What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn?…

“Adam, Seth, Enosh; Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared; Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech; Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”  I Chronicles 1:1-3 One of my favorite ways to read the Bible is a way that I don’t always have time for: reading an entire book of Scripture without stopping. It is similar to watching a movie. The best way to watch a movie is to do it…

Martin Luther once wrote: “They [the prophets] have a queer way of talking, like people, who instead of proceeding in an orderly manner, ramble off from one thing to the next, so that you cannot make heads or tails of them or see what they are getting at.” Nowhere is this truer than in the book of Micah.  Does the book of…

“Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’  So we can confidently say, “‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”  Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.  Consider the…

“Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! 2For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!”  -Psalm 117 One of the Bible’s most famous and well-known verses is its shortest one. It is only two words. What is it?  John 11:35. It simply says, “Jesus wept.”  It is profound and…

41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up…

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. (2) He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. (3) And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ (4) For a…

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! -Psalm 4:1 A few weeks ago, I was honored with a beautiful glass block with a Bible verse etched inside.  It was given to me to celebrate the 5th year anniversary of me receiving…

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21Martha…

There is a common saying that I’m sure that you are familiar with, and it seems to be very evident this month.  It is “April showers bring May flowers.”  Or maybe it is “April snows bring May flowers.”  As the flowers start to bloom and as nature comes back to life from its dead wintery slumber, gardening starts to become a popular…