“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).In the Shepherd Psalm, David claims that when a person can say truly, “The Lord is my Shepherd” then he has the answer to facing life’s challenges with confidence of a positive outcome and a bright future.The house of the Lord to the Old Testament Jew represented the ...  Read More

We all have days in our life when we realize we need the kind of comfort that only God can give. Perhaps that is where you are today. Personally, on those days, I have found solace often times in the words of Paul who said, “Praise be to our God…the Father of Compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles…” (2 Corinthians 1:3).The Apostle is writing about how God comfor...  Read More

“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God…your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).Paul reminds us here it is hope that enables us to persevere. That is important to know! Here’s why: One of the strongest temptations Christians face is to give up and quit. Perhaps you have been struggling for ...  Read More

There is a story that makes me smile about a writer, named Dorothy Parker, who was living in an apartment in New York City at the time. A friend returning from a vacation in Florida showed up on her doorstep with the unusual gifts of two baby alligators. Not knowing what to do with them and having to go to work that day, she put the two small alligators in her bathtub. When Parker returned from wo...  Read More

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).In this passage, the Israelites were in transition, moving from forty years of wandering in the wilderness to entering the long-awaited Promised Land. That is what it meant for them. For us today, we find ourselves in the first days of a New Year. This time of...  Read More

Let’s admit it. This is the time of the year we think about New Year’s Resolutions. New Year’s Resolutions offer the promise of a new beginning. People look at their lives and resolve to do better…in all kinds of areas. I am going to spend more time with family. I am going to start having a quiet time. I am going to start going to church. I am going to quit smoking. I am going to start working out...  Read More