by Abbie Tippie

o not worry. How many times have I heard that before? On a first reading of Matthew 6:25, I think to myself “Wow, maybe I’ve actually got worrying under control.” I mean, Matthew 6:25 says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”

by Abbie Tippie

How often do we come to God saying, “I have nothing ”? We look at our situation and our circumstances, and think the world’s got it in for us. The cards are stacked against us. Things look pretty desperate and maybe even hopeless.

by Abbie Tippie

Water. Ice. Snow. Hail. Summer rains. Floods. Hurricanes.

by Abbie Tippie

Character. Character is often defined by the choices we make and the actions we take. In 2 Kings 3, we see a small peek into the lives of Joram, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah.

by Ed Hanchett

How often do we stand in judgment? How often do we mock those who differ from ourselves?

by Ed Hanchett

What a blessing is the love of a strong and faithful friendship.

by Ed Hanchett

When God sends a message, we better be listening.

by Ed Hanchett

How often do we as Christians want to withdraw from interacting with those whose beliefs or values may differ from our own? Certainly, our personal comfort may be sustained, but is this really what God wants of us?

by Ed Hanchett

How often do we seek the counsel of others, asking the same question of many, but rejecting the answer until we finally hear what we want to hear?

by Josie Hills

In today’s verses, I see that wickedness is repaid by the Lord, and that true humility receives God’s mercy. The story starts out fairly with Naboth standing for integrity in not selling ‘the inheritance of his fathers’. Do you know people who get exploited because of their unwillingness to compromise their integrity? It happens all the time.

by Josie Hills

Ben-Hadad had witnessed the Lord’s protection of Israel in the two previous chapters. Was he affected? He had witnessed God’s mercy for his people so he decided to try it for himself. He sent men to Ahab pretending to be repentant; they had the ‘look’ of sincerity, to save his life.

In today’s verses God’s purpose was to re-affirm to Israel that ‘I am the Lord’ again. They were shown over and over again His power. How often does God show me His power and it goes un-recognized?

In today’s verses God’s purpose was to re-affirm to Israel that ‘I am the Lord’ again. They were shown over and over again His power. How often does God show me His power and it goes un-recognized?

As I read the verse for today I noticed a similarity between Ahab King of Israel and myself. God’s purpose in giving Ahab victory was to know “That I am the Lord” (vs. 13). How often do I recognize God as the Lord of the circumstances in my own life? How often do I see His purposes?

by Jamie Roussie

Here, Elijah meets God after a long and arduous journey through the wilderness. God supplies the provisions Elijah needs at the outset and leads him to a significant encounter that redefines Elijah's ministry.

by Jamie Roussie

Why does Elijah end in an apparent state of self-pity after accomplishing such great things as defeating the prophets of the false god and outrunning a chariot? I would think that he should be on top of the world. Instead, he runs away, hides under a tree and wants to die.

In today's reading in 1 Kings 18, as well as in the alternative reading in Joshua 24, I'm struck by a few dramatic similarities and differences. They prompt me to ask two questions—first, “Who is this God that these people are encountering?,” and second, “Why is he not like the false gods he is telling them to abandon?”

by Jamie Roussie

Within chapters 18-19 of 1st Kings, I'm struck by a concept which seems to pop up twice. In chapter 18, Elijah meets Obadiah and is told that Obadiah has preserved 100 of God's true prophets in the face of their persecution. In chapter 19, Elijah is told that God hasn't left him alone...

by Jamie Roussie

Here, we see Elijah visit a widow from a foreign town, in a foreign land. This Sidonian woman and her son aren't among the chosen people of God within Israel. Yet, God sends his prophet to her—not to anyone in Israel, among the chosen people...

by Karen Wood

There’s almost nothing as distracting as waiting for a phone call, is there? There’s that guy you wish would ask you out; human resources about the job interview; the doctor with the pathology report; the case worker from the adoption agency. Waiting, wondering, wishing. Even if you can get on with the normal routine, it’s always niggling in the back of your mind. Are they ever going to call?

by Karen Wood

Today’s reading choronicles 45 years of terrible northern kings. While the southern kingdom enjoys relative stability under the godly reign of Asa, the north endures five losers. These kings dump a mess of turmoil, coups, drunkenness, suicide and destruction, a heap topped by the arrival of Ahab, the most notoriously bad king of all.

by Karen Wood

I do so hate getting sidetracked. Especially if there’s a short, straight line to the finish. My son calls while I’m on my way to the mailbox? Forget it. My husband tries to steal a kiss when I’m cooking? OK, but make it fast. The phone rings when I just sat down at my desk? Ugh.

Today’s reading choronicles 45 years of terrible northern kings. While the southern kingdom enjoys relative stability under the godly reign of Asa, the north endures five losers. These kings dump a mess of turmoil, coups, drunkenness, suicide and destruction, a heap topped by the arrival of Ahab, the most notoriously bad king of all.

One of the things that always strikes me about the Bible is how things can slip right by me, understated as they are. Cataclysmic events often come in simple sentences without exclamation points or ominous music.

by Tim Kneezel

My driveway is probably the worst paved driveway that I've ever seen. There are cracks and bumps and jumps and rolls … and then there is the five foot by three foot patch of grass in the middle of it. Strangely enough, the grass growing here is probably the nicest grass in my whole lawn.

by Tim Kneezel

I always find it a little amazing to think about the massive amounts of time, discussion, and text which has been spent trying to explain God's will for our lives – both in the Scriptures themselves, but also in all of the commentaries, Bible dictionaries, essays, and other writings over the last several millennia. However, when Jesus is confronted with this same question, he manages to boil it all down to a scant four sentences.

by Tim Kneezel

As I was reading today's reading, my first thought was "Oh great … another short blurb about a rotten ruler who goes to war and dies." I think that would actually be a fairly good summation of most of the information about Abijah.

by Tim Kneezel

The house that my wife and I live in was built in the 1920s. If you've ever tried to move someone into a house that old, you'll quickly come to find that staircases were built much narrower and steeper back then. In particular, the box spring for our queen size bed did not fit up the stairs.

by Tim Kneezel

To be perfectly honest, I have a lot of trouble reading these doom and gloom passages in the Scriptures. On my first time through this section, it felt like God was going a little overboard in doling out the punishment.

by Sandra Hansen

The man of God from Judah defied the Word of the Lord and didn’t keep the command the Lord gave to him. It didn’t seem that tough—God said don’t eat or drink, so don’t eat or drink! But when tricked by an older prophet—that’s right, a fellow prophet, he was killed by the Lord for disobeying.

by Sandra Hansen

Why do people like to make Idols?

Idols seem to spring up in our daily life so easily. A good work ethic leads to workaholism. We are enjoying the things that God has given us but soon are spending more time with the stuff, rather than the Giver. Something that was good and wholesome gets twisted and becomes more than it should be.