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PSALM 100 When children fail to emulate their parents’ level of religious faith, it can be surprising. It is equally surprising when a devoted follower of Christ comes from a non-religious home. Each individual has a choice in every generation. Samuel, a mighty man of God, appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, as Israel’s leaders (1 … [Read more…]

JOHN 11:32-44 When my friend’s mother passed away, I went to see him. Our conversation was easily drawn into a cycle of emotions as we talked, combining tears of sadness over her passing with laughter as we remembered what a kind and fun person she had been. Many of us have gone from crying one minute to … [Read more…]

COLOSSIANS 3:12-17 One member of our group revealed after the conference that she had left something behind at the venue. Our group leader, who is usually meticulous in his focus on issues, strongly criticised her after she departed to get it. The leader was shocked to learn that he had also left his passport at the … [Read more…]

JOHN 1:29 I have been blamed for many things, and rightfully so. I have also taken the blame for things that were not my fault. But I have been on the other side of the fence, accusing other people. Blame hurts. Guilty or innocent, we waste a lot of time and mental effort looking for someone … [Read more…]

1 PETER 5:1-11 “If you ask me: What is the single most important key to longevity?”, an actor and comedian once remarked, “I would have to say that it is keeping anxiety, stress, and tension at bay.” I would still have to tell you if you had not asked. He made people laugh, lived to reach … [Read more…]

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…]

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…]

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…]

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…]

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…]