Our Blog

Read Deuteronomy 30:1-10
“And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live” (v. 6).

As a child, my mother would say that a rule (law) was because she loved me. I would think, “How can she love me if she doesn’t let me do that?”
As a parent myself, I fully understand her logic. We did not allow certain behavior because we knew it would result in harm. Playing with matches resulted in burns. Playing with knives could injure as well.
The restrictions were not because we wanted to be mean or demanding but because we felt we knew what was best for our children. Our goal was to raise godly young men, of value to ministry and the community.
The laws of God can be viewed in the same light. No doubt the Israelites felt they were being confined by the laws of Jehovah. To them, the concept of God loving them enough to keep them from evil, was probably unbelievable. They feared God, and “served” Him, lest judgment fall at the smallest infraction.
In our lives, however, if we truly love God, His law is not a burden to us. We love to follow His commands, because we love Him, and want to please Him. We serve Him out of love, not fear. We realize that His laws are designed for our good, as well as His glory. (Sue Colburn)
When we love God with all our heart, we find abundant life!
This week’s featured devotional is the Monday, July 21, 2014 entry of Opening the Word. Order your copy!
Photo credit: "The Law" by smlp.co.uk used under CC BY 2.0 / Resized & Cropped.

Read Psalm 51:1-10
“Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom” (v. 6).
I am extremely fond of genuine leather. It is no wonder I was a Day-Timer® guy; so much so that when my secretary hid it one day, I nearly went berserk before she and my staff coughed it up. If I recall, their practical joking was not worth the risk of repeating! Even though my electronic Outlook calendar has replaced the need for my Day-Timer®, be assured my brown, brushed cowhide, senior pocket binder is always tucked securely in my computer bag. Ah, the aroma of six square inches of supple leather; twenty years since unwrapping it, the smell is as fresh today as it was then.
My point? Today’s verse expresses the never-failing desire for the genuineness that is derived from the truth revealed in God himself through His enduring Word. This truth has no substitute; it is deeply riveted on the heart. It settles for nothing short of claiming Almighty God as its source of wisdom. It is genuine. Its aroma is a sweet-smelling savor to the Father, who is full of truth and grace. This is my God! The methods to convey His truth may change, but the principles of its reliability remain constant. (RB Kuhn)

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also.
The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still.
His kingdom is forever. — Martin Luther

Just like the enduring attractiveness of genuine leather, so is the everpresent recognition of abiding in His truth.

This week’s featured devotional is the Tuesday, July 15, 2014 entry of Opening the Word. Order your copy!
Photo credit: "Pen, Diary, and Glasses" by Generation Bass used under CC BY 2.0 / Cropped.

Read Deuteronomy 10:12-15
“And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (v. 12).
Alma grew up in our church. Her grandfather was one of the founders. The church bore his last name. She seldom missed a service. Tragically, in spite of her exposure to the gospel, she had never been saved. I prayed for her often. I visited her regularly. Numerous times I ex- plained the plan of salvation as simply as I could and asked her if she would like to pray to ask God to forgive her sins and to become the Lord of her life. Each time, she refused. Her answer became familiar. “Brother Woods, it is just so hard to understand.”
In our devotional text for today, Moses seemed to be expressing the same frustration I felt. “How easy can it be? How simple can it be?” “What doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to. . .?” The path to the foot of the cross is clearly marked and easy to follow. At the end of the path, the Savior eagerly awaits your arrival.
Why do we try to complicate what Christ has made simple? Isaiah said, “A highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein” (35:8). (L. Gayle Woods)

Why do we try to complicate what Christ has made simple?

This week’s featured devotional is the Monday, July 7, 2014 entry of Opening the Word. Order your copy!
Photo credit: "Simple & Obvious" by Emma Jane Hogbin Westby used under CC BY 2.0 / Cropped.