Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. (Psalm 34:8 MSG) Last week in the American short stories class I’m teaching, we studied O. Henry’s “The Cop and the Anthem.” It’s a story about a homeless man who plansContinue Reading
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV)“Beloved, I see how you have journeyed through the valley of the shadow of death. You started out strong in faith and believing that I was with andContinue Reading
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27 NIV) My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled. I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. (Psalm 17:5-6 NIV) Tonight, we had ourContinue Reading
Yahweh is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough. He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace near the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life. (Psalm 23:1-3 TPT) Three SundaysContinue Reading
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever isContinue Reading
“Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won. He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him.There at Bethel he met God face to face, and God spoke to him— the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the Lord is his name!” (Hosea 12:4-5 NIV) “Because of the battle I’ve learned how to pray Continue Reading
“In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” (Romans 6:11-12 NIV) Once I hear a pastor tell the story of being at his construction job, and a groupContinue Reading
“He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rockThat shadows a dry, thirsty land;He hideth my life in the depths of His love,And covers me there with His hand,And covers me there with His hand.” (Fannie J. Crosby) Heavenly Father, Thank you for making heaven and earth, for creatingContinue Reading
“Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.” (Psalm 145:7 NLT) Two years ago I spent the week at the local theater with three of my children who were in a live play/musical adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s book “Till We Have Faces.” TheyContinue Reading
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:13-14 NIV) Today is Ash Wednesday, marking the start of Lent, which lasts for forty days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter. Traditionally, LentContinue Reading