The Israelites—God’s chosen people—were in bondage a long time. “Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years” (Exodus 12:40 NIV). The Israelites were slaves of Pharaoh, and he treated them harshly. He had them beaten and forced them to make bricks in the hot sun. They were tired, thirsty, […]
Throughout Scripture we’re often reminded of how God displays Himself through nature. We’re told that the trees of the fields will someday clap their hands in praise to Him. We read that every living thing will rejoice in our heavenly Father. One of the most exciting places I’ve seen God revealed in glorious nature is […]
We speak anywhere from 120 to 150 words per minute. I tend to speak fast. I’m afraid if I slow down, I’ll get bored and check out. Ha! I’m more engaged when listening to a speaker who pushes the pace. It motivates me to pay closer attention. The “Love Chapter” (1 Corinthians 13) from the […]
The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., contains 28 million books. That’s a lot of words! The largest bookstore in the world is the Barnes and Noble in New York City. It has 12 miles of shelves. Again . . . lots of words! The most prolific writer in the world is Brazilian author Ryoki […]
We love to defend ourselves—verbally, physically, emotionally—and sometimes that’s OK. But many of us have become so accustomed to defending ourselves, we have begun to defend our sins. This damages our heart. Christ yearns for His children to have tender hearts. Teachable and trainable hearts. Moldable hearts. He even wants to transform our hearts. “Create […]
Sometimes God’s children walk through the desert. The Israelites wandered through the desert for 40 years. Sometimes it’s simply difficult to feel His presence. Jesus Himself said that we’d experience tribulation. (See John 16:33) But there’s a difference is simply walking through a cloudy day and in experiencing genuine separation from God Himself. There’s only […]
I was watching a Hallmark movie last week. A lady was driving alone. She screamed, “I can’t see!” She was driving at night. In a snowstorm. Wearing sunglasses. Uh . . . It would be an understatement to point out the obvious, wouldn’t it? Yet how often do we tend to think . . . […]
Last week we chatted about the spotted water hemlock—the deadliest plant in North America. One bite of this plant can kill someone within two hours. Of course, there are lots of things that seem good at first glance but end up being toxic. Toadstools sure look like mushrooms. But once eaten, you know what you […]
The spotted water hemlock is labeled the most toxic plant in North America. People who eat it can die within just two hours. And it’s not an easy death. Here’s how Steve Brill (a NY-based foraging expert and tour guide of plants of the Northeast) describes what happens when someone eats spotted water hemlock: “Every […]
Like me, you may have memorized key Bible verses during your childhood. Perhaps it was in a Sunday school class or a summer time Vacation Bible School. I still have some of those Scriptures etched in my heart. But I admit, during my adult years, I’ve slacked off in memorizing Scripture. I’ve memorized other things: […]