When I was growing up, my pastor introduced the collection of the offering each Sunday with these words, “With gratitude for all we have received, let us offer our gifts to...

Today Christians begin the forty-day journey of Lent that ends at Easter. For centuries Christian seekers and believers have observed this as a time of self-reflection, sacrifice, and repentance. Some Christians...

When a person breaks an arm or a leg, if it isn’t set straight the bone may grow back crooked. It may even be necessary for the doctor to rebreak the...

Blessing comes with temptation. Every time we receive some encouraging sign of God’s work in our lives, we run the risk of becoming spiritually cocky. Of all those who came for...

The disciples, “weighed down with sleep,” look up to see Jesus in dazzling clothes talking with two of the great heroes of the faith. Peter, as is often the case, speaks...

The disciples seem to have a sleeping disorder. Every time Jesus asks them to wait with him while he goes off alone, they doze off. Do you remember that this will...

The apostle is noted for using vivid imagery in his letters. He attempts to persuade his audience by employing metaphors to explain spiritual truths. In this passage he strongly emphasizes “seeing.”...

In this section of Second Corinthians, Paul emphasizes the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. Prior to this passage he has drawn a contrast between the law of God being written...

Often at the beginning of worship, the worship leader invites God’s presence into the gathered assembly. When have you reflected on the significance of this invitation? Frequently we equate God’s presence...

When I was in seminary, one of my roommates fell in love with the woman he would eventually marry. I never had to ask if he had seen her on a...