God of the Fly
Have you ever wondered about the name, “Baalzebub?” The name is comprised of two Hebrew words—Baal meaning “lord or god,” and Zebub meaning, “to move here and there quickly,” referencing flies.
Struggling through reading the lesser-known Old Testament passages and long prophetic oracles may seem to have little relevance to everyday 21st-century life. But there are important things we can learn from the Old Testament. First, the New Testament is based on the Old Testament. Second, the Old Testament reveals the character of God. Third, the Old Testament has transformational power. Its message transcends time, geography, and culture. It speaks to everyone, everywhere, in every situation.
Have you ever wondered about the name, “Baalzebub?” The name is comprised of two Hebrew words—Baal meaning “lord or god,” and Zebub meaning, “to move here and there quickly,” referencing flies.
Boot camp isn’t supposed to be easy, it’s meant to prepare people to defend their country against the enemy. It has the built-in ingredients to make you strong. There’s a sort of spiritual boot camp believers go through. It’s not easy, but God is using it ultimately for good.
In the book of Nehemiah, I found seven essential skills that today’s Christian leaders can use as stones on which to build their own strategy for leadership.
Study Job 1 and 2 with Pastor Chuck Swindoll, and grasp how the assaults on Job’s family, health, and belongings threatened to pull him away from God.
Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll as he retraces the steps of Abraham and his beloved son, Isaac. Observe how Abraham’s response to God was immediate, based upon faith alone, and total. Heaven’s commands come with heaven’s provision!
The greatest communicator of all time, Jesus Christ, used stories to communicate the truth about God, our lives, and our world. He often chose to employ stories when faced with a diverse crowd of people, hungry for His teaching.
Surrounded by his son, the king-elect Solomon, and an assembly of loyal followers, King David dreamed, rejoiced, gave advice, prayed, and finally died—ending an era that would never again be duplicated in the annals of history.
Consider the aged and otherwise godly David—a father of many, a courageous warrior in battle, a king for nearly four decades, and a sensitive man of God. In spite of these achievements and experiences, he made a foolish decision based on pride and fell into Satan's trap.
Nearing the end of his life, with the pressures almost more than he could handle, David penned one of his greatest works, a song of triumph in the Lord’s strength and provision.
As always in matters of forgiveness, the offended—the forgiver—must pay the cost in full. That takes an awfully big person to pull off. As we shall see, David filled those shoes. Can you?