If you’ve been around church for very long, you’ve probably heard a message from today’s Bible reading* about robbing God. In fact, Malachi 3:10 is probably one of the most-used verses when it comes to encouraging God’s people to give a “tithe”. Many preachers preach against people robbing God by withholding the tithe. Under the…
In today’s Bible reading*, we read about Haman being hanged on the seventy-five foot-high gallows he had built for hanging Mordecai. You will remember from yesterday’s reading and devotional, that Haman had tricked King Ahasuerus into enacting a law to exterminate all of the Jews and entrap Mordecai, giving Haman a way to hang him….
Today’s Bible reading* is a familiar story to many of us who grew up in church. It concerns a young Jewish woman who became queen and found herself in a position to intercede on behalf of her people “for such a time as this”. Hadassah (Esther’s real name) didn’t seek the position of queen. But…
In today’s Bible reading* the people returning from Babylon run into opposition to their charge to rebuild the Temple. The people who had remained in the land offered to help with the construction and those returning responded, “No thanks. We have no common interests with you in rebuilding the temple.” (Ezra 4:3) Why would the…
Today’s Bible reading* raises an interesting question: “How free is our free will?” Many people hold very strongly to the view that everyone has free will. There are even Free Will Baptists. Second Chronicles 36:22 and Ezra 1:1 are obviously parallel passages; they say the same thing about Cyrus of Persia. In the first year…
Today’s Bible reading* gives us a peek into the issue of Spiritual Warfare. Daniel prayed and waited for an answer, trusting that God was hearing his prayers and would answer. He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God. Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet, for…
