This Week’s Scripture & Reflection: Hebrews 12:1 Despite the cancellation of the 2020 Summer Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, countless individuals from around the world are anxiously looking forward to the return of the Olympics this year, particularly track & field athletes and fans! Regardless of whether you are a passionate enthusiast or an occasional onlooker, every viewer of…
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This Week’s Scriptures & Reflection: Zechariah 4:1-10; Luke 16:10 New York City arguably houses the most skyscrapers in the United States. Just one look at their extraordinary height can make your heart palpitate with anxiety. The incredible stature of these buildings also incites wonder! It causes you to inquire about every step of the construction process, particularly the initial stages.…
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This Week’s Scripture & Reflection: Psalm 86:14-15 Oftentimes, the notion of an individual’s past is spoken of in a negative context, particularly because the past is not known to be a beautiful place. The past is often spoken of in relation to a person’s traumatic experiences, poor decisions, and regretful mistakes. Even more so do we, at times, allow the…
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This Week’s Scriptures & Reflection: Hebrews 6:9-15; 10:23 One of the most esteemed values between any two individuals in a mutual relationship is fidelity! It possesses the power to relieve self-doubt when difficult circumstances arise. It also provides comfort when one feels rejected and abandoned by others. Knowing that an individual is faithful and committed to you simply drives you…
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This Week’s Scripture & Reflection: Hebrews 12:28-29 One of the beauties of serving the Lord is being able to serve Him in various capacities, both in and outside of the church walls. Too often we reduce serving the Lord to preaching in the pulpit or singing in the choir. Extending hospitality to neighbors and guests, administrating church affairs and operations,…
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This Week’s Scripture & Reflection: I Thessalonians 4:13-18 Each new day the Lord allows us to see brings with it frequent yet gracious reminders of the inherent fragility of human life. Reports of devastating losses saturate various news broadcasts, social media platforms, and even our immediate circles. The more we experience loss, the more we begin to truly understand that…
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This Week’s Scripture & Reflection: Galatians 1:22-24 Prior to his conversion, the apostle Paul wreaked havoc among the early church. He arrested, imprisoned, and approved their executions, including Stephen, the first official martyr of the Christian church (cf. Acts 8:1). News of his violent, persecutory rage spread rapidly across Jerusalem, causing many believers to flee Jerusalem to escape his wrath.…
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9 “Where is Sarah, your wife? ” the visitors asked. “She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied. 10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son! ” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 11 Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this…
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Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers…. How do the people of God come under the influence of the counsel of the ungodly? It is everywhere around us, from financial counsellors to marriage counselors – from news programs to…
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I just watched a TED talk about a new sort of Kindergarten that gives kids a less structured environment with a limited amount of danger along with lots of opportunity for play and exploration. As I watched, I thought of how many American kids grow up with TV babysitters (or other electronics on phones and pads), who are given trophies…
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WHEN LESS IS MORE: A Paradox of Christian Leadership – by K. Paul Dawson. This is a highly readable, intensely personal, but widely needed book on stress in Christian ministry. Dawson does not just talk about stress; he has lived it for much of his 35 years in active ministry, which includes 20 years as a missionary high up the Amazon…
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The Bible is a story of cosmic conflict between the Creator God Almighty and one of his creatures. He created, not only the physical universe with all we see, but also what the Jews call “the third heaven.” This third heaven is the spiritual realm, the world we do not see. In this world are the angels and other spiritual…
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From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12) This is something of an enigmatic statement, coming as it does on the heels of: John, from Herod’s prison, sending his disciples to Jesus to ask if he were the one to come or if they should…
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