We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. Romans 5:3, NLT Swiss engineer George de Mestral grew frustrated with a recurring problem. Whenever he went hiking, his clothes and his dog would get covered with burrs. The little pods were hard to pry… Read More »

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Ephesians 6:18 Sam James was a missionary in war-ravaged Vietnam. One of his worst moments occurred when his wife, Rachel, made a trip into the mountains on an old DC-3 propeller passenger plane belonging to Air Vietnam. When Sam went to the airport for her… Read More »

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 1 John 1:6 A mother finds her three-year-old son standing in front of his bedroom wall, a crayon in each hand, admiring his artwork. When she asks if he drew on the wall, the… Read More »

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4 Medical science has made it possible for humans to live longer. But ask the average senior citizen if that excites… Read More »

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. Acts 1:1 The biblical writer, Luke, wrote his Gospel (“the former account”), telling us of all Jesus began to do and teach. Then Luke wrote the book of Acts to tell us what Jesus continued to do and… Read More »

As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress. Job 37:23 We’ve all heard young children say it: “But that’s not fair!” And we may have said it ourselves. Life is filled with “unfair” moments. Tragedies, disasters, genocides, and more lead us… Read More »

For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Luke 6:43 There is a long list of modern metaphors and sayings that have their origin in the Bible. One of the most widely known is the picture of a wolf disguising itself as a sheep: a wolf… Read More »

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 When riots and violent protests struck Portland, Oregon, earlier this year, one pastor fought to share Jesus with his community. Reverend Aaron Bennett of Garden Church in downtown Portland said, “Don’t give up on Portland. This is a place filled with… Read More »

True Love But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 The sixteenth-century English Bible translator, William Tyndale, was detained by royal authorities in Belgium and condemned to die. He was tied to a stake, strangled to death, and his body was burned.… Read More »

And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” Colossians 4:17 Do you ever need a nudge to do something? Psychologists claim that twenty percent of us are habitual procrastinators, and the other eighty percent struggle occasionally with putting things off. Several books… Read More »