EPHESIANS 4:25-32 John, a friend, advised the newlyweds at their son’s wedding reception. He shared a football coach’s strategy of keeping the losing score on the scoreboard to remind them of their failure. John said that this is a bad marriage strategy. Instead, when your spouse upsets or fails you, turn off the scoreboard and … [Read more…]
COLOSSIANS 1:15-20 A friend’s son wore a sports jersey over his school uniform to show support for his favourite team. He wore a chain with a pendant reading “Jesus” over his jersey, illustrating the deeper truth that Jesus deserves first place over everything in our lives. Jesus is supreme over all creation and the head of … [Read more…]
PHILIPPIANS 4:8–13; COLOSSIANS 3:1 According to David H. Roper, Idaho’s valley in the USA experiences extreme cold in winter due to clouds and fog, trapping cold air behind warmer air. However, a nearby road climbs Shafer Butte’s flank, a 7,500-foot mountain, allowing for a refreshing view of the valley below. This road offers a short distance … [Read more…]
JOHN 4:31-34 Meat Mountain is a hidden menu item in fast-food restaurants, resembling a featured item. It is known only through social media and word of mouth, suggesting an offer of secret menus to in-the-know customers. Jesus revealed His hidden food to His disciples, who were confused about it. He explained that it was to fulfil His … [Read more…]
PSALM 46 In the past, letters were responded to within weeks, while fax machines provided a few days’ response. Today, with email, instant messaging, and mobile phones, a response is expected the same day. In Psalm 46, two commands are read: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Being still is essential in today’s busy … [Read more…]
GALATIANS 5:13-26 A woman parked her car and blocked my way to the fuel pump. I could not wait, so I honked my horn and shouted at her. I felt bad about being impatient and unwilling to wait for her to move. I apologised to God and realised I could have spread kindness and patience instead … [Read more…]
LUKE 19:1-10 “My days of tree climbing are past,” remarked a woman who, as a child, loved to climb trees. “I think that is not very respectable or safe.” Zacchaeus, a wealthy man, threw away shame and climbed a tree in Jericho to see Jesus. Despite being short and unable to see, he managed to see and … [Read more…]
JOHN 16:28-33; REVELATION 21:4 A lifelong fan of a football club experienced disappointment due to the team’s lack of championship appearances. Despite this, the team has a loyal fan base, often referring to their home stadium as the “Factory of Sadness.” Our shattered world might operate as a “factory of sadness” as well. Whether brought on by … [Read more…]
LUKE 2:21-35 Rembrandt, a Dutch painter, left an unfinished painting on his easel, depicting Simeon’s emotion while holding Jesus. According to some art historians, Rembrandt was prepared to “be dismissed” (Luke 2:29) because he sensed his time on earth was drawing to a close, just like Simeon. Simeon’s presence in the temple when Mary and Joseph … [Read more…]
REVELATION 22:1-5 We all have something in common. We live in a mixed-up, tarnished world, and we have never known anything different. Adam and Eve could recall the world before the curse, free from death, hardship, and pain. In pre-fall Eden, hunger, unemployment, and illness did not exist. No one questioned God’s creative power or human … [Read more…]
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