God’s Word is very clear that this side of heaven, we will all face pain, abuses, disappointments, and trials. We are reminded that we are not necessarily responsible when people treat us poorly, and yet it is possible to respond to poor treatment without becoming sinfully bitter. Our merciful God stands ready to meet us in our time of need and guide us through trials in a way that glorifies His name and strengthens our faith. There is great hope in knowing that bitter circumstances don’t have to make us sinfully bitter. Our behavior flows out of fully functioning heart. Jesus explained it this way in Mark 7:20-23, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts . . . All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” The word “heart” is used over seven hundred times in the Bible. It isn’t simply the seat of our emotions or the physical organ in our body. In God’s Word, “heart” encompasses every aspect of our inner person. It is our control center and includes everything about us that is not material. It is so important that we are told in Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart … READ MORE

This week Ohio had their primary election. I was reminded that many people look for the answers to the problems of our society to come from our government. While governments are raised up and brought low by our Lord, I was reminded that no government, no matter how focused on the Word of God, can implement the change that is needed to our society. We can make all the laws we want, but people will still find ways to break them, because that is the way of the heart of man. So what do we do? We need to pray for our nation to return to its foundations established years ago, but the reality the only true solution to the issues we face is the return of Jesus Christ! The Bible reminds repeatedly, that one day the Lord will return, and He will establish His Kingdom here on earth. Some will disagree with the teaching of the Bible, but the Truth of God’s Word will bear out. All we have to do is look at the realty of the continued presence of the Jewish people to live in the hope of His return. God will fulfill His promises, because they … READ MORE

God never gives evil the last word! Jeremiah 31 points to the future hope of the return of God’s people after the Babylonian captivity. Bitter tears encourage us to long for the days when God will make all things right. As Jeremiah 31 comes to a close, God makes one of the most important promises in the entire Bible regarding the New Covenant, “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put my law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Thios helps us understand the value and purpose of the bitter tears. They motivate us to acknowledge the brokenness of our sin-cursed … READ MORE