FAR TOO MUCH FOR ME

MATTHEW 26:36-46 Someone once said to a man whose 12-year-old son had just died in a car accident, “God never gives us more than we can handle.” His words, which were meant to encourage him, instead made him feel miserable and made him question why he was not at all “handling” the death of his … [Read more…]

PRAY FIRST

1 SAMUEL 23:1-5 When Juliet and her husband had to supervise their son’s guitar practice sessions, they started by asking God for assistance. She and her husband could not play the instrument, so they began by praying. As soon as we acknowledge our need for God, prayer becomes a top priority. David thought about fighting the Philistines … [Read more…]

I OWN THAT!

EZEKIEL 29:1-9 The longest river in the world is the Nile of Africa, which stretches 6,650 kilometers (more than 4,100 miles) and runs northward through several nations in northeastern Africa. Millions of people in the nations the Nile flows through have had their food and means of subsistence provided for them over the years. The king of … [Read more…]

HELPING OUR COMMUNITY

1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-11; EPHESIANS 4:11-12 Parkinson’s disease was diagnosed in a woman. The family was put in a challenging, stressful situation as a result. The husband pondered how he would be able to care for her properly while still fulfilling his other obligations. He didn’t need to worry, though, as church members stepped up and offered … [Read more…]

WHEN WE ARE DISAPPOINTED

1 SAMUEL 17:33-50 The French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship MTS Oceanos sank due to uncontrollable flooding. As MTS Oceanos’ cruise ship encountered a violent storm on August 4, 1991, off the coast of South Africa, the captain made the decision to leave the ship when it started to sink and fled with his officers without informing … [Read more…]

CHEETAHS CAN BE OUTRUN

ISAIAH 40:6-11, 28-31 The fastest land animal is believed to be the cheetah. However, in a footrace, four members of a Kenyan village beat two cheetahs. The community goats appear to have been the cheetahs’ primary food source. The men therefore devised a strategy to halt them. They waited until it was the warmest time of the … [Read more…]

GOD’S WORLD

PSALM 24:1 I was confident that he would appreciate getting a world map for his birthday. After doing some shopping, I saw a vibrant map of the globe with pictures for each region. Although I was happy, I had a question regarding the label “Our World” at the bottom of the globe. The fact that we … [Read more…]

A FATHER WHO RUNS

LUKE 15:11-24 In anticipation of his son’s return, a father stretched his neck every day to peer in the direction of the far-off road. He went to bed disappointed each night. But then one day, a speck appeared. Against the blood-red sky, a lonesome shadow loomed. The father questioned if that might be his son. Then … [Read more…]

SWEET-SMELLING LIFE

PHILIPPIANS 4:10-20 I am grateful that God endowed us with the ability to smell so we can appreciate the various fragrances of life. So when the apostle Paul states that our kind deeds toward others are like a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, and well pleasing to God, it catches my attention (Philippians 4:18). The smells that … [Read more…]

GO!

EXODUS 4:10-17 Billy Graham, a well-known evangelist, once said, “Let me tell you: every time I stand before the congregation of God’s people to preach, I tremble and my knees wobble!” How is it possible for such a renowned preacher, whose stirring speeches have enthralled millions, to have shaky knees? Then he continued by describing great humility … [Read more…]