And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites in your towns, and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows living among you. -–Deuteronomy 16:11 I recently began the process of purchasing a home. If you’ve ever been through that process, you know it is exciting and stressful at the same time. In the few weeks before I officially close on my new home, ther

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’He will

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”  –Genesis 3:8,9 If you have a dog or cat, you probably have, at one time or another, seen their attempts to “hide” from you–which usually amounts to their head under the bed and the rest of their body showing. In their mind, since they can’t see you,

The enemy (who is the father of all lies), loves to convince us that God is someone other than who He truly is.  Deep down, we may start believing some untrue things about God without even realizing it.  Here are five things God does not do: God does not leave things unfinished (Philippians 1:6, Numbers 23:19). Sometimes it can feel like we are stuck in “wait mode”; waiting on something to break open or come to pass. It feels like we are in a never-ending situation, but the

From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth–he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.   –Psalm 33:13,14 www.intellicast.com One of my favorite apps on my smartphone is my radar app. Why I feel the need to compulsively check it every time I see a couple dark clouds in the sky, I don’t know; but it makes me feel a little better knowing what kind of weather may be headed my way. Sometimes

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.  –1 John 4:4 Remember the old Looney Toons episode where the two dogs, Spike and Chester, spend the whole episode trying to catch Sylvester the cat?  Initially Spike, the bulldog, is the hero and Chester, the hyper terrier, is the sidekick.  Chester idolizes Spike, but by the end of the episode Chester becomes the hero because he succeeds in taki

For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.  –Habakkuk 2:3 Living in a more metropolitan area, traffic delays can become a frustrating but common part of everyday life.  As a self-proclaimed “get-er-done girl” I like to get where I’m going as soon as possible.  In fact, in an ideal world I would be able to blink and go instantly from one place to another,

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”  “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and,

Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. –Isaiah 42:9 Given the brutal winter most of the U.S. has experienced this season, it has been a most welcome sight to see tiny leaves budding on some of the trees around where I live. There aren’t many, mind you, but still…a few leaves and flowers peeking out here and there lets me know spring is rapidly approaching. It’s a relief for many who have felt thi

For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.  –Proverbs 1:32,33 Winter weather is some of the best sleeping weather for me.  My room is cold and I’m warm under my blankets.  I find it hard to get up in the morning and face that chilly air when it would be so much more comfortable to sleep in!  Spiritually, this can happen to us as well.  We

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”     –Genesis 12:1-3 When we read this passage, we can see God giving Abram two things: an instruction and a promise. T