Again and again, when threatened or discouraged, the Hebrews complained and fretted to one another, which only served to feed their and each other’s fears. Moses, however, routinely sought help from God, who always provided the assurance and provision Moses needed. Because of this, every difficulty resulted in deeper trust in and relationship with

2. Shiphrah and PuahTheir names might not sound familiar to you, but you probably know these women by their actions. Shiphrah and Puah were the midwives who disobeyed the king of Egypt and did not kill the Hebrew male babies during childbirth. Shiphrah and Puah had been ordered to do so because the Hebrew men were becoming so numerous that the Egyp

There Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” He was not only uttering the name of God, but also applying it to Himself. It was a bold claim. But His other “I am” statements are just as bold. Each of these statements parallels something YHWH did in the Old Testament:"I am the bread of life" (John 6:35) and YHWH provided manna in the wilderness (Exo

When Lisa and I first got married, I took very seriously the concept that I was spiritually responsible for the relationship. I made up my mind that no matter what disagreement we might have, I would be the one to initiate reconciliation. Right or wrong, I determined that to keep the peace, I would always be the first to say “I’m sorry.”This worked

Godliness is the desire to imitate God in His character and to obey Him. It is a valuable trait (1 Timothy 4:8b) connected to holy living (1 Peter 1:15-16). Mutual affection, sometimes translated as brotherly affection, is the kind of love Christians are meant to have for brothers and sisters in the family of God (Hebrews 13:1; Mark 3:35). It is of

Knowing Our Future Gives Us Peace in the PresentAs you consider the future and the anxiety that sometimes lives out there in the great unknown, remember that God has a plan. He is sovereign over all and his goal is reunification with us, his beloved creation. God doesn’t share many things with us, but he has graciously clued us into the most import

Now that we have an overview of All Saints' Day and All Souls’ Day, let's look more into their similarities and differences.What are the Key Differences between All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day?While there is overlap between these two days, there are key differences.1. All Saints’ Day involves honoring the Saints, while All Souls’ Day involves pr

1. Psalm 15Number of verses: 5Psalm 15 is a short psalm written by David that asks and answers an important question: who will spend eternity with God? The answer is the man or woman who lives righteously, who loves their neighbor and their God, and who seeks God’s will. While the death and resurrection of Christ secured salvation by grace through

Consider what Jesus said to that convict on the cross in verse 43 of Luke 23. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Experience Paradise Within the SufferingNow, contemporary scholars have theorized that this means that Jesus, on that day that the world was waiting, was with the Father in Paradise. When we are in our own mome

1. Obedience Sometimes Forces You to Make Tough Decisions“Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:19).When we meet Joseph in the gospel of Matthew, he is facing a dilemma. The woman he has pledged to marry finds herself pregnant. Bec

2. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” - Psalm 73:26This verse first spoke to my heart when my dad faced a battle with cancer. I was struggling to understand why God would allow such a terrible disease to take such a good person. But through this verse that I turned into a personal prayer, Go

Although we can’t prove that these shepherds provided temple sacrifices, we know that shepherds cared for sheep. They were the first ones invited to gaze upon the unblemished Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world for all who believe.3. The Shepherds Might Have Been YoungFred H. Wight from Ancient Hebrew Research Center shares, “The

When we doubt our salvation, we ask ourselves, “Did I place my faith in the Person of Jesus? Did I repent, deny myself, and turn to him?” In this, our salvation is secure because he promises to hold onto us. As Jesus said, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). When we repent and t

When we embrace a love-defined life, we can give grace and mercy because we see people as divine creations whom God loves, but to whom He also administers justice. We can let go of the need for revenge and can opt for healthy boundaries because we know that the one who made them also knows them and will set things right in His perfect time.God’s Lo

1. BlamelessBoth lists in these epistles start with the same trait – blamelessness. Many versions translate this quality in 1 Timothy 3:2 as “above reproach,” including the NIV and ESV. Other versions, such as the KJV and ISV prefer the word “blameless,” which concurs with Titus 1:6.Regardless of the exact choice of words, the trait is the same. A

4 Myths about GentlenessMyth 1: Gentleness Makes Me a DoormatIn English, the word gentleness sometimes carries the connotation of timidity. In fact, some versions of our English Bible translate the word as meekness, which sounds a lot like weakness — especially when used in common expressions like “meek as a lamb.”This can lead us to wonder, if I c

1. God’s Promises to AbrahamAbraham, initially called Abram, was one of three sons of a man named Terah, a descendant of Shem who was a son of Noah. In Genesis 12:1-3, we’re told that God came to Abram in a place called Harran, in Mesopotamia. There, God told Abram to leave that place and go to the land God would show him. “I will make you into a

Finally, the practice in James 5:14 is firmly rooted in the New Covenant’s promise of direct access to God through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:16 encourages believers to “approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” This direct access contrasts with the Old Testament, where

With these corrupt motives and inward selfishness, even humanity’s good deeds mean nothing. “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." (Isaiah 64:6) Apart from God, even our “righteous acts" are inadequate and unworthy bef

Prayer can often give us a sudden sense of peace about our struggles, and it is worth it to connect with God in a personal way.It is helpful to share your sorrow with trusted people around you, such as friends and family, who can offer encouragement, guidance, or even just a listening ear. Often just stating your frustrations out loud helps, as it’