Psalm 85 has some amazing thoughts as one contemplates how this passage might apply to us today. We must understand that while there was a “national” relationship between God and Israel, that it was also a “sanctified” relationship as well (which differs from God’s relationship with America). However, there are some principles that seem to still apply today. “Lord, you have been…

The Jewish Council “conferred among themselves” in all their collective wisdom, “What shall we do to these men?” (Acts 4:15-16). These were some of the wisest men in that age, especially regarding religious matters. They were conferring among themselves to determine what to do with and to the apostles who had been preaching and doing the works of the Lord. Here’s what…

A handshake may be the most common greeting style today but a hug is the most meaningful. A hug comes in many different styles, occasions, durations and purposes. A hug is a warm way to say, “Hi!” and a warm way to say, “Goodbye.” So, what does that give us? A hug says: H — Hi! U — G — Goodbye! You…

It is considered acceptable behavior in many circles. “Yeah, I’m kind of mean, but that’s just who I am,” might be one person’s reasoning. Another has been known to say, “Well, we live in a mean world. Everyone is mean, so you have to be mean to  survive.” What does God say? There is much in Scripture on this topic, but consider…

While the translations vary in their ease to read and comprehend, God wrote the Bible to make it easy to read for the average person, even a child (which has made it the best-selling book decade after decade). Reading is one thing. The “doing” takes things to an entirely new level. Consider some Bible instructions, from an “Easy-to-Read” version, that some folks…

After 13 years of driving to the same home day-after-day, it’s funny how our brains just operate on auto-pilot. There are habits, choices and directions that are just instinctively made, without much (if any) thought being given to each individual step. After moving to a different home last month, all of a sudden, my “auto-pilot” is messed up; I’ve had to start…

There is something very different and very real and very effectual about the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. There were others who were raised from the dead (such as Jairus’ daughter, Lazarus, etc.), but the Greek tense of the verb used in those cases is different than the Greek tense that Paul used for Jesus’ resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. In…

It doesn’t take much for “things” to start getting to you! If you watch the news, it can get you down in a hurry. If you listen to reports about the economy and the national debt, it can wear on you. If you listen, even, to certain brethren in the church, you will begin to think that life is horrible and people…