God gives us good gifts all the time. All through the year, not just at Christmas. One of the truly joyful gifts is the ability to be kind to others. It sounds simple and maybe to some even quaint, but there is power in choosing to be kind. Choosing to be kind. That’s one of our themes this week. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 tells us to, “Always be joyful.” Paul uses this chapter to describe the heart of a Christian. We are also to “encourage the disheartened,” and “be patient with everyone.” Although t...
Dec 27, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 410
Our world needs many things. We have environmental concerns, broken relationships, and disease that still stalks too many countries. It is also true that God doesn’t leave us in despair. He doesn’t allow our problems to overcome us, if we trust Him. Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” This is our anchor, the blessing of hope. This week we’re talking about hope and joy, an...
Dec 26, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 409
The Birth of Jesus as told in the book of Luke, Chapter 2, Verses 1-20. In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary,...
Dec 25, 2019•3 min•Season 1Ep. 408
Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son as told in Matthew Chapter 1, Verses 18-25 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and ...
Dec 24, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 407
In a world full of manmade 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, and...
Dec 23, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 406
Have you seen the movie “Napoleon Dynamite”? The character of Kip is one of the offbeat people in an Idaho town. But he is also one of the neediest in terms of peace in his life. Kip sort of defines our theme of peace this week. At one point, he changes his persona and his signature line is, “Peace out!” It’s hilarious, but also poignant because the peace he found came about because someone chose to be kind to him. Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towar...
Dec 20, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 405
Do you especially need the gift of peace right now? Is your life so busy, you can’t find time to take a breath? There is Good News for you: Jesus already knows. Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” When Jesus ascended to heaven, he told the apostles, “My peace I leave with you.” Because He lives, we know for sure that this peace is available to us anytime, anywhere. Even in the busy part of your life, when you think you’re going crazy, you can ...
Dec 19, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 404
Have you ever thought of yourself as a catalyst for peace? It’s something to think about as we continue our discussion this week about peace. Donna and Betty were sisters, but in mid-life they were both tired of the fighting and mistrust and hurt. Each had their grievances. Both were stubborn. Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” At one particular time of the year, Betty heard this verse spoken in a service. And here’s an ironic thing: of the t...
Dec 18, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 403
Being positive really is a mindset. As we talk about “pockets of peace” around the world this week, we will notice some amazing examples. Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” God pulls wins out of the most difficult challenges, and one of the toughest was the ongoing conflict between Egypt and Israel. Both nations are mentioned for blessing in Scripture, but until 1981, the modern era was almost as bad as the ancient era. Two full-blown wars in...
Dec 17, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 402
It’s all in how you see it. The world we live in has plenty of problems, and they are huge. Don’t need to list them here, but it’s fair to say we even suffer from some existential threats. And yet, God’s Word tells us that this present life can have, and does have, peace. That’s our connection this week. Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” Remember the story of Jim Elliot and his band of missionaries? They were killed in a jungle by the very p...
Dec 16, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 401
It’s kind of fun in those moments when the kids are in bed and the dishes are done, to think about the Big Questions. You know the list. Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? A question that people from ancient times to now have asked is, why in the world, literally, did God create people? We are a handful, as past generations used to say. We mess up. Sometimes we’re on our way to being smart then find ourselves flying down the Stupid Highway. God must get tired of us, right? 1 Peter 2:9 s...
Dec 13, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 400
Have you ever been in such a dark place that you wondered if God cares about you, or even exists? Maybe it’s all some cosmic joke, right? We’ve all been there. Humans doubt. We doubt ourselves, we doubt product labels, we doubt our kids. We question everything. But that worst one is trying to figure out where God is in the middle of great difficulties. Sometimes the world is just flat-out mean and it seems like it’s an entity that’s trying to break you in half. That is the very moment God’s anci...
Dec 12, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 399
As humans, we compartmentalize, don’t we? By that we mean, it is in our nature to rank priorities, then even lose sight of some of them. This can often lead us to confusion about which direction we’re supposed to go. This confusion even can extend to faith itself. We wonder, When am I supposed to pray, and when am I supposed to act on faith? Psalm 34:1 says, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." When we get the Word deep in our hearts, we always have ...
Dec 11, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 398
Scores of people today, even many in our churches, walk around aimless. They work their jobs and take care of their families, but struggle to understand what it is that God wants them to do. He’s told us in His word! As with every other situation, His Word speaks directly to our circumstances. Micah 6:8 says, "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." The Lord requires of us that we have the...
Dec 10, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 397
Have you ever wondered what your place in this world is? Of course you have. That’s the human experience. Alone with our thoughts, we wonder who we even are, and what we are meant to do. It’s a mysterious journey, but the fog lifts and the way becomes clear when we get to know King Jesus. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." You were made for something! You were made to do things for...
Dec 09, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 396
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 06, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 395
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 05, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 394
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 04, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 393
The Dead Sea, bordering the countries of Israel and Jordan, is also located at the lowest point on Earth. The landscape is so barren, it looks like a moonscape. Not exactly a place for a vacation or rest stop. And yet…did you know that one of the valuable things from that area is the vast amount of salt that rings this body of water? Besides the salt content, the minerals in the Dead Sea are valuable for everything from medicines to cosmetics. What initially looks like a terrible place is actual...
Dec 03, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 392
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 03, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 391
We have come to the end of the week and our discussion of gratitude -- of being thankful to the Lord. But that doesn’t mean our thankfulness has come to an end! In fact, it’s just beginning. Psalm 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." If you’re like many people, you are just starting your journey of discovering what it means to be truly grateful. That’s okay; we all have to start somewhere. What is critical, though, is that you maintain this spirit of b...
Nov 29, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 390
During this season of Thanksgiving, it might be a good thing to think about just how good we have it. Let’s do that by remembering the persecuted Christians who left England in 1620 aboard the Mayflower. Just a few facts from this famous story will make you happy to thank the Lord for what you have. Even if the family turkey is a little dry this year! Psalm 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Delays kept the Pilgrims from sailing from England until Se...
Nov 28, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 389
Isn’t it fascinating that a secular definition of the word blessed is “made holy; consecrated.” It seems the whole world really knows, even deep down, that blessings are from God. Psalm 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." As we focus on thankfulness and blessing this week, in this season of Thanksgiving, we are instructed to actually thank God for the ways in which He has blessed us. There are too many to count! The psalm tells us several things at on...
Nov 27, 2019•3 min•Season 1Ep. 388
You’ve heard that every good thing comes from God, right? Of course it’s true. He is our example, both of how to live and how to react to others. This week we’re talking about practicing gratitude, and as usual, God shows us the way. Psalm 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Often we can become disappointed if we don’t get everything we think we should have. But that’s a dead end when it comes to true happiness and peace. And those are things we all r...
Nov 26, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 387
If you’re just starting your day, on your way to work, think about something that will pay off for you down the road. Are you thankful today? All week, we’ll talk about what it means to be grateful and thankful for all God has given you and done for you. Psalm 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." A lot of us are thankful from time to time. Then we get into a pattern of thinking mostly about what we don’t have. That’s a trap. The enemy wants you to focu...
Nov 25, 2019•1 min•Season 1Ep. 386
Clive Staples Lewis was successful. A British writer and theologian, his work has become very famous. When Lewis wrote his classic Surprised by Joy, he was emphasizing the fact that true joy comes from a place we cannot create, but only claim and receive. His story really brings a point to our weeklong series about asking the Lord for help when we are at the end of our rope. John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be com...
Nov 22, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 385
We look for things and stuff to make us happy, don’t we? Especially in America, where we are blessed with abundance, people from all walks of life look for more and more. That can bring us to an empty place. Spiritually and emotionally, we look in the wrong places. But as we’ve discussed this week, that spark of joy we look for can be found only in Jesus. Everything else is, yes, clutter. John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your j...
Nov 21, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 384
Solomon was the one of the most amazing men in all of history. The King of Israel, the son of the famous David, was so rich he got bored. In fact, some believe he was the wealthiest man of all time. In terms of money, he was the Jeff Bezos of his time. But the Bible tells us his story, and doesn’t spare any truth in doing it. Solomon accomplished great things, but at great spiritual cost. After awhile, he discovered the secret to real success, and that is what we’re talking about today and all w...
Nov 20, 2019•3 min•Season 1Ep. 383
Life is a process. We know that if we’ve lived very long at all. And this week, we’re talking about the process of trusting God. John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” Could Jesus meet our needs by just giving us something instantly? Of course. He made everything! And sometimes He does that; the miracles he performed that are recorded in the New Testament tell us that he often instantly met a person’s need...
Nov 19, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 382
Isn’t it funny how we come to certain conclusions in life fairly late? In other words, sometimes the obvious things aren’t obvious until we’ve stumbled around on our own, trying to find a solution. Take the simple act of asking for help. It isn’t uncommon for a person to be reluctant to ask for help. Then he finds he wasted a lot of time! That’s what we’re talking about this week. John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will ...
Nov 18, 2019•2 min•Season 1Ep. 381
