Photo Credit: Bureau of Land Management via Creative Commons [dropcaps style='']T[/dropcaps]here is one question that we learn to ask at an early age: why? While it can test the patience of any parent, those initial questions show that we are trying to discover the underlying meaning or reason for something...
Scripture: "Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. 'Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?' He answered, 'What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?' He said, 'That you love the Lord your God with all your passion...
Photo Credit: Sergey Ivanov via Creative Commons [dropcaps style= 'square']I[/dropcaps] sat on my patio, taking a needed break to soak in a little sunshine. As I looked around at the grass, it was so lush and thick from all of the rain. You don't need to use a sprinkler system...
Scripture: "When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, 'We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.' But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, 'Do not go near that place, for...
Scripture: "Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. 'Why has this awful storm come down on us?' they demanded. 'Who are you? What is your line of work?...
Scripture: "Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.' And the Lord said to him, 'Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul,...
Scripture: "Artaxerxes, King of Kings, to Ezra the priest, a scholar of the Teaching of the God-of-Heaven. Peace. I hereby decree that any of the people of Israel living in my kingdom who want to go to Jerusalem, including their priests and Levites, may go with you. You are being...
Photo Credit: OiMax via Creative Commons [dropcaps style= 'square']I[/dropcaps] was sitting across the table from a friend talking about friendship and how 50% of friendship is just showing up. While the percentage could be debatable, being present in friendship is so valuable. I sat my cup of tea down on the table,...
Scripture: "Fear not, Earth! Be glad and celebrate! God has done great things. Fear not, wild animals! The fields and meadows are greening up. The trees are bearing fruit again: a bumper crop of fig trees and vines! Children of Zion, celebrate! Be glad in your God. He’s giving you a teacher to train you how to live right— Teaching, like rain...
Scripture: "Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear. Some of Saul’s servants said to him, 'A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you. Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will...
Scripture: "Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than...
Scripture: "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,...