(Click here for the podcast version of this article) “The end of all moral speculations is to teach us our duty; and, by proper representations of the deformity of vice and the beauty of virtue, beget correspondent habits, and engage us to avoid the one, embrace the other,” says David Hume (1711-1776), the Scottish philosopher and historian. (1) His words certainly resonate with many of us who wer...  Read More

F.B. Meyer once said, “Fall on your knees and grow there. There is no burden of the [human] spirit but is lighter by kneeling under it. Prayer means not always talking to Him, but waiting before Him till the dust settles and the stream runs clear.” The disciples modeled for the contemporary church the oft-overlooked pathway to making clear choices that bring God’s sure results—prayerful, patient d...  Read More

“Disciples are to live, looking for the hope of the King’s return” (HCBC). However, we know the agony of waiting until He comes again and the longing for justice in the meantime. So, what are we to do in the in-between? Jesus calls His disciples to take matters into their own hands—praying hands! Let’s learn today about active prayer. Get the point that Jesus makes To begin with, we need to settle...  Read More

Sadly, unlike the Tin Man, who only wanted a heart in the classic movie the Wizard of Oz, many worshipers are quite fond of the metal box inside where their hearts should be. This had been the case in ancient Judah, where the people prior to and following the exile simply went through the motions of their faith. God challenged them from His jealous love and called them to true holiness! He does th...  Read More

The meaning of “Hate the sin, but love the sinner” is easily understood, but we all know that loving the sinner is a messy and challenging business. Two men in yellow jumpsuits come to my mind, but I will take this story up later in the devotional! In the meantime, we often make an internal judgment about sin and sinners and draw an imaginary line which we will not cross when the sin becomes too d...  Read More

“The childish idea that prayer is a handle by which we can take hold of God and obtain whatever we desire leads to easy disillusionment with both what we had thought to be God and what we thought to be prayer,” says Robert L. Short. Two failings on our part are evident in these words. A failure to understand God’s nature as Provider and a failure to pray for and pursue the right things.I will begi...  Read More

In early America, during the 17th and first half of the 18th century, most children led rather predictable and routine lives. They lived at home in rural homesteads and farms, working with their families in self-sufficient units. They raised gardens and crops and livestock, and made their living from their land. Every child grew up with family chores and responsibilities.Between the Revolution and...  Read More

Media sources carried the terrifying story earlier this week of an attempt to rescue two adults and six children who were stranded hundreds of feet above ground on a disabled cable car in northwest Pakistan. No effort or expense was spared to bring those adults and children home safely. Now, consider the annual return of your children and grandchildren to school and the extraordinary efforts to en...  Read More

“That has love written all over it!” “I couldn’t have said it any better than that!” These are common responses that we make when our minds touch our hearts and we open our senses to express our deepest feelings about a person or an event. I read Psalm 111, and I believe that the hymn writer does this very thing. A Bible commentator expresses similar sentiment when he writes about this psalm: “Her...  Read More

The psalmist writes, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles” (Psalm 34:7). The wonder of this offer is that we too often see it only as a last resort. I had a dear friend who offered me a place of retreat, time and time again, which I continued politely to decline to accept. It is not that I did not want to go. I simply “could not find the time.” I will ...  Read More

“Welcome-ish. Depends On Who You Are and How Long You Stay,” is an example of a humorous front door sign on a home. I’m certain that you also have a read a few funny ones. Many folks post or place some type of family greeting or warning at the front door to all who approach their homes. It may be as simple as the word “Welcome,” a warning to potential intruders, or even some type of blessing. John...  Read More

“They caught nothing” are the universal words of disappointment and, at times, embarrassment to fisher men and women! I’ve been in this uneasy position on several occasions. Thankfully, I did not have someone recording the spiritual lessons to be learned and the theological implications for all who read the events that surrounded my failure! Hallelujah, we may thank God that John, the Gospel write...  Read More