When God called Abram from Ur of the Chaldees, he gave him a number of promises (see Gen. 12:1–3; 13:14–17). God promised to make Abram into a great nation and to give him the land of Canaan. These promises introduce tension into the story. How would Abram become a great…

The Bible begins with God and man in perfect harmony. Genesis tells us that it wasn’t until after the fall that “the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God” (Gen. 3:8). Because of sin, God’s presence was no longer a comfort but a terror.…

We all face those moments when there is a clear fork in the road. We have to decide if we’re going to follow the ways of God or the ways of the world. Sometimes this takes place internally with temptations to entertain thoughts of anger, jealousy, bitterness, or lust. Other…

As a kid (and even now as an adult), chain reactions have always fascinated me. From blocks to dominoes to far more intricate setups, the series of events triggered by one small movement remind me of the connectedness of things and the providence of God. These connections are everywhere in…

I still remember the first purchase I made after becoming a Christian and buying a small, NKJV Pocket Bible with a snap flap—Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. I was beginning to hunger for God’s Word and wanted to take my Bible reading and studying a…

Pitfalls abound for both the poor and the rich. The poor can be tempted to see wealth as their deliverer, that only if they had more money their problems would simply vanish. On the other hand, the wealthy can look to their riches for security and comfort. They can trust…