MIND GAMES

JAMES 3:13-18 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure…” (James 3:17) Streamed media has multiplied tremendously in our time. With the explosion of online communication, public opinion seems to have a sphere of influence that has never been stronger. According to research, the way we live is influenced by what we see. This suggests that … [Read more…]

A PILE OF ASHES

1 CORINTHIANS 3:5-15 A woman once asked, “Why should I try to imitate Jesus now if I will be like Him in heaven?” (1 John 3:1-3). It is a sensible question! Being ourselves is much easier. Actually, there are important considerations as to why it is crucial to imitate Him right away. However, one stands out near … [Read more…]

OBSTACLES

ROMANS 14:13; 2 CORINTHIANS 6:3   When other people make a mistake, it is so simple to point it out and laugh. Sometimes we enjoy seeing other people make mistakes, whether we do it in public or simply for ourselves. Even pointing out the errors and issues of our friends makes us appear and feel so … [Read more…]

FROM HIDING TO SEEKING

JONAH 1:1-2:2 When Jane wanted to be left alone or have her way, she devised a technique to hide from people while she was still too young to walk or crawl. She just shut her eyes. She made the assumption that anyone she could not see could not see her either. She employed this strategy in … [Read more…]

DO SOMETHING

MARK 6:30-44 Mark 6:37 says, “Give ye them to eat” (or, “You give them something to eat”). Those remarks made by Jesus are simple to overlook. A massive crowd had gathered to hear Him. As the day wore on, His disciples began pleading with Him to send them out so they might go get something to … [Read more…]

SAINTS

COLOSSIANS 1:1-2 When you hear the word “saints,” what comes to mind? Super spiritual individuals? Christians in the past who performed numerous miracles? Jesus’ first adherents? Although we generally do not call ourselves saints, Paul referred to all Christians as saints (Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:2). Did he refer to them as saints because of their perfection? “No … [Read more…]

THE RIGHT FOUNDATION

MATTHEW 7:24–29 The builder, who was renovating the old house John had inherited, said, “I have bad news for you.” “We discovered that the walls had basically no foundation when we started to renovate the back side of the garage for your office. They will need to be destroyed so that we can lay proper … [Read more…]

A BATTLE OF WORDS

PROVERBS 15:1-2 In response to the murder of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. Other European nations sided in order to uphold their military ties and further their own goals within 90 days. World War I, one of the most catastrophic military confrontations in modern history, … [Read more…]

SUITABLE WORDS

PROVERBS 25:11-15 “Timing is everything,” as the saying goes. The Bible says that proper timing also pertains to our words and speech. Consider a time when God used you to encourage someone with a timely word or a situation where you wanted to speak but decided it would be best to be quiet. According to the Bible, … [Read more…]

A SPECTACULAR VIEW

PSALM 33:13-22   Some people enjoy using Google Maps to study locations or regions of the world they want to visit while on vacation. To walk through the streets and cities as if you were really there is fascinating.   We can view a lot of the world with the aid of Google Maps, but I … [Read more…]