“After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices . . .” (Ezra 9:1) How easy it is to jump...
Not everyone called by Jesus to be his disciple chooses to follow him. The account of one who choose not to follow in Luke 18:18-25. The good news sometimes challenges us. On the one hand, we discover that God loves us no matter who we are or what we have done in our...
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 7:12) The “golden rule”. We all learned it from childhood, but how many of us really know what it means? As a child, I never really...
"Her filthiness clung to her skirts; she did not consider her future." (Lam 1:9) The story is heart-wrenching: the demise of God's glorious people; the ruin of God's own city, the city of peace; the destruction of God's glorious temple; the desolation of the land...
Without love, who would I be? It does more than cover a multitude of sins. It puts up a mirror. It shows me the self that, in Him I’ve always been.The person whom, without love, I could never believe myself to be… Without His love reminding me, of the beauty he sees...
(inspired by 1. Cor:13) Without love, the words I speak, Though school’d in letters, will be weak: And though I say them loud and long, Without love, I’m but a noisy gong. Without love, the goods I share, Are nothing worth, though costing dear: My gift of life...
Can we capture the love of God As a smile is caught on camera? Can we capture the light of God As a moth is confined in a jam jar? Can we capture the flood of his great mercy, Or rein in the fullness of his grace? No more than we can draw boundary lines around an...
Love's the Reason that He Came So gently, Lord, You came to earth And graced us with Your Holy birth. You left Your home in heaven above, To teach us of the Father's love. You lived among us meek and mild. Your life was pure and undefiled. You taught us how to love...
(1 John 1:7) ”But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with One another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Tiny jewels dangle from slender vines Pink sapphire hearts bleed Drops of glistening diamonds All...
Lord, You are my Valentine; The one that I adore. You gave your life up, just for mine; You thought I was worth dying for. There's no greater love on earth Than the love You've shown for me; And I could search this whole world over, From sea to shining sea. Your...