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TITUS 3:1-8 Many of us get a lot of emails and texts in a regular week reminding us of events or appointments or asking us to pray for others. Those are all necessary reminders. Paul urged Titus in his “papyrus mail” to remind the believers of specific matters (3:1). Paul’s word choice suggests that he had previously … [Read more…]

2 PETER 3:1-13 When I dropped my friend off one day at a nearby bus terminal, I observed the conductor looking around for stragglers. From the parking lot, a woman with wet hair dashed into the bus. A man in a dark suit then made his way to the platform and boarded. While a few more … [Read more…]

EXODUS 15:1–2,13–18 John Philip Sousa, a composer and band conductor widely regarded as “The March King,” wrote music that has been played by bands all around the world for more than a century. Beethoven is to symphonies what Sousa is to marches. He understood the ability of music to inspire, uplift, and motivate people. Israel’s people were … [Read more…]

LUKE 18:1-8 The saying, “The squeaky wheel gets the oil,” is popular. I used to ride far on my bicycle as a teenager, and the squeaky sounds of the wheels alerted me to the necessity of lubricating them. The widow in Luke 18 kept asking the judge for justice against her enemy, sounding like a “squeaky … [Read more…]

MARK 4:35-41 During a storm, a retired pastor and his wife left their home and headed to a shelter. They went back to their house after the storm had passed to get a few items, but all they could find floating in the water were a few family photos. Then, as he removed his father’s photograph … [Read more…]

REVELATION 19:7; 21:1-8 Jewish wedding customs saw an addition around the fourth century AD. The groom ends by crushing a wine glass with his foot. One explanation for this is that the breaking of the glass represents the temple’s destruction in AD 70. Young couples are urged to keep in mind that God’s home has been … [Read more…]

LUKE 22:24-27 Jesus washed His disciples’ feet even though it was not necessary for Him to do so (John 13:5). He had the option to serve them as opposed to the servants who were assigned to that task. We are urged to strive to “be somebody,” according to today’s culture. We aspire to hold the highest … [Read more…]

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…]