The Blog

Read Ecclesiastes 1:1 through 4:16 Gabe worked hard every day, enduring the unreason able demands of his boss. Gabe’s family had what many considered the American essentials: a house, two cars, a computer, smartphones, plenty of playthings, and an annual vacation. They also had ongoing bills and increasing dissatisfaction with life. No matter what new gadget or experience they acquired, they …

Read Proverbs 17:1 through 20:30 The number of friends people have seems to shrink as they grow older. In childhood, people think everyone is their friend. Parents have to teach their children not to trust strangers. In the teenage years these numbers start to level off, especially in junior high and high school. There young people learn that some “friends” aren’t …

Read Psalms 136:1 through 142:7 Why do attempts to communicate with others sometimes end in frustration? Perhaps because no other human being is capable of grasping the joys, sorrows, hopes, and fears that have formed a unique individual. Even parents, friends, and spouses, have little understanding of what’s happening in the depths of a person’s soul. But there is someone who …

Read Psalms 120:1 through 135:21 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life (Psalm 121:7). What a promise! This verse from Psalm 121 inspires visions of an idyllic life with no pains or troubles. But it can also cause Christians to ask, “Why isn’t my life free from harm?” A seventeen-year-old girl named Joni Eareckson may …

Read Romans 1:1 through 4:25 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was …

Read Psalms 72:1–20; 86:1–17 Lynette was starting another workweek. Deep in morning traffic, she sipped her coffee while watching the cars in front of her. Traffic was at a standstill. She glanced at her watch, worrying she would be late again. She could feel her anger rise. A stack of work left over from last week awaited her—not to mention the …

Read 2 Corinthians 5:1–21 A woman’s teenage daughter ran away from home. The mother searched for her night and day. Finally, she heard that her daughter was seen on a subway in New York City. The mother made posters with the girl’s picture and the words, “Please come home!” She taped them in every subway station and along the streets of …

Read Psalm 34:1 through 38:22 Everyone loves good food. God created human beings to require nourishment and gave them taste buds so they could savor and enjoy every bite. A celebration just wouldn’t be the same without good food and great friends. Certain family meals become memories that are discussed for generations. As satisfying as a favorite meal may be, it …

Read Job 38:1 through 40:2; Acts 9:20–43 Small children don’t understand the purpose of a rhetorical question. Asking, “Is this the best you can do?” causes them to stop and ponder, instead of communicating to them that this is clearly not their best effort. A rhetorical question requires no answer; it is meant to inspire introspection. “Who is this that obscures …

Read Job 17:1 through 20:29 Does your heart yearn within you for God? Do you try to see His work in the here and now? Have the troubles you’ve faced blinded you to His purpose?   “In my flesh, I will see God” (Job 19:26). Job longed for the day that he would see God face-to face. His faith was built on …