“Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” (II Corinthians 3:5, ESV) At what point in life do we begin our push to handle things ourselves and prove our independence? Soon—very soon. Just listen to any toddler and…
“Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus” (Romans 15:5). All of us have “triggers”—things that easily push us over the edge with our patience. It can be people cutting ahead of us in line, a difficult person, a long…
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, ESV) Hester Ford, the oldest living person in the United States, died in 2021 at the age of 115 or possibly 116 (conflicting records). She lived a lot of days and saw things…
“Let brotherly love continue.” (Hebrews 13:1) Yesterday we talked about the love of God and the many ways He demonstrates that love to us. Today let’s take a few moments to talk about loving each other and how that looks in our daily life. Numerous passages in the Bible talk…
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor…
“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (II Corinthians 13:5, ESV). We are now just over one week into the new year. Many use…
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” (Galatians 4:4, NKJV) In just a few days, we will be celebrating Christmas. For some, it is only a secular holiday with an emphasis on decorations, gifts, family time,…
“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in . . . When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and…
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32, NKJV). Have you ever watched a parent intervene in a childish squabble? With a stern voice they instruct, “Say you’re sorry.” Head down and mumbled, a reluctant “sorry” is finally squeezed…