Staying Free

Numbers 14:1-4 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!Or in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lordbringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and … Read more

Seven Times Seventy

Matthew 18:21-35 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[g] 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24 As he began the … Read more

The Ice Storm

John 15:5  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. A few years ago, an ice storm hit the trees near my parents’ house.  The trees stood jagged and broken in a million directions. The … Read more

Questioning Why

Job 4:  Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: 7 “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. 8 “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? 9 Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his? 10 Then adorn yourself with glory and … Read more

God’s Authentic Plan for My Life

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,plans to give you hope and a future. For two years, we had lived in the small town.  I was ready to move on to bigger and better things.  My husband had a job interview, and the employer was really positive. … Read more

Tithing

Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. In the … Read more

My Longest Day

Job 1: 20-22 20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging … Read more

Olympic Christian Friendships

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Eyes from all over the world watched the swimming competition at the Olympics.  Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte appear to be friends out of the pool and the fiercest of competitors in the swimming pool.  Phelps came in fourth place, and Ryan took the gold. … Read more