According to Pew Research Center, government restrictions on religion around the world have reached an all-time high. This is nothing new. The people of God have always faced oppressive governments and groups of peoples. Consider these passages. “But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches…

To submit is not a popular thought. For most, it brings up ideas of subjugation and conquest, the rule of power exerted over the will of others. Submittance means I am no longer in control of my own future. For a nation that prides itself on freedoms and rights, submission seems counterintuitive. What concept should we have of submission? We need to…

There are some who have taken a closer look at Psalm twenty-two, twenty-three and twenty-four.  From these psalms, they have drawn three aspects of the Christ, each one highlighting a different characteristic of our Lord. Psalm twenty-two turns our attention to the cross.  It was quoted by Christ while He hung there, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” (Matt.…

Often the Bible presents lessons from nature. “Go to the ant, o sluggard, observe her ways and be wise” (Prov. 6:6). For this lesson, let us consider the bear. During the winter they will spend four to eight months in hibernation, depending on the severity of the winter. During the months they are awake, they are consuming up to ninety pounds of…

Pew Research Center did a study on trust in a survey of 10,618 U.S. adults, conducted November 27-December 10, 2018. Here are some excerpts from an article describing the findings. “Moreover, some see fading trust as a sign of cultural sickness and national decline. Some also tie it to what they perceive to be increased loneliness and excessive individualism. About half of…

“One who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and…

There are events or moments in our lives that give us pause to think, “Am I going to get through this?” They seem to be bigger than anything we have dealt with. So, uncertainty creeps in. It is a natural response to the unknown. During those times, our faith plays a role in our determination and resolve. There are thoughts in songs…