MATTHEW 6:25–34; JAMES 1:17 When her mother tried to urge her to develop faith when she was a teenager, she occasionally resisted. “Have faith. She would assure her, “God will look after you.” “It is not that easy, Mom!” she would yell in response. “Heaven helps those who help themselves!” However, Scripture makes no mention of the … [Read more…]
3 JOHN A disappearing art in the modern era is what the apostle John did for his friend Gaius in the first century. John wrote a letter to him. Writing letters is one of our oldest forms of art, according to Catherine Field, a writer for the New York Times. For instance, when you think of … [Read more…]
MALACHI 1:1–5 A good number of teenagers go through the typical season of rebellion against their parents’ authority. The Israelites’ captivity in Babylon caused them to wonder how much God loved them. However, God punished them for their persistent disobedience by putting them in captivity. God then sent them the prophet Malachi. “I have loved you,” … [Read more…]
LUKE 6:46–49 My friends noticed that their living room was sinking after a few years of living there; a window would not open, and cracks emerged on the walls. This room, they discovered, had been added without a foundation. It took months of labour to fix the poor job as builders erected a new foundation. … [Read more…]
PSALM 107:1–16, 35–36 As a child, I enjoyed thunderstorms with thunder and heavy rain, stomping around our house, soaking up when it was time to return inside. In Psalm 107, God’s restoration is compared to a barren wilderness transformed into pools of water, a downpour that floods every crack with new life. And is that not the kind … [Read more…]
ACTS 2:14-21 Following fifty-one injuries and five deaths from elevator incidents in 2016, New York City started an advertising campaign to teach people how to be safe and remain composed. When things went wrong, the worst instances were those who attempted to save themselves. According to professionals, the best course of action is to “ring, … [Read more…]
2 CORINTHIANS 4:8–18; ROMANS 8:39 Thomas, one of my fellow workers, has a glass cross on his desk. It was given to him by his friend Philip, who, like Thomas, has survived cancer, to help him see things “through the cross.” A continual reminder of God’s love and good intentions for him is provided by the … [Read more…]
JOB 41:12–34; PSALM 104:25–26 Every time a sample is taken in the deep water, new species are discovered, according to marine biologist Ward Appeltans. During a single year, 1,451 new kinds of underwater life were discovered. There is just so much down there that we do not know. Through three poetry chapters, God describes His creation in … [Read more…]
PSALM 131 Using words like “hush” and “shhhh,” a parent gently soothes a child in an attempt to calm him or her down. These timeless and universal scenarios remind us of Psalm 131:2, as parents show their love and support for their children in the face of suffering, disappointment, or discomfort. David wrote the psalm in … [Read more…]
JOHN 14:1-14 His son asked why they had to leave their home and move. It is difficult to explain to a five-year-old. They were leaving their house, not their home. Home can be anywhere our loved ones are, and we long to return after long trips or work. Before Jesus’ death, He reassured His disciples of … [Read more…]
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