“By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life.” (Proverbs 22:4) During your school years, you could probably name the student in your class considered most likely to succeed in life. They may have attained a high grade-point average, shown leadership ability, or been popular.…
And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’” (I Kings 18:44, ESV) It had been a long day on…
“Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” (I Peter 2:17, ESV) How is it possible to respect a hateful, rude person? It’s not easy to respond with grace and kindness when someone seems intent on treating us badly. That’s why the story of David goes against what…
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13, ESV) Life gets tough and sometimes people lose hope that better days are ahead. Job 14:1 (ESV) says, “Man who…
“. . . Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.” (Joshua 4:3, NKJV) After their forty-year…
“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27, ESV) Are you a worrier? I suspect we all are to some degree. Life has its uncertainties and problems, and it’s easy for us to feel anxious or fearful about what…
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5, ESV) If you had only a brief moment to tell someone who knew…
“But the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” (I Peter 1:25, ESV) As I was growing up, my parents made a sizeable investment, at least compared to their modest income, to buy my brother and me a set…
“Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.” (Genesis 12:7, ESV) Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, and Samuel all had one thing in common. They built altars. These…