Peace. What is peace? We talk of a time of war and peace time. What do we call peace, then? Is peace just a time when there is no war? In my experience, when there is no overt war, there is just the illusion of peace. After World War I, there were countries that were still in an upheaval because th

Because the people were looking for a strong leader, they often overlooked the passages in the Old Testament that referred to Jesus. Now, I don't pretend to know all the passages in Scripture that Jesus quoted to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, but I do know some of them. Psalm 22 was quot

This passage continues to remind all of us that the day will come when we will have trouble seeing, hearing, eating and getting around. This tells us how important it is to learn about God early in life. Studies have shown that those who come to faith early in life, even if they walk away for a whi

When we go through trials and tribulations, the comfort that we receive from God isn't just for us alone. After enduring tough situations, we are able to testify God's goodness in such moments, and in those moments, we are able to reach out and encourage those who go through trials similar

When you dwell on all that God has done in your life, you will find a great joy bubbling within you. Our lives are so full of God's assurance and his faithfulness; we have so much we can fall back on in times where we feel weak. Take heart, and know that God is always there for you. Think of al

The Last Supper was Jesus' last opportunity to teach his apostles. This is only one passage of what is referred to as the "Last Discourse." In this passage however, he reveals the promise of eternal life to those who believe in him. He goes on to say that eternal life consists in that w

Today most Christians begin Holy Week, the week leading up to the celebration of Our Lord's Resurrection. This year our Orthodox brothers and sisters will celebrate one week later. This disparity has a long history. The Gregorian calendar uses the lunar calendar to fix the date for Easter while

Jesus has come to Bethany because he has received word that his friend Lazarus is ill. He is speaking with Lazarus' sister, Martha, who had complained to Jesus that he died because Jesus wasn't there to heal him. Martha then went to get their other sister, Mary. This incident was a contribu

The Israelites have spent years in exile in Babylon and in other nations in the surrounding area. Now, the Lord is telling Ezekiel that they will someday return and be a nation once more. We will learn that King Cyrus defeated the Babylonians and let those Israelites who chose to return, return and

God the Almighty does not leave the side of His children. If they love Him, then His word or promise will never be broken. He failed not Noah or Moses, and He fulfilled His prophecy to us by sending us the Messiah. The sea might swallow the mountains as it did in Noah's time, but all of His chi

The Israelites had escaped from Egypt thanks to God, who had charged Moses with the task of leading them across the Red Sea to freedom. Now they were complaining. They forgot how badly they had been treated, how they had been tortured, and remembered only that they had food to eat and water to drin

Whom do we trust, God or man? I can see that it might be easier to trust what we can see and touch rather than what we take on faith. God is warning the people not to trust in their kings to protect them while they are going against the most important of all the commandments – worshiping false gods

This psalm is prayed by King David as he repents of his adultery with Bathsheba. The words are appropriate as we celebrate Ash Wednesday and begin the season of Lent. Although this is not a biblical event, it was a tradition in the early church to seek repentance for sin in the weeks preceding the

Why does Jesus say that it is difficult for anyone with riches to enter God's Kingdom? I think the real issue is, to whom do we give the credit for what we have? It's easy to think we did it all ourselves! In Jesus' time – and sometimes in ours – wealth seems to signify God's prefer

Yesterday's proverb talked about boasting, another sin of the tongue. Today, we are considering other evils that come from a misuse of God's gift of speech. Cursing, blaspheming, lying are all evils of the tongue. We are told not to take the Lord's name in vain. Not to swear false oaths

The Book of Proverbs makes for interesting reading. This passage makes me think of the sayings, "Pride comes before a fall," and "Don't toot your own horn." "The bigger they are, the harder they fall." Fame today may not be permanent and just because one has succeeded in

Salt was a very important product before there were other ways of preserving meats and fish. It is also important for flavoring food. Over the years, salt goes in and out of favor as it has been linked to heart problems and high blood pressure. At the moment, salt is back in favor and can be consid

Unfortunately, words of injustice sometimes are listened to more often than words of wisdom. Why? Possibly because they appeal to our self-interest or unrecognized prejudices. Words of wisdom and justice can make us uncomfortable or afraid. Usually, fear comes from ignorance and there are many who

Today is forty days since we celebrated Christmas and so we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple at the prescribed time following the birth of a son and made their offering – the offering of a poor family. There were two people in the temple at the ti

Solomon takes over from his father, David, and is crowned king. Yahweh has appeared to Solomon in a dream and told him to ask for what he wanted. God is pleased with his answer and rewards him over and above his desires. Solomon has always been known for his wisdom and one of the Bible stories I he