With the announcement of the birth of Jesus, the angels praised God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). The peace of heaven came to earth through the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.The prophet Isaiah spoke of one who would come, one who was hoped for. We know this as Jesus. Ju

Does the Bible Say That Idle Hands are the Devil's Workshop?The short answer is it depends on which Bible you read. Proverbs 16:27 does warn about the dangers of laziness. The Living Bible translates this verse as “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece.”However, the Living Bible is not an exact translation.Some Bibles (s

1. Accepting Others In“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34).In the Old Testament Mosaic Law, God instructs the Israelites to treat immigrants, o

The reason God’s foreknowledge matters is that without it, predestination seems unjust because it removes man’s ability to choose and therefore takes away man’s free will. How can God judge you for rejecting Christ and his plan of salvation if you never had a choice in the matter? While no one is worthy of salvation, God has left the choice to rece

We see examples of this in Scripture as well. Consider when the Lord called the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah into ministry. God told him, in Jeremiah 1:5:“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”He created Jeremiah for the role he later filled.David, ancient Is

My point here is that as much as Derek Sivers’ illustration about being a first follower makes for a great TED Talk, it doesn’t exactly matter much for the gospel account. I’m inclined to say that it is Andrew who is the first follower. And if that’s the case, it’s also interesting that Andrew is only mentioned 12 times in the Scriptures. Being cal

God Is the True OwnerWhatever we have, God is the source. While we may have worked hard for what we have, that does not diminish that God is the source.“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).We Must Be Good StewardsWe are no more than ca

1. Consider the Importance of WonderWhat is wonder? Wonder comes from astonishment, admiration, or marveling — to have and express excited and amazed astonishment at something awesomely mysterious. Wonder also appreciates beauty, magnificence, and splendor. The Bible urges us to be in awe of God, our wonder-full Creator and ruler of the universe. W

Their perseverance paid off. In just a few years, they completed the temple. It may not have matched the splendor of Solomon’s temple, but it stood as a testament to their faith and obedience. More importantly, it symbolized the renewal of their covenant with God.Haggai’s LegacyHaggai’s call to the Israelites to “give careful thought to your ways”

The First Book of EsdrasThe Second Book of EsdrasThe Book of TobitThe Book of JudithAdditions to the Book of EstherThe Book of WisdomThe Book of Sirach The Book of BaruchThe Epistle of JeremiahAdditions to the Book of DanielThe Prayer of ManassesThe Additional PsalmThe First Book of MaccabeesThe Second Book of MaccabeesThe Third Book of MaccabeesTh

Not only should who God is be at the forefront of our minds when we pray for our leaders, but what God wills and His purposes should also be foremost.We Pray with the Right Perspective about OurselvesOur prayers are always about what God desires and purposes, whether it is to meet our personal needs or wider issues such as placing governments in po

12. Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”13. Matthew 6 which is part of the Sermon on the Mount and includes Jesus’ famous teaching on the Lord’s Prayer and worry/anxiety.14. Psalm

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).Humility is a requirement for heaven. Later, he told them to hear the words of the Pharisees, but don’t behave like them and don’t

Reactive people tend to be predictable, perhaps not in how they express their anger, but in the fact that they’re usually irrational when they do. Therefore, I suspect, being a prudent woman, Abigail had likely had numerous opportunities to study her husband, consider past scenarios, and determine how best to act in the future. This is often some

4. God Gathers Us InMiriam was disciplined for her grumbling against Moses; the Lord struck her with leprosy and separated from the others (Numbers 12:10-15). Leprosy was highly contagious. Although treatable today, the disease would maim and even kill a person in Moses’ day. Leprosy was also symbolic of “spiritual impurity” throughout the biblical

Pray Scripture When Facing Mental Health StrugglesWhen we wrestle with anxiety, depression, or other maladies of the mind, we can be tempted to falsely believe God rejects us or turns away from us. It can also be a struggle to form words to compose a prayer that makes sense. That’s when praying Scripture verses can help. There are many Scriptures w

1. The Coming of Spring“Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone. The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air” (Song of Solomon 2:11-12).The love between a husband and wife is celebrated in the Song of Solomon. In this verse, the woman speaks about her beloved, Sol

There are clear directives for Christians about what to do while waiting for the Lord’s return. Jesus gave one as He ascended back to the Father,“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am wi

Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:1-19)Jesus had spent three years with his disciples, traveling to various towns in and around Israel, preaching that the kingdom of God was at hand. He healed the sick, helped the poor, and even raised the dead. Most importantly, He was preaching about repentance from sins, and eternal life with God. He said that He was the

What about when we look at memento mori in past and modern culture?Where Do We See Memento Mori in Culture?Beyond the Roman Empire, many societies have incorporated similar philosophies regarding death into festivals and celebrations. Notable among them is the Celtic pagan festival of Samhain, a predecessor to modern-day Halloween, as well as Dia d