“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7 1 Thankfulness lessens our anxiety (“do not be anxious”). 2 Thankfulness reframes every […]
The Power of Gratitude and Thanksgiving Read More »
Dear God, You have invited us to give you thanks, and this is what we wish to do. We live in a time in which there is great anxiety, but you have offered us a way out of anxiety. We long to know your loving care. We pray to you because there is no one so good, so high,
A Prayer for Thanksgiving Read More »
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. Revelation 7:9 Writing from the island of Patmos to seven churches, the elderly apostle John is both pastor and poet. He writes metaphorically,
Foretaste of the Future Read More »
If you walked into someone’s home, picked a big book off a shelf, and read a single line on a random page, one thing is certain: you would not understand it. That is because we receive meaning through words by seeing them in their context. One of the most helpful things we can do to
What Is the “Big Picture” of the Bible? Read More »
People have strong feelings about the Bible version they use. That’s a good thing when it reflects our devotion to the gift of Holy Scripture. You are welcome to offer your thoughts in the “comments” section below. * * * Study Bibles have concise introductions that are no more than a page. For instance: The
Bibles for Studying Read More »
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that
The Christ Community Read More »
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 3:10-11 “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into
Heavenly Students of God’s Interracial Church Read More »
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in
Broken Body, Broken Wall, Restored Humanity Read More »
I want to say, right at the start, that I am looking forward to offering this new series on understanding, studying, and applying the Bible to our lives. I’m encouraged because I have seen over my lifetime how the power and truth of the word of God have given people life when it seems like so
It’s All About Zeal Read More »
When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned…. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. Galatians 2:11, 13 You and I, along with Peter and Paul, have been invited to dinner at the church of Antioch’s potluck.
Church Potluck and a Movie Read More »
And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 Shirley Temple Black starred in over forty films before her twelfth birthday. Decades later she entered diplomatic work
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. 2
Easy to Say, Difficult to Do Read More »
But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 1 Corinthians 7:11 “Jumping the broom” was an African marriage ceremony tradition continued by African-American slaves. Slave owners prohibited any legal recognition of marriage and rights for slaves. Therefore, the slave community
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 “I’m sorry.” There may be no two words more difficult to utter. Doing so requires a willingness to examine ourselves, come to grips with our behavior, and take responsibility. Although admitting our faults to another when we have