“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17, Christian Standard Bible). It’s that time of year again when we hear the word “exchange” a lot. There are gift exchanges and cookie exchanges. And let’s…
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10, Christian Standard Bible). One of the strangest conversations I’ve had was with…
“Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He said, ‘God will surely come to you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.’ So Joseph died at the age of 110. After they embalmed him, his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt” (Genesis 50:25-26,…
“He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him” (John 1:10, New English Translation). As I sat in church, the words of the song “Down from His Glory” washed over me. Once again, I was reminded of the glory God…
“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3, New English Translation). Humans can be exasperating at times. Other people, that is, not me. I’m levelheaded, reasonable, even-tempered. Oh,…
“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives” (Romans 12:6, Christian Standard Bible). It was a bright, sunny Saturday morning, and a friend and I were on vacation at a beautiful spot near the shore. What better way to start our morning than to…
“Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men’” (Matthew 4:19, New King James Version). Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to live at the same time as Jesus? I have. Sometimes as I read the Bible, I try to…
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8, English Standard Version). I sat in my usual pew on a recent Sunday morning,…
“The oppressed and the poor look for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched from thirst. I, the LORD, will respond to their prayers; I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them. I will make streams flow down the slopes and produce springs in the middle of…