The underdog’s tale One of the most famous story plots in history is the tale of the underdog. From the oldest story of the slave who turns out to be royalty, to the modern sports movie about the...

Jesus our Intercessor When we want information, most of us turn to Google or perhaps another search engine. How did we live before the Internet? Does anyone even have a set of encyclopaedias anymore?...

Taking every opportunity Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. Acts 17:34...

Where are you? Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9 (NKJV) It is not the first question asked in scripture – that was asked by the serpent in Genesis...

Two words concerning time “The time promised by God has come at last!…The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Mark 1: 15 (NLT) The ancient Greeks had two...

On things above Set your minds on things above not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear...

The God who comforts Comfort, comfort my people… Isaiah 40:1 (ESV) Here, Isaiah announced the comfort of a God who is the very essence of true comfort. He himself is the comforter and the comfort....

Like kin When I was 18 years old, I met someone who would change my life for the better. Here’s the catch: we couldn’t have been more different as people. John was a white man from Great Britain;...

My hope and stay Many of us are familiar with the classic hymn, “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less,” by Edward Mote, written in 1834. But have you ever stopped to think what is meant by the...

The importance of our example …Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God…Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the...

Let there be Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild...

Honey! Honey! My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste; So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And...

I’ll come to you  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the...

The Jesus subtext Have you ever had a conversation in which the primary communication was not the words spoken? Maybe an exchange with an old friend where you say very little to express your...

Exercise Patience Exercising is something people love, hate, or do because they think it will give them a benefit. If you’ve ever tried to get in shape, you know it doesn’t happen overnight....

God changed the leopard’s spots … the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” Acts...

The root cause … you are God’s garden and vineyard and field under cultivation … 1 Corinthians 3:9 (AMPC)) All gardeners are aware of roots because a healthy root system is essential for ongoing...

The Good Shepherd “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me…” John 10:14 (NIV) Shepherds and their sheep have deeply intimate relationships. Jesus our good shepherd knows us...

At the right hand of God Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had...

If no resurrection… Have you ever had a hard time believing something the Bible says about Jesus Christ? The virgin birth. Healing the blind. Walking on water. Raising the dead. There are many...

With us all the time To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven… Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) I recently heard of a Christian who was complaining to some of her fellow church...

A threefold blessing Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit… ” John 20:21-22...

Knowing God as Trinity Like many people, I used to believe God is rather monolithic. I imagined him, as he is often described, as one God, a lone being handing out mercy or judgment as necessary...

The misty optic  Where there is no vision, the people perish… Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) My mother used to have a leather spectacle cleaning pouch; inside it was a small, glass cleaning chamois and on...

What’s in your backpack? Most of us are not strangers to traveling, whether it be a daily commute or long-haul travel. Our trip to the U.S. Conference in October 2018 lasted 20 hours with several...

Another Place “Follow Me” John 21:19, 22 (NKJV) North of Liverpool, on the Merseyside coastline, is Crosby Beach. It is a 5-kilometre stretch of light brown sand and home to the art installation,...

The empty tomb. What’s in it for you? … she [Mary Magdalene] came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we...

In the grave Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my...

Another sign  …when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of...

Terms of endearment When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.”...

He was a thief! Two criminals were also led out with him for execution, and when they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him with the criminals, one on either side of him. Luke 23:...

Punishment or loving choice As we look forward to celebrating the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, we also sometimes wonder just why he had to die in the first place. Why couldn’t his...

Peace be with you Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 (NIV) In what is commonly...

Praying for deliverance Does the world seem broken beyond repair? It seems every generation at one point or another feels this way. In smaller ways, we also have times of brokenness in our personal...

Knowing God the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is probably the most misunderstood member of the Trinity. There are all kinds of ideas out there about him and I used to have some of them. I believed he...

The royal visit The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!”...

The lost son So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and...

Lord! The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 (NKJV) We hear of people fleeing for safety, looking for a place to hide. In the physical sense we...

Not confused.com For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV) As of October 2021, there were 361 UK-based insurance companies and...

A new heart   When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her...