Days are coming that are going to test the construction of our houses–our lives. Luke six tells us in verse 47-49 how to check our buildings. First, in order to have a house that will withstand the storms of life one must, number one, come to Him. Then we must hear His words, but merely hearing is not enough. In addition, we must, act on what we’ve heard. He tells us that if we do this, when floods come our…
The air is filled with Christmas music. The ads pop up on the computer screens advertising potential gifts. The mail is filled with tantalizing invitations to spend money. All of this is to get us into the swing of the season. Supposedly to bring Christmas joy. The real reason for the season often takes a back seat to all the frenetic frenzy. There is a series called The Chosen that will soon come out with its third season. You can…
Deuteronomy 1:29 “Then I (Moses) said to you, ‘Do not be shocked, or fear them.’” When Moses was about to die, he recounted the events he and the Israelites shared together in the desert. Today’s passage comes from that recollection. When the Israelites neared the land that God had promised them long before they left Egypt, they sent twelve spies to check out the territory. When the spies saw the Anakim, the giants that lived there, ten came back terrified….
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. The Bible’s definition of faith is “the trust that God exists and that He is the creator and ruler of all things.” The meaning of faith doesn’t stop there. Biblical faith is “a deep conviction, a firm trust God gives to believers, resulting in eternal salvation through Jesus Christ.” As believers, we wait and hope with joy and a full confidence, for this…
Mark 5:36 But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” A synagogue official sought Jesus for healing. His daughter lay dying. On the way to the official’s house, a messenger arrived with the awful news. “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the Teacher anymore?” (Mark 5:35) Jesus turns to the father and says the scripture for today. The word “afraid” here is , “to put to flight by…
Have you ever prayed for a thing and waited, and waited, and waited? Have you given up hope of ever seeing that prayer answered? In Bible study, we recently studied the book of Acts. Near the end of the book is a very long account of the struggles Paul had after the Lord told him he was going to Rome to stand before Caesar. After two years he was finally on his way when he was shipwrecked, bitten by a…
Jesus’ Return Galatians 1:4 “Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father.” As the day of Jesus’ appearing in the sky draws nearer, we see a more definable difference in those who truly have Jesus as their Lord, and those who don’t. For those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus, there is special protection in this scripture even in…
This past weekend I attended the Heart of America Christian Writers Network Conference here in Kansas City. One of the activities we enjoyed was a drama by Karen Morerod. She portrayed Queen Esther from the Bible from the book of the same name. Queen Esther saved her Jewish people from annihilation. Her uncle told her God placed her in the palace “for such a time as this.” I wonder if each of us are aware we too, are placed by…
Often I hear people doubt the authenticity of the Bible. They don’t understand the role of the Scribe in Biblical times. These men spent long hours every day copying every jot and tittle of every word of scripture on to new scrolls. When they finished, they proof-read each line of each column. If there was one mistake in their new copy, they took a knife and sliced the new copy to pieces because it was flawed. To prove the high…
In I Kings, chapter 18, King Ahab, a worshiper of God had married a woman who worshiped in a fertility cult who sacrificed their babies to Baal. Elijah, a prophet in Israel, told king Ahab to gather the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah in order to have a “come to meeting” so to speak. The Israelites, led by their king, worshiped Almighty God. But they also mixed in a little hanky-panky with the temple prostitutes…