My childhood home was in Jefferson, Iowa, a small rural community about 70 miles northwest of Des Moines. Winters there were bitterly cold, and snow blanketed the ground from December until March. Although the icy wind seemed almost unbearable at times, I always enjoyed a fresh snowfall. After a big snow the town’s residents promptly…
Paul visited Corinth (a city in Greece) in AD 51. He stayed there for 18 months (Acts 18:11). Many Corinthians heard the good news about Jesus and were baptized in his name (v. 8). Even after moving on to other mission opportunities, Paul had a deep affection for the church in Corinth. But his…
A king dressed in royal splendor sits on his throne. Two men come before him requesting forgiveness. One man, a terrified slave, approaches the ruler and drops to his knees. He confesses that he has made a serious mistake and begs for mercy. With pounding heart he awaits judgment. The other man, the king’s own…
Sarah is just inside the door of her tent, listening intently to Abraham’s conversation with his three guests. One of the strangers asks about her by name. “Where is Sarah your wife?” Funny. How does he know her name? Abraham is a prosperous and respected tribal chieftain, though. The visitor must have heard her name…
King David’s household was an unhealthy place for growing children. Lax discipline, parental inattention, indulgence of spoiled conduct, and poor role modeling combined to create a monster – rebellious Absalom. After winning the hearts of the men of Israel, this handsome prince seized the throne and tried to kill his father. These tragic circumstances involved…
Abel’s bloody corpse is lying in the field. He is the first murder victim in the world, the first victim of domestic violence. Perhaps Cain has cracked his skull with a stone or stabbed him with a sharpened stick. God had warned Cain that sin was crouching at the door like a ferocious beast. He…
During the holidays the message that “Jesus is the reason for the season” appears everywhere. It’s on greeting cards, Christmas tree ornaments, church signs, and so on. The idea, of course, is that Christmas mustn’t lose its spiritual significance in the mad rush to shop, decorate, and plan parties. The birth of Jesus is the…
God asks Cain and Abel to bring him an offering. Cain presents a gift of grain, and Abel sacrifices some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord rejects Cain’s gift but accepts his brother’s offering with pleasure. Does Cain bring God the wrong thing, or does he simply have a bad attitude? No one…
You are stranded in the desert with nothing to drink. A relentless sun burns your skin. A hot wind saps your strength and parches your throat. Finally, you discover a small natural reservoir of cold, clear water and quench your thirst. According to John’s Gospel the refreshment of drinking water is an excellent metaphor for…
God finds Adam and Eve hiding among the trees in the garden. The man blames the woman for giving him the forbidden fruit, and blames the Lord for giving him a wife. Unimpressed, God turns his attention to Eve and asks, “What is this that you have done?” (Gen. 3:13). She doesn’t take any responsibility…
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