The second is when Jesus visits their home."As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him." – Luke 10:38As I mentioned earlier this is the one story most people know about Mary and Martha in the Bible. It is in this passage in Luke where Martha is serving, and Mary is sitting at

Bible Verses about Judgement DayThe book of Revelation is not the only book in the Bible to have verses about Judgement Day. There are several spread out to guide readers toward what the day signifies and how to prepare for it. Here are some to keep in mind as we face the days ahead:1 Corinthians 4:5: “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until

What to Do When Facing Difficult Family MembersSometimes you can prepare all you want for encountering your difficult family members, but they might pull a rabbit of their hats in the form of an awkward situation, or maybe their interactions are more personal that day than previously. What do you do to avoid acting out in a way that you may not lik

4. Step Out in FaithIs there something practically you can do to help the situation that you are in? Think about small ways to take one step at a time. Develop regular habits and rhythms to get moving. Just do the next thing in front of you. If things are not changing in the way that you had hoped, see how the Lord might be using it. Perhaps it is

A relationship with God, asking for forgiveness, and pledging ourselves to Jesus as our Lord and Savior are what are important for salvation, and our good works flow out of our relationship with Christ.2. The main goal in life is to be happyJesus didn’t say that Christianity would be easy. Instead, he said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must den

What Jesus is doing in this parable is arguing from greater to lesser. That is why it seems so strange for Jesus to use an unjust judge in his parable to represent God. Certainly, God is not an unjust judge. God always does that which is justice. Every widow will eventually receive justice from her adversary. This is why Jesus’ argument works so po

Did Jesus Drink Wine? Many Christians have strong convictions about drinking alcohol, with a wide and varied spectrum in different traditions and denominations. From teetotalers that got alcohol banned in America’s Prohibition era to Benedictine monks who made winemaking a core part of financing their monasteries, the church has diverse perspective

There are several places in the New Testament where Jesus’ disciples call themselves His servants. In fact, this was one of the favorite words that Paul used to describe himself. So why do they call themselves a “servant” (literally “slave”) if Jesus calls them friends instead?Consider what Jesus says in John 13:16. There, only a couple chapters pr

When Did the Jews Start Celebrating Purim?Esther 9:17-18 says that the day after the thirteenth day of Adar was a “day of feasting and joy” (Esther 9:18), which marked the first Purim celebration.In the following verses, Esther 9:20-23, says that Mordecai recorded all of these events, sent them to the Jewish people and to have the Jewish people cel

“I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:14-15).The apostle John wrote

Pride Leads to RuinBelshazzar’s pride convinced him that he would never suffer the consequences of rejecting the power of God in his life, even though this had been witnessed in the past. Belshazzar was keenly aware of the plight of Nebuchadnezzar.Nebuchadnezzar was also a prideful king, one who saw himself in godlike ways. He continually abandoned

King Nebuchadnezzar basked in his “greatness.” He thought himself invincible. But God “changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; He reveals deep and hidden things” (Daniel 2:21-22). Nebuchadnezzar had power only because God allowed it in His perfect plan

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony….” (R

The First King of Israel Saul was the first God-appointed King of Israel. He looked and acted the part. He was known for his courage and generosity. He was tall and striking in appearance. At first, Saul did well. But it did not take long for his pride to grow and his reliance on God to fade.When Saul and his army were under attack and afraid, inst

Who Was Jude? After Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary went on to have several children together. Some of these children are named, and came to see their half-brother as a great teacher and the Messiah. Two of these brothers went on to write two books of the Bible – James and Jude. Both men identified themselves as “a bondservant of Christ.” James was

The Scriptures teach that every member of the Trinity is a source of help. First, Jehovah God was known to help His people from the beginning, recorded in Genesis. The Israelites recognized how blessed they were to have the powerful LORD as their “shield and helper” (Deuteronomy 33:29). Throughout the psalms, God’s people recognized their God was t

2. I Know Whom to Trust “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day” (2 Timothy 1:12, emphasis added).Christianity is based on a relationship with a person, Jesus Christ. The object of our faith matters more than the strength of our faith. From prison Paul reminded his young d

Why was that? Why would God ask Abraham to give up his son? Did He want to hurt the boy? No. Was He going to allow Isaac to be hurt? No, God knew the outcome before He even asked. Was it because God desired child sacrifice or enjoys seeing us suffer? No, Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf makes that clear. Then why? Because Isaac was more important to

It won’t matter to God how much you trained for the race or battle you are facing right now. Your efforts could be all for nothing if you don’t include Him as part of the preparation.How Do the Words of Ecclesiastes 9:11 Impact Us Today?So, in light of King Solomon’s honest but pessimistic words of wisdom in the book of Ecclesiastes, how should we

Teach us, Lord, to let go of grudges, to heal wounds of the past, and to replace bitterness with love. Just as the stone was rolled away to reveal the miracle of the resurrection, help us roll away the barriers in our hearts, making room for compassion, understanding, and reconciliation.As we bask in the joy of Easter, let us remember the path of f