The word of the Lord endures forever. —1 Peter 1:25 “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” That’s what the bumper sticker said. It gave me a warm feeling. I appreciated the sentiment. But it was wrong. The veracity of what God […]
When I am lifted up from the earth, [I] will draw all people to myself. —John 12:32 The Murderer Jesus died on the cross that allegedly was intended for Barabbas, a murderer. There is no biblical or reliable historical account of what happened to Barabbas after
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Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning. —James 4:17 Jesus had harsh words for three towns: “Woe to you Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum!” (Mt 11:21, 23). He even said the sorry cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom were better than
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing. —Romans 15:13 There’s a lot wrong with our world that we can’t fix. Hyperventilating about it is paralyzing and fruitless. Eventually, good will outweigh bad. It may take time. And a few election cycles.
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This, then, is how you should pray. —Matthew 6:9 We know it as “The Lord’s Prayer”—the prayer Jesus taught his disciples. The first half runs, “Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done.” Three phrases that exalt God: his name, his kingdom, his will. The second half intones, “Give us today our
You are not able to perform it by yourself. —Exodus 18:18 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came for a visit. He “was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel” (Ex 18:9). But as he watched Moses running non-stop
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When you are tempted, [God] will also provide a way out. —1 Corinthians 10:13 In his book One Hundred Percent American, Daniel Weiss says: 1% of Americans read the Bible once a day. 84% of Americans believe heaven exists. 94% of American men would change something about their looks if
In him we live and move and have our being. —Acts 17:28 We have a stack of bills on our desk—each invoice higher than a year ago. We stare at a credit card envelope that we’re afraid to open. Grocery shelves, fuel pumps, department stores, and restaurants have our “gotcha” number. We complain
By grace you have been saved, through faith. —Ephesians 2:8 Dear Lord, Satan has a valid point when he accuses me and contends for my rejection. But you veto his censure and assure my acceptance. I have no legitimate right
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There is a time for everything. —Ecclesiastes 3:1 “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” So opened Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. There are times when everything falls into place: every swing sends the ball soaring, every putt drops, every three-pointer is nothing
