Exodus 4:1-5 But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” 2 Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. 3 “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw… Read More »

Mark 6:31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. Anapauo is the Greek word for rest in this passage. Ana = “up, completing a… Read More »

“In the world, but not of the world…” Knowing what that means isn’t too difficult.  Knowing how to live it out is. American Christians typically believe that our society was and should be a Christian world with Christian leaders and Christian laws. That wouldn’t be a problem if most Americans were active Christ followers.  But… Read More »

Proverbs 23:15-16 15 My child, if your heart is wise,     my own heart will rejoice! 16 Everything in me will celebrate     when you speak what is right. Seeing Adalyn dive gracefully into the pool, keep a good line, flip-turn with ease, and complete her first Individual Medley race this summer caused me no small amount of pride.… Read More »

Job 12:11 The ear tests the words it hears     just as the mouth distinguishes between foods. Ears were given to distinguish sounds. These sounds are inspected, sorted, ranked, and judged. Tested. In other words, we are critical thinking machines. We involuntarily think and judge simultaneously. Every idea presented to us is tasted by our ears… Read More »

Romans 2:13 and 15 13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.  Laws… Read More »

Grandpa said, “Josh, it’s not what you know that will hurt you.  It’s what you don’t know.” Frankly, that advice didn’t comfort me.  At all. Until I understood what he was trying to tell me! Find out what you don’t know.  You find it.  Don’t let it find you. That revelation has taught me 3… Read More »

Romans 1:1, 5, 9, 12, 13b 1This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. 5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that… Read More »

Proverbs 20:8-10 8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes. 9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”? Can you say it? Most cannot. The throne of judgment is too high to ascend. (Solution = Christ pulls us up to heavenly… Read More »

3 John 1:1-4  1 This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and… Read More »