Coming up short can be heart-breaking, frustrating and even life-threatening. Have you watched a professional golfer’s putt come just two inches short? Have you had family members stop just three credits short of a college degree? Do you know any fellow workers who always seem to stop short of finishing a job? Sometimes coming up short can be trivial, but when it comes to the…

There are some things that you know in your head, but even after knowing certain things for a lifetime, it can still boggle the mind and surpass complete understanding. The love of God is one of those things that we can “know” but never fully comprehend. Consider parts of 1 John 4. “God is love…the love of God was manifested…He loved us…God so loved…

Jeroboam was a devious and divisive character in the Old Testament, perhaps best known for dividing the nation of Israel and becoming the first king of the northern kingdom. Among his first acts as king were major changes that he made to the worship of the Lord. Go and read about these in 1 Kings 12:25-33. These changes came about when “Jeroboam said in…

So, you read through lists of sins in the Bible, and some of them you easily dismiss, perhaps thinking, “That’s not an issue for me. I’m not tempted by that at all. That’s in there for other people.” Perhaps we should take just a moment to do a quick introspection on one. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, along with the fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, etc., God lists…

So often in his letters to his brethren, Paul would tell them that he was “praying always for you” (Col. 1:3), and “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers” (1 Thess. 1:2). He told Timothy, “without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day” (2 Tim. 1:3). He said something similar in nearly…

During the reign of King Josiah, the Book of the Law was found in the house of the Lord (2 Kgs. 22:8). The book was brought and read before the king (22:10). “When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law” (and realized that its commandments had not been kept), he “tore his clothes” (22:11), in grief and shame over the…

Conflict resolution can be extremely uncomfortable, to the extent that many of us will avoid it all costs. We might even let a conflict simmer just to avoid the uneasiness of confronting someone or confronting the issue itself. Perhaps one reminder can help us with this. There is a verse that is often quoted out of context that applies to this subject. Jesus said, “For…

There is a lot happening in our nation right now. There is a divide among us that is full of hate. There are cultural pressures that we may not even realize. We have been influenced to think, respond and behave in certain ways. As a Christian, I must learn to always be MORE “mindful of the things of God” than “the things of men” (Matt. 16:23).…