blessing ⁽⁴⁵⁾

Exodus 34:1–27, Ezekiel 18:1–32 There are many instances in life where guilt and consequences appear to be related, but at the same time aren’t. Often times, especially for “simpler” crimes, we see only the person convicted, not the victims. And when we see the victims,…

1 Timothy 4:13–16, Romans 12:3–8, Acts 20:22–32 Teaching is a core function of passing on the faith. There have been plenty of stories (and continue to be) of people coming to Jesus without being taught about Jesus. The Holy Spirit moves as God wills. By…

Deuteronomy 30:15–20, Acts 4:5–22 If someone were to give us a speech about being given the way to life or death, there would likely be an automatic naysayer response. This is the case when the “way” is exercise, healthy eating (including the latest fads), life…

1 Samuel 1:1–18, Luke 18:1–8, Matthew 6:5–15 "…The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect."—James 5:16 As a gift, prayer is probably second only to salvation and reconciliation. The ability to talk to the Creator of the universe. The God who…

2 Samuel 13:11–39, Ephesians 4:13–19 Parenting is hard. Parents struggle with their own failures personally and with their children. For the deeply afflicted parent (and child), parenting is not just brutal, but it is unending pain. For a normal parent, having children is a blessing…