Humans were built for language and communication. It’s one of the bits of creative genius God used when He formed His highest creation. And apart from regular communication, whether it’s the written word or verbal, we have a great gift from a loving God: prayer. Prayer is an intensely personal way to communicate with our Creator, the One who knows everything about us. Jeremiah 29:12 says, “Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you.” All through scripture,...

Year-end stuff is upon us. That includes those infamous New Year’s resolutions. And as it happens, the Bible has things to say about how we lean into the near future. Matthew 5:37 says, “Let what you say simply be yes or no. Anything more than this comes from evil.” How many times have we pledged to do something and then followed through? Follow-through is important. Whether it’s weight loss, repairing relationships, or embarking on a new career, it’s time to actually do what we s...

Happy New Year! New Year’s stuff is beneficial in several things. We make resolutions and we might even stick to some of them. But it’s what God does that really matters. He’s in the renewal business—making broken things whole again, especially people. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he’s a new creation. The old has passed away and behold the new has come.” It’s great for us when this involves repaired relationships or even a career boost. Yet th...

Have you ever experienced a power outage? You pull out your favorite flashlight, only to discover the batteries are dead. Bummer, am I right? How about light bulbs? For some reason, they all seem to go at the same time, leaving you in the shadows and looking for that flashlight—you know, the one with the dead batteries! Light bulbs burn out, tires go flat, umbrellas turn inside out on a windy day, and batteries die. Many of the things we use on a frequent basis are designed to be temporary—an...

No one is immune from burnout. It comes in our jobs, friendships, and even our church life. Sometimes even our hobbies become dry and tedious! But in Scripture, God gives us hope for the future. John 7:38 says, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” Jesus is telling us that in Him alone is true life. He is always pointing us to the future, to a time when that dry creek bed will be filled forever. In Revelation 22, He showed John a r...

Beryl Markham could have given up on her aviation dreams after crash-landing in Nova Scotia. But she didn’t. Instead, this determined woman became the first person to fly from England to North America. She later said that in order to move forward, we can’t stay in the past. In fact, she said, “Leave it the fastest way you can!” This pioneer knew that staying stuck was not inevitable—that we must choose to keep our eyes on what it is we are yet to accomplish in life. Ephesians 4:31–32 says, “L...

Well, the gifts have been opened, the wrapping paper taken to the landfill. Leftovers are in the fridge, and maybe you’re feeling a little blue, a little depressed. Christmas is over, or is it? 2 Corinthians 9:15 says, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” In the West, we tend to have a letdown when the excitement and rush of Christmas is over, as if at midnight on December 25th, we’re ready to go into emotional hibernation. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Whether it’s some...

This is the day of days. While the exact day is unknown, what we do know is that 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ came to earth as a child to rescue us from sin. Christmas is a date on the calendar that literally quickens our hearts. Everyone understands the significance of it. It’s why hateful people behave differently for at least 24 hours. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us, a child is born. To us, a son is given. And the government will be on His shoulders, and He will be called Wonderfu...

Well, hey—Merry Christmas Eve to you as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We’d like to share the Christmas story from Luke Chapter 2, verses 4–20. And just a note, we’ve made some minor edits for length purposes in this excerpt from the King James version of the story. “Joseph went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, to be taxed, along with his wife Mary, who was ...

Every December 25th, around the world, happenings are quite different and diverse, place to place. Celebrating Christmas is unique to each culture, but the meaning of it all we share. In Norway, Christmas Eve is the main event with bells ringing at five in the evening, followed by family dinners. In Mexico, Christmas begins on December 16th, and on the ninth evening, Christmas Eve, children walk to the local church to place a figure of the Christ child in a manger. Like nature, God put ...

Celebrating Christmas with family and friends is a great time of the year, but do we know how all this started? This observance of the holiday? We’re pretty sure Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th. There are clues in scripture that put the date more in the springtime. In ancient times, the winter solstice occurred on December 25th. Sometime early in the 4th century, the church fathers set the date as the one we now celebrate. Even factoring in the diverse cultures around the...

What was Jesus’ name? Most of us assume that if Jesus had a driver’s license, His listed name would have been “Jesus Christ.” That’s kind of funny, but as usual, our human perceptions can’t define Him and box Him in. The Bible tells us that Jesus has many names, each a shining facet of Who He is. He is called the Alpha and Omega—the beginning and the end. The Lamb of God. Elsewhere, He is referred to as the Prince of Peace. Romans 10:13 says, “For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the...

In general, humans as a species have a fair amount of self-awareness. And if we’re honest, we all know our weak points. Those places where character is lacking a bit. One of our biggest weaknesses is that we just want stuff. Bigger house, more expensive car—that kind of thing. In those moments, we’re missing out on a big prize. Our focus is wrong. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The Bible—the Word of God...

Does your life feel out of control? Are you experiencing that common feeling of weaving down a busy highway, about to crash? It’s a metaphor for life that a lot of folks internalize at some point. All of a sudden, what you were sure of isn’t there anymore. You might as well be behind the wheel of a fast car that’s heading straight into oncoming traffic. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” This isn’t some nice little bit of wisdom someone put on ...

Have you ever tried to follow God in a half-hearted way? You know what that means. You like the idea of God, but His perfect will for our lives can also feel very restrictive. That’s the moment that we walk along the highway of life completely alone. Proverbs 3:5–6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Notice the precise language in these beautiful verses. We are to trust Him wit...

In our humanness, we struggle at times to achieve peace. World War 1 ended 100 years ago, and all sides joined together as a League of Nations to make that conflict the “War to end all wars.” And then World War 2 happened. Our history is littered with noble attempts to make things right, but only God can bring peace to nations and to individuals. He has promised both! One day, He will make everything new, forever. While we wait for that great day, He also grants us peace in our daily lives. 2...

We all screw up. We all fail in some way. We fall short of goals, or get embarrassed in some kind of career implosion or other event. It’s easy then to feel like we’ll never win again. That is not how God sees you. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “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.” Hope and a future. That’s what’s ahead, not depression and failure. The Bible is full of stories of people Go...

Let’s think about something deep today: What is the endgame? In this context, we’re talking about what comes after this life we are living now. Believers of course, look forward to an eternity with the Living God. And even unbelievers wonder about what comes next after you draw your last breath. It’s the most important element in our discussion this week. Romans 5:3–4 says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, c...

There’s a reason the Bible uses so many metaphors. The wisdom God has for us lends itself well to short narratives, and we learn much from stories. A famous passage from Isaiah we’ve been discussing this week uses a powerful mental image to convey deep truths from God. Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” The sight of a majestic eagle, flying high above...

Whenever we have to overcome an obstacle in our lives, we are thinking about a million different things. Our minds race. We might even be aware that our Creator is there to help. But have you ever considered that even when life gets tough, you can still have joy? Romans 12:12 says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Sheila Walsh has said that what got her through a bout of depression was the knowledge that God the Father loved her and wanted the best for her. Toda...