The Parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke Chapter 10, verses 25-37 exemplifies what it means to be the kind of neighbor Jesus wants us to be: ____________________________________________________________ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your stre...
Jan 11, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 681
Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ means that we don’t just sit in our houses and shut away the world. Scripture is an action item. Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” If the Bible is true—if God’s story intersects with our story—then a hurting world is in need of a Savior. The pain many are enduring will have no end until they meet the God-Man, Jesus. He is our healer and His glory fills the earth. We all have different persona...
Jan 08, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 680
Of all the gifts God gives His children, joy is perhaps the one closest to heaven on earth. Who isn’t aware just how wonderful it feels to experience true joy? It is as if the Lord has freed a prisoner. When American POWs returned from captivity in Vietnam, the looks on their faces as they emerged from the planes carrying them to freedom…well, no one will ever forget that! Psalm 16:9 says, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.” Scripture tells us ...
Jan 07, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 679
As humans, we have a tendency to compartmentalize things. It’s in our nature to make lists, and rank priorities, and really box certain things in. We’ve got our work-life over here, and our family life over there, and our faith...somewhere else. And this can often lead us to confusion about what we’re supposed to do, and when, and which direction we’re supposed to go. This confusion even extends to our faith. We wonder: When am I supposed to pray, and when am I supposed to take action on my fait...
Jan 06, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 678
Have you ever thought much about grace? We hear the word, but the concept itself might be a little elusive. That might be because it’s hard for humans to understand and embrace. Grace means simply that someone gives you something with no strings attached. Just for your good. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” The Bible tells a simple story, really. Mankind sinned and brought evil into the world. God ...
Jan 05, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 677
Roaming, travel, wandering…all have been part of the human psyche since the beginning. Because we all have that God-shaped hole in us, needing to be filled with Him, we search. Some find God, some don’t. The sense of aimlessness and lack of purpose haunts some. We think of the classic novel by Jack Kerouac, On the Road, which is the story of two characters traveling the country. At first the lure of freedom is fun to think about, but the truth is, if people don’t fill that God-shaped hole with G...
Jan 04, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 676
Spring is the season of new life. As we finish up our series on the Psalms, we come to the most famous one of all. Psalm 23:1–2 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” This psalm contains some of the most famous words ever written. It has everything: beautiful language, a man’s raw honest heart for God, and a universal theme of love that God has for all people. It echoes in the universe. Think...
Jan 01, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 675
One of the things that set God apart from all others is His ability to tell us what is going to happen. We read about this in Isaiah 46, where He says only He knows the end from the beginning. An amazing example of this is found in Psalm 22, and it’s almost surprising how many people are not aware of it. Psalm 22:11 says, “Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.” If you read the entire chapter carefully, you begin to realize that this is a conversation that Jesus ...
Dec 31, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 674
From the time he was a young shepherd in the wilderness, David had a deep relationship with God. He escaped enough dangerous situations to know that God was always with Him, and was his deliverer. Psalm 91:1–2 says, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” This psalm is famous for its descriptive language. We can see a picture of this in our minds. And the specific...
Dec 30, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 673
Nothing is more basic to life than creation itself. The Bible tells us that God alone has the power to truly create, and the beauty of language in Psalm 139 explains this fully. Some believe the psalmist was writing in part about the creation of Adam. Psalm 139:1–3 says, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” The writer marvels at the way...
Dec 29, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 672
One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the collection of poetic works and songs known as “Psalms,” originally written as music for worship, especially in the Temple in Jerusalem. Today we celebrate them as prayers for the most part, and they give us a beautiful picture of who God is. Psalm 1:6 says, “For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.” Traditional authorship is assigned mostly to King David, who loved to worship God with mus...
Dec 28, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 671
Did you know that “Joy to the World” was not written as a Christmas carol? In its original form, it had nothing to do with Christmas. It wasn’t even written to be a song. Isaac Watts was one of the great hymn writers in church history, and nothing shows that better than the fact that he wrote one of his most famous hymns entirely by accident. In 1719, Watts published a book of poems in which each poem was based on a psalm. One of those poems was an adaptation of Psalm 98, which Watts interpreted...
Dec 25, 2020•3 min•Season 1Ep. 670
202 years ago, “Silent Night” was first heard by villagers attending Christmas Eve mass in St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria. Joseph Mohr, the young priest who wrote the lyrics, played the guitar and sang along with Franz Gruber, the choir director who had written the melody. How did this simple tune, with its quiet words of comfort, become a beloved hymn of peace throughout the world? An organ builder and repairman working at the church took a copy of the six-verse song to his home vill...
Dec 24, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 669
Charles Wesley, an English Methodist leader in the 1700s, wrote more than 6,000 hymns – more than any other male writer. His goal was to teach the poor and illiterate sound doctrine. God used the writing talents of Charles Wesley to bring the Good News to people in a memorable way; even those who couldn’t read, could hear and understand a beautiful song, and even sing along. Think about the songs you hear on the radio or online during the month of December. So many of the songs Americans enjoy l...
Dec 23, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 668
Phillips Brooks was the minister of Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia and visited Bethlehem in December of 1865. When Pastor Brooks traveled to the Holy Land, the journey included a horseback ride from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. Back then, it truly was a small village, far removed from the bustling city it would later become. By nightfall he was in the field where, according to tradition, the shepherds heard the angelic announcement. Then he attended the Christmas Eve service at ...
Dec 22, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 667
O Holy Night is a well-known Christmas carol that began as a French poem celebrating the opening of a new church. The beloved song we know today was translated into English by John Sullivan Dwight, an American minister and abolitionist, in 1855. This poignant carol reflects on the birth of Jesus as humanity's redemption. O holy night! The stars are brightly shining It is the night of our dear Savior's birth Long lay the world in sin and error pining 'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth A...
Dec 21, 2020•2 min
In a world full of man-made gods and goddesses, the Creator God stands alone. He is a King of the first order, and everything was made by Him. His majesty and power are awesome. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Usually, when people are in the presence of royalty, they get nervous. Kings and queens make us uneasy, and we obsess about how we approach them. Not so with our great God. Yes, He is all-powerful, a...
Dec 18, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 665
Joseph was a hardworking tradesman who God hand-picked from all the men in the world to be the earthly father of His own Son, Jesus Christ. What an honor! And in some ways, what an incredibly challenging task. Joseph wasn’t a king, a politician, or a recognized leader of any kind when he was betrothed to a young woman named Mary. A simple carpenter, he was also a man of compassion. When he learned Mary was pregnant and knew the child could not be his, he intended to divorce her quietly and send ...
Dec 17, 2020•3 min•Season 1Ep. 664
The story of the Prodigal Son is one we can all relate to. The Bible tells the story of a brash young man who leaves his home after asking for his inheritance. His loving father complies and let’s just say the son learns some valuable lessons on his travels. Eventually he humbles himself and comes home; he needs his father and his family. It is really a story of Jesus and us. Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” We scre...
Dec 16, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 663
In thinking about different kinds of love, it’s a beautiful thing to realize that God has placed certain people in our lives for specific reasons. Friendship is one of His great gifts to us, all-time. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Do you have someone in your life that is not blood-related, but it sure feels like it? In fact, often it feels like a closer relation than biological family! Notice what the writer of Proverbs tells us: A frien...
Dec 15, 2020•1 min•Season 1Ep. 662
We “love” all sorts of things. We love a friend’s new hairdo. We love pistachio ice cream and travel to exotic places. Many times, the word itself loses all real meaning. It’s like homemade chicken soup without the chicken and without the soup. 1 John 3:16–18 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God ...
Dec 14, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 661
God’s Word is a collection of individual books about the history of the world including poetry, worship songs, letters, and the beginnings of the Church. But it’s also all about Jesus! Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Jesus, who came to our world as God in the flesh, is actually the Creator of everything that exist...
Dec 11, 2020•3 min•Season 1Ep. 660
The world is full of interesting ancient books. The Indian Vedas, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, even ancient clay tablets from Sumeria. In the Bible though, we read that God’s Word is alive, not dead. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Active. That’s a very interesting way to describe a book. It sits on a shelf, or ...
Dec 10, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 659
Did you know God’s Word is indestructible? Many ancient books have been lost to history. Others sit still buried under the sands of the Middle East. But after thousands of years, the Bible is more widely read than ever. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” There’s an interesting story in the Old Testament book of Jerem...
Dec 09, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 658
The Bible. Audaciously, it’s been called the foundation of our civilization, a sacred book, even our guide for life. And actually, it’s more than that. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” From ancient times, God decided that He would communicate with humans through language, the written word. He wanted us to have our ...
Dec 08, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 657
God’s Word is a collection of individual books about the history of the world including poetry, worship songs, letters, and the beginnings of the Church. But it’s also all about Jesus! Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Jesus, who came to our world as God in the flesh, is actually the Creator of everything that exist...
Dec 07, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 656
Many modern phrases have their origins in the Bible. A couple that come to mind are, “She’s worth her salt,” or, “He is the salt of the earth.” They remind us of what Scripture says when using salt as an analogy. Matthew 5:13 says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Tasting our favorite salty foods is a great sensory experience. Think of French fri...
Dec 04, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 655
If a product or idea is worth promoting, it must be seen by the “end-user,” to borrow a marketing term. There is so much competition in business today…it is pointless to have a store unless people know you’re open for business. Thousands of businesses open and close every year. It’s a shame, but too often practical planning isn’t a big enough part of the picture. The Lord understands the importance of planning, and the need to plan ahead applies to how we share Him with others, too. Matthew 5 ve...
Dec 03, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 654
During the Civil War, Southern states relied on salt perhaps even more than their Northern counterparts. The commodity preserved various foods—such as fish—and allowed more people to eat and even keep food supplied for a rainy day. As the Union troops began capturing Confederate saltworks, the food supplies there literally began drying up. It was one of the things that led to the end of the war, as food supplies literally not only lost their taste, but their preservative qualities. Things got so...
Dec 02, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 653
Table salt today is so common, it becomes another thing we take for granted. You go to the store, pick a cylinder or jar of salt off the shelf, then go home. You don’t even think about it. Now, consider that 1,000 and more years ago, if a person wanted to use salt on his dinner, this required some prior work. A lot of work! The Romans boiled seawater in huge, lead-lined pans. So valuable was salt in the Roman Empire, it was used as currency! Mainly, it was used as a critical food preservative. M...
Dec 01, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 652
