COLOSSIANS 1:13-23 Union Major General Lew Wallace served as governor of the New Mexico territory in the years following the American Civil War (1861–1865), although New Mexico had not yet been accepted as a state. Many of the people who make up the almost mythic history of the Wild West came into contact with him because … [Read more…]
PSALM 77:1-15 I am not sure what dire circumstance inspired Asaph to pen Psalm 77, but I have heard and expressed similar cries before. But in verse 10, Asaph experiences a change of heart as a result of remembering God’s love and His deeds. In this life, despair is real, yet solutions are hardly simple. However, amid … [Read more…]
MARK 10:13-16 The world was made aware of a small act of kindness that occurred on a New York City subway. A young man dozed off on an older passenger’s shoulder with his hooded sweatshirt covering his head. “He must have had a long day,” the older guy muttered when someone else offered to wake … [Read more…]
ISAIAH 55:8-11 In dry regions, water brings about wonderful transformations. For instance, during the dry season, the pincushion cactus goes completely dormant. Cactuses, however, bloom with delicate pink, gold, and white petals after the first rain. Similar to this, in the Holy Land, dry land might sprout plants over night following a shower. Isaiah used the … [Read more…]
JOHN 4:9-14, 27-29 Following the issuance of his license, Mark’s parents received several calls from people who had found it. They warned him to be more careful and not to leave it behind. However, it is not necessarily a bad thing to leave things behind. In John 4, a woman had come to a well to draw … [Read more…]
JOHN 3:1-8,13-16 There are proverbs regarding the difficulties of breaking long-held habits in many different languages. You cannot teach an old dog new tricks in English. In French, “Ce n’est pas à un vieux singe qu’on apprend a faire la grimace” (you cannot teach an old monkey how to pull a funny face). In Spanish, … [Read more…]
EZEKIEL 34:25-31 Animals that are incapable of flying “rain” from the sky in a rare meteorological occurrence known as “raining animals.” Throughout history, reports of these incidents have been made in numerous nations. Lajamanu, an Australian town, received a fishfall. Several times, tadpoles pelted parts of central Japan. Argentina’s San Bernardo Mountains were covered in spiders. Although … [Read more…]
1 KINGS 19:1-12 Elijah might have grown accustomed to being the focal point of God’s mighty manifestations. When he prayed, God responded dramatically, first by miraculously defeating the prophets of Baal and later by ending the protracted and severe drought (1 Kings 18). However, Elijah then began to flee out of fear. In order to nourish … [Read more…]
DEUTERONOMY 8:11-18; ECCLESIASTES 12:1 National anthems from all across the world, including those from Africa, frequently mention God as the Creator and Provider. Other anthem lyrics encourage reconciliation, change, and hope for a people that is frequently split along racial, political, and social lines. However, many national leaders and individuals today have a tendency to disregard God … [Read more…]
GALATIANS 6:1-10 Thousands of homes and businesses were without electricity for days after the city was hit by an ice storm. Many families were unable to prepare meals, so Fred and his family were forced to visit a restaurant crowded with hungry people who shared their predicament. When a woman walked over to take their meal … [Read more…]
RECENT COMMENTS: