Habakkuk 2:18-20

January 30, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, ‘Awake; to a silent stone, Arise!’ Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Habakkuk 2:18-20).

Here, the Lord examines the logic of trusting in idols. He explains that a piece of wood or a stone covered with gold or silver is still only a rock or a piece of wood. And there is no breath (life!) in it.

In contrast, the Lord sits on His throne, alive and well.

Why is it so easy to look at these folks and say, “Why do you trust in that rock, wood, glass, etc., instead of the Lord?” But so difficult to realize that I can do similar things? I may not trust in a little statue, but I have said, “This is my lucky shirt.” Most of the time, I trust in myself rather than the Lord. That’s only slightly better than trusting in a stone, but still idolatry.

Lord, please help me to trust in you alone. Amen.

Filed Under: Habakkuk, idolatry, Old Testament

Amos 8:11-12

January 12, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12).

This is a disturbing passage. First, the Lord warns the people of the day when He will send a famine of the word of the Lord, resulting in an inability to find the word.

In this case, there are clearly two actors. 1) The people have disregarded the Lord, chasing after idols and pleasure. 2) The Lord who will withhold his blessing. 

The result will be that the people will not be able to find the word of the Lord when they want it. I’m not sure if that means that all the clergy are corrupt and putting out anything but the truth. Or, the Lord has simply taken away his word. I think I lean toward the former because I don’t think the Lord will withhold His word from the remnant of faithful believers. 

Do we see anything similar in our country? There are lots of churches and lots of preachers. But are there lots of churches and preachers preaching the word of the Lord? Or are there more and more that are moving to the word of man? 

Father, please help me be faithful to you and your word. Help me accept what the Bible says, even when it is hard. Amen.

Filed Under: Amos, devotional thoughts, idolatry, Old Testament, Prophecy

Amos 5:4-5

January 9, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: ‘Seek me and live; but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing’” (Amos 5:4-5).

The Lord is consistent in offering forgiveness and restoration for those who turn to Him: “Seek me and live.” The caveat is that He is not interested in divided loyalty. In other words, He didn’t want to share the stage with idols. Thus, he forbade the people from involving themselves in idolatry, specifically at Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba. 

The Lord still offers forgiveness for those who turn to Him through Jesus Christ. And, He still refuses to share the stage with others. At times, this can be challenging for me as my flesh seeks to have Jesus AND the world. 

Father, help me have a repentant heart, focused solely on you. Amen.

Filed Under: Amos, devotional thoughts, forgiveness, heart matters, idolatry, Old Testament

Hosea 14:1, 4

January 1, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity” (Hosea 14:1).

“I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them” (Hosea 14:4‬).

Just when one thinks unbelieving Israel is a lost cause, God shows His heart. Just when one thinks God has rebuked Israel to the point of exhaustion, God shows His heart. Just when it seems that Israel has finally gone too far into idolatry, God shows His heart. 

In my mind, this book has offered sharper rebukes of Israel than other books. So sharp, in fact, at times it felt like God had tossed Israel aside. Yet, the opening section where God told Hosea to take a wife of whoredom, and to take her back each time she left with another man, should have been a clue that God was not through with Israel. If that wasn’t enough to help me believe that God is not done with Israel, this last chapter should do the trick. 

First, God shows His heart when He calls Israel to repent. “Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity” (1). God desires to forgive and restore Israel. 

Second, God says what will happen if Israel repents. “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them” (4‬).

This consistency gives me hope that God will forgive and restore me when I sin. 

Father, thank you for your kindness and mercy. Thank you for your faithfulness. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, forgiveness, Hosea, idolatry, Old Testament, Restoring Israel

Hosea 13:4

December 31, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.” (Hosea 13:4)

On the heels of saying, “And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver” (13‬:‭2‬), “Besides me, there is no savior!” is an important and exclusive statement. God is attacking their idolatry by pointing out that he is the only savior. No matter how much silver or how finely crafted, idols cannot save. God alone can save!

Isaiah echoes this same exclusive claim: “I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.” (Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭11‬)

“… And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.” (Isaiah‬ ‭45‬:‭21‬)

Jesus claimed to be the exclusive way to the Father: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬)

Peter made the connection between Jesus and Isaiah 43:11, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬)

Paul made the connection even clearer in his letter to Titus, … “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬)

There is one true and living God and salvation is found only in Him. If we look anywhere else, we will come up empty-handed. If we look to anyone else, we will come up empty-handed. 

Father, please help me recognize your glory in your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Filed Under: Acts, Hosea, idolatry, Isaiah, John, Old Testament, Titus
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