Today’s Walk in the Word

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.               —James 1:1 “James, a servant of God.” James would have proudly had those words chiseled on his gravestone, for that’s how he identified himself in opening his New Testament letter. Paul, Peter, and Jude opened letters with […]

Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. —1 Corinthians 10:12 The street outside my window has become a magnet for speeding bikers—Daytona 200 wannabes. They blow by in a blur, some riding double, neither wearing a helmet. More than once, I’ve thought, “Your life can be ruined by one stupid decision.” […]

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.            —Philippians 1:6 What’s holding you back? Does the task seem too big? The project too long? The problem too great? The habit too ingrained? The hurt too intense? The resentment too deep? You don’t have to […]

Where can I flee from your presence?                          —Psalm 139:7 Thirty-three-year-old Captain William Howard Hughes, Jr. disappeared from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, N.M. on July 18, 1983. Thirty-five years later, on June 6, 2018, he was found and arrested. Hughes had forged […]

[We] are justified freely by his grace. —Romans 3:24 Reflecting on history from the beginning to the present, I could understand an enraged, punishment-inflicting God. But the grace of God is beyond my comprehension. By God’s grace, David, the adulterer and murderer, becomes Israel’s greatest king and psalmist. By God’s grace, Simon, the betrayer of […]

You knew that you had better and lasting possessions.      —Hebrews 10:34 When Chuck’s business went south, he moaned, “I’ve lost everything.” His friend said, “I’m sorry that you’ve lost your family.” “I haven’t lost my family.” “I’m sorry that you’ve lost your health.” “I haven’t lost my health.” Bob had a foul mouth […]

[Jesus] has freed us from our sins by his blood.    —Revelation 1:5 Three texts strongly influenced John Nelson. The first filled him with fear, the second with hope, the third with joy. The text that frightened him was Revelation 20:12–15: “The dead were judged according to what they had done . . . If […]

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.                                  —Proverbs 11:3 One of Norman Rockwell’s fabled illustrations pictured a genial butcher weighing a turkey for an elegant elderly lady. The butcher had his […]

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.                                  —Romans 5:8 “All we like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” […]

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. —Revelation 14:13 I have presided at the funerals of people who were unknown outside their family, friends, and church. But in those circles, they were well known for their love and commitment. Their exemplary lives made my eulogy a less agonizing assignment. At first glance, the […]