"All of life is business with God…" John Calvin
And you, who were dead in your trespasses …, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. — Colossians 2:13-14 As I read deeper into Hosea, it causes … Continue reading Like Adam
What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the … Continue reading We Need a New Covenant
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about peace. Rather, I’ve been lamenting the lack of peace that seems to be rending not only our nation and world in some very visible ways, but especially situations closer to home which are breaking my heart and the hearts of people I love. I find myself praying in … Continue reading Striving For Peace
This week in our study we covered Romans chapters 5-7. No small task. But it was made easier by remembering that our goal is to lay a foundation for chapter 8, not to deeply explore every nook and cranny of 5 to 7. With this in mind, I must limit this post to the high … Continue reading Romans 5-7,the Highlights
Originally posted January 16, 2020 at Women of Purpose. In the second class of our study of Romans chapter 8, we faced a near impossible task—have a discussion through the main points of Romans chapters 1 through 4, and keep it within the 2-hour time frame for our class. Our purpose for this and the … Continue reading Romans 1-4, in brief…
Originally posted December 7, 2019, at Women of Purpose. How can I summarize this study of the book of Hosea? We spent 12 weeks mining the treasures of this book, and I still feel like there’s so much that we didn’t tap, so much still just out of reach. We know that God is love. … Continue reading Hosea Summary and Conclusion
Originally posted November 22, 2019, at Women of Purpose. Oh, sisters, how refreshing it is to come at last to the final chapter of our study. Not because it means that our time is drawing to a close, no, but because we see in chapter 14 of Hosea a model of true, mindful, heartfelt repentance … Continue reading Final Appeal
Originally posted October 20, 2019, at Women of Purpose. The first nine verses of Hosea chapter 9 are hard to read. The prophet Hosea marches into a festal celebration where the people of Israel are enjoying (apparently) the Feast of Tabernacles—or rather, their version of the feast which had merged with the pagan harvest rituals … Continue reading No Worship in a Foreign Land
Originally posted October 11, 2019, at Women of Purpose. This week in our study of Hosea chapter 8, we continue learning the cost of Israel’s iniquities. Their many sins in breaking God’s covenant and rebelling against his law, which included idolatry, alliances with pagan nations, hypocrisy in worship, and self-reliance, trace directly to the root … Continue reading Israel’s Hypocrisy
