that her mother never praised her, but only criticized her as she was growing up. Even now, as an ...

Walking Through the Psalms“From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help.” – Psalm 130:1 (NLT)“Are You Ready to Listen?” A few years ago, I preached a message called, “Are You Ready to Listen?” The storyline was from the Book of Judges, Chapter 6. The Israelites have gone their own way (again) and are now being overrun by their enemies. With their resources almost exhausted and their la...

Walking Through the Psalms“Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.” – Psalm 127:3 (NLT) I remember the day my first son was born. It was like a dream. As I stood there in that room, all I could do was stare at him. He was tiny, beautiful, and perfect. My heart was so full, I thought it was going to burst. All I could think about was how much fun I was going to have being a f...

Walking Through The Psalms“Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.” – Psalm 127:1 (NLT)“Make Sure You Get the Foundation Right!” Several years back, Dartmouth College was in the midst of a $200 million building project when it suddenly came to a halt. The construction company told the college the bad news: The 70-foot deep foundation hole they had dug was ten feet furth...

Walking Through the Psalms“Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.” – Psalm 126:5 (NLT)“Plant in Tears, Reap in Joy” Can you imagine what the homes and fields of the Israelites looked like after being left idle for 70 years? Think about how overgrown they would be and how much work it would take to clear, plow, and get the ground ready again. Though they were now free, there was ...

Walking Through the Psalms“When the LORD brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!” – Psalm 126:1 (NLT)“Like a Dream” What a beautiful description. Because of their disobedience, the Israelites had been in exile for 70 years. Everything they held sacred had been taken away. Their homes. Their communities. Their temple. As the years passed, many had begun to believe that God had ab...

Walking Through the Psalms“What if the LORD had not been on our side?” – Psalm 124:1 (NLT)“What If God Wasn’t There?” Life is hard sometimes. And it changes fast. Health issues come up. Relationship problems come storming in. Financial crises come out of nowhere. Your company downsizes. Your “sure thing” investment turns out to be a bust. Your perfect children turn into teenage aliens. You find ou...