Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” . . . “How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” 2 Samuel 7:18,22 Happy Thanksgiving! That phrase will be said millions of times today in America. But stop and think: if you say, “Happy Thanksgiving!’ today, what are you actually saying? “Have a good time giving ...
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 In our lives, there is a constant tension between the physical and the spiritual. Some say physical is for the body, and spiritual is for the soul. Others say that our physical natures are concerned with current matters, but our spiritual natures look to the future. Jesus’ encouragement was not to work for food that spoils but to work for food that endures to eternal life—spiritual things. All of ...
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:1-3 Take a look around. Does it feel to you like the world has gone crazy? Does it seem like everything is crashing down around you, and you have no control and aren’t sure how much more of it you can take? The economy is a source of stress and hand-wringing. ...
And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4:21 Growing up with siblings can be fun. Brothers and sisters can create good memories. Things like family vacations, playing in the backyard, watching movies, building forts in the basement and snowmen outside are all things that make having siblings fun. It is easy to love our brothers and sisters in moments like those. However, it is not always so enjoyable. Living in close proximity with our siblings can provide ample opportunities for unloving behavior. Arguing, ...
The Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. . . choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them. Acts 6:1,3 “I just can’t believe how many broken people are in my congregation.” That’s how one pastor evaluated the people under his care. Yes, some areas of the world or some congregations may seem more broken than others. But the fact that people are broken shouldn’t ...
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:59,60 Stephen has the distinction of being the first Christian martyr. Illegally arrested, tried, and convicted by enemies of the Christian Church, Stephen was dragged outside the city of Jerusalem and pummeled with stones until he died. Wouldn’t you like to be like Stephen? I’m not suggesting that any of us would revel in the idea of facing ...
