Scripture Our verse for today comes from Exodus 14:30, " So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. " Background Seagulls don't ordinarily get a whole lot of press coverage. Unfortunately for them, when we do read...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 15:32, " It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found. " Background I don't know all that was said at the tomb when Lazarus emerged four...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:9, " There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many? " Background I've lost count, not that I was ever really keeping count. But graciously limiting myself to just one mess...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Daniel 6:5, " Then these men said, 'We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.' " Background Where is your weak spot? No, not chocolate or Starbucks or late-night ice cream. Where...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:12, " So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, 'Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.' " Background This weekend I was able to experience the circle of life, in a manner of speaking. It began as...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Samuel 8:19, " Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, 'No, but we will have a king over us.' " Background I have a few friends who recently got what they wanted. Ordinarily, that would be something to...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:20, " But He said to them, 'It is I; do not be afraid.' " Background Last weekend there was an incident at a local mall that has become too commonplace in our society. Gun shots were reported that sent hundreds of shoppers fleeing...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 5:37, " But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No' be 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. " Background We rented a truck from U-Haul this weekend to move my mother-in-law into her new home. We planned...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Mark 10:16, " And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. " Background It has been a little while, but there was a time when one of my little girls was coming into our bedroom in the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:33, " For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. " Background We grow a lot of wheat in this country. In fact, forty-two of our fifty states grow wheat. Recent figures show an...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Ecclesiastes 2:11, " Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. " Background Since it's...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Joshua 1:7, " Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:42, " And they said, 'Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, " I have come down from heaven? " ' " Background In Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Robin...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:45, " It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. " Background Watching the movie Rudy has always created a bit of inner tension for me. On...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:51, " I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will lie forever. " Background I grew up having learned about Ponce de León and his quest to find the Fountain of Youth in the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Colossians 2:23, " These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. " Background Today marks four weeks since I last shaved. My last encounter...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:52, " The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, 'How can this man give us His flesh to eat?' " Background We all are familiar with the saying, " The older you get, the wiser you become. " And I think that each of...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:70, " Jesus answered them, 'Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?' " Background Several of my daughters love kids. From newborns on up, they love being around them, holding them, and taking care of them. They...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:66, " After this many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. " Background I have a brother who is almost five years my senior. When I was in high school, I remember him telling of a switch he made...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:67, " Then Jesus said to the twelve, 'Do you also want to go away?' " Background Aretha Franklin was the premier female Rhythm & Blues singer of her generation. She had 20 number-one R & B singles, and eventually earned the nickname The...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Romans 6:1, " What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Background If you are one who tends to exceed the speed limit, then chances are that you have gotten a speeding ticket. And if so, then you may...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:68, " Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.' " Background A few years ago marked the 500th anniversary of the death of Luca Pacioli. Born in Tuscany, Pacioli became a Franciscan friar in...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Numbers 1:2, " Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above. " Background You count. You are being counted....

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 7:10, " But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. " Background In the original Star Wars film from 1977, Luke Skywalker is living with his step-uncle and aunt when he...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from James 2:1, " My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. " Background In your wallet there are probably several credit cards. Some may be valid only at a certain store, while others may be...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Galatians 6:8, " For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. " Background I wonder how much farm land there will be in heaven....

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 7:12, " And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, 'He is good'; others said, 'No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.' " Background Elijah traveled forty days to Mount Horeb subsisting solely on the meal he had in...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 7:14, " Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. " Background I have played on many sports teams through the years. Some good ones, and a whole lot of bad ones. And being on the short...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 7:15, " And the Jews marveled, saying, 'How does this Man know letters, having never studied?' " Background Thomas Edison is as responsible for our way of life in this country as almost any other single individual. Remembered as a prolific inventor, Edison held...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Titus 1:15, " To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. " Background While my mom was staying with me and my family for what turned out...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 7:16, " Jesus answered them and said, 'My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.' " Background There is a list, as irregular as it may seem, ranking the top 50 sermon themes of all time. No justification is given for the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Genesis 3:21, " Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. " Background When you read through the events of the lives of Adam and Eve as recorded in the first chapters of Genesis, you are of...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 7:27, " However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from. " Background Someone said, " Confused? Confusion is good. It's an excellent place to learn something new from. " Perhaps in response...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Mark 3:25, " And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. " Background I took a quick inventory of my heart this morning. I say quick, because it didn't take long for the various distractions and entanglements that reside within to...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Thessalonians 3:9, " How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? " Background Some time ago I went on a mission trip to East Asia. To get...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 7:34, " You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come. " Background I waffle back and forth over which is my favorite movie. I have three that are forever dear to me, each pulling on my heartstrings...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 7:40, " Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, 'Truly this is the Prophet.' " Background In cleaning out our garage recently, my wife and I came across items that brought back waves of wonderful memories. When someone asks you...

Scripture Our verse for today is from Colossians 4:8, " I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts. " Background Many of you are familiar with Hospice, the organization that offers care to those going through the last days of...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 7:51, " Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing? " Background In one of the many hilarious scenes from the 1972 movie, " What's Up, Doc " , starring Ryan O'Neal and Barbra Streisand, the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Romans 5:8, " But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. " Background I remember this one guy from back in middle school. He was the guy who when he had a girlfriend, he...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 8:4, " They said to Him, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.' " Background We don't get to choose our pet peeves. I'm quite certain that you did not decide at some early age to dislike or get annoyed...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 27:60, " And laid it in his new tomb which he had cut out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. " Background " Dewey Defeats Truman. " Perhaps some of you were around...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 8:10, " When Jesus had stood up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, 'Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?' " Background In The Shawshank Redemption , Andy Dufresne is serving a life sentence in prison...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 8:11, " She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said to her, 'Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.' " Background There is a scene in the movie, The Woman in Red , where Richard Gere's character is trying to unlock the door...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 8:12, " Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.' " Background I grew up in the perfect setting to go trick-or-treating. We...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 8:13, " The Pharisees therefore said to Him, 'You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.' " Background There is a legal adage that goes back some 200 years that says he who represents himself has a fool for a client. But...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 8:36, " Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. " Background In our worship service yesterday, we took some time to honor those who were part of our church family who had suffered from and passed away due to...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Proverbs 19:5, " A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies will not escape. " Background On this election day, let's at least all agree on this one thing, and that is that four years from now, we will be living...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 6:10, " Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. " Background I wonder if I would have signed on for having as many kids as we have if I would have known. I hope I would have,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 8:49, " Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.' " Background When you, or perhaps I should just merely say I, look at a painting, there's only going to be so much that I...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Exodus 1:17, " But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. " Background The role of the midwife is not the most common of occupations. According to the latest US census,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 8:51, " Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death. " Background Someone once said, " Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils. "Madame de Stael said, " We understand death...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Acts 20:10, " But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, 'Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.' " Background If you've been to a church service, one of two things has happened. Either you have fallen asleep, or...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Acts 8:29, " Then the Spirit said to Philip, 'Go near and overtake this chariot.' " Background Just a few years ago, I acquired my very first smart phone. I assume that practically all of you have already taken this step, and that I am,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 5:11, " And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. " Background Have you ever kicked a bad habit? Were you once a smoker, puffing away a couple packs of cigarettes a day? Or maybe you used...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 9:5, " As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. " Background " As long as you're living in my house, you'll do as I say. " It's my hope that you haven't been on either end...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Timothy 6:8, " And having food and clothing, with these we will be content. " Background How much could you do without before it started to hurt? Or how much could you get rid of before you really missed something? What do you tend...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 9:10, " Therefore they said to him, 'How were your eyes opened?' " Background It was about forty days ago that I first heard the C-word spoken as it was applied to me. My visits to the dermatologist on previous occasions had required a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 9:2, " And His disciples asked Him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' " Background My daughter recently tried out for a special part in the routine that her dance class is working on. As the teacher...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Genesis 2:1, " Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. " Background I want you to know that whatever you have ahead of you, you can get through it. No matter how numerous the tasks or how difficult...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 9:16, " Therefore some of the Pharisees said, 'This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.' Others said, 'How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?' And there was a division among them. " Background The...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Genesis 3:10, " So he said, 'I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.' " Background There are so many aspects of parenting that I was unprepared for that I have lost count.Some of...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Philippians 1:22, " But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. " Background In the movie, When Harry Met Sally , the two main characters begin the story by sharing a ride...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 2 Timothy 2:11, " This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. " Background This past week I heard a couple of comments that struck me in their differences. The first one was said among a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Samuel 3:8, " And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, 'Here I am, for you did call me.' Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. " Background Back in the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Revelation 21:4, " And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. " Background It was a strange day around the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 9:39, " And Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.' " Background I have an acquaintance who recently was let go from their job....

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Isaiah 9:6, " For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. " Background Several years ago, I...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:1, " Most assuredly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. " Background Let me first admit that what I am about to...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from James 1:2-3, " Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. " Background I guess one might say that there are a lot of reasons that we fail in...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:5, " Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. " Background I grew up in a home that for a while had only one telephone. It was yellow...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Philippians 3:10, " That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. " Background We've all attended a banquet, or even our own worship service, when there was going to be a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:2, " But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. " Background I've never actually seen a real shepherd before. I've seen plenty of pictures of them though. They usually are wearing some sort of long frock or outer...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:11, " I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. " Background Every year there comes the time when employees are going through their annual performance reviews. And regardless of whether you're the one being reviewed or you...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Corinthians 1:17, " For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. " Background Paul the Baptist. That just doesn't sound right, does it?...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:18, " No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father. " Background " The eel doesn't...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 2:45, " So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. " Background You've undoubtedly seen at least one episode of one of the crime shows on television where a central component to the main events was how a certain...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 27:43, " He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.' " Background Timing is everything, no? You hear it from people in all stations of life, of all positions...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:27, " My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. " Background There's a one-panel comic strip called The Lockhorns which takes a humorous look at a couple whose marriage is, let's say, less than perfect. The wife routinely needles her...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:25, " Jesus answered them, 'I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.' " Background Last night brought to a close a long and challenging four weeks. Last week, our...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Genesis 50:17, " 'Thus you shall say to Joseph, " I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you. " Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Samuel 11:2, " And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, 'On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I may gouge out all your right eyes, and bring disgrace on all Israel.' " Background In the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 19:17, " And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. " Background How many steps will you take today? I have never used a pedometer, the device that counts how...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:32, " Jesus answered them, 'Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?' " Background You'd be hard-pressed to find an American president that didn't accomplish at least one significant task during his...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:38, " But if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in Him. " Background Most of us don't remember how or when we came to...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Hebrews 11:12, " Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude - innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. " Background I have a friend who is a tad...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 6:61, " When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, 'Does this offend you?' " Background I hope you're not a complainer. I don't think that I am. And that's the thing. So many of us have...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 1:17, " So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. " Background My son is taking a middle school...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 10:39, " Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. " Background I have never heard of Erik Weisz, and certainly could not pick him out of a lineup. Seeing as he died some forty years before I...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 22:64, " They also blindfolded Him and kept asking Him, 'Prophesy! Who hit You?' " Background I wonder which hurt Jesus more, the beatings or the taunts. As He stood there, bound like a convicted criminal, did His heart break more with each strike,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Mark 14:37, " And He came and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, 'Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?' " Background If you are thirty-five years old, you have lived for more than 306,000 hours. If you are blessed...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:3, " Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, 'Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.' " Background You don't have to work in the medical field or have a wife who is a nurse to know that the hospital is a busy...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Revelation 1:5, " And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. " Background Whenever you have a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 2 Corinthians 9:6, " But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. " Background I wonder if any of us can read that verse and not think about money. Even though Paul...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:14-15, " Then Jesus said to them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.' " Background In the movie, Tootsie , the characters are rehearsing for the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 15:4, " What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? " Background We have a slight problem in...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:16, " Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with Him.' " Background Robin and Maurice Gibb were two-thirds of the famously successful band known as the Bee Gees (the Brothers...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 5:8, " When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.' " Background Sometimes we don't know whether we're coming or going, do we? The times we think we've got...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:17, " So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. " Background Winston Churchill famously commented on the uncertainty of Russia's role entering World War II by saying, " It is a riddle wrapped in a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 5:2, " Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying. " Background Did you enjoy going to school? Did you do well in class, or did you just get by? Were you prepared each day and on time with your assignments? Did you...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:21, " Now Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.' " Background If only. Could there be two words that speak of unrealized potential or unfulfilled hopes more than these? Such weighty subjects such as...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Jeremiah 51:63, " Now it shall be, when you have finished reading this book, that you shall tie a stone to it and throw it out into the Euphrates. " Background I don't think I have ever heard anyone say that the movie was better...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Ecclesiastes 8:7, " Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come? " Background I have never had my future told, but it's not from a lack of opportunity. For years, along the road that I travelled regularly, there...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:22, " But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you. " Background In a letter dated 1789, Benjamin Franklin commented on the establishment of our nation's new Constitution and the promising hope of its lasting permanence. He...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:41-42, " Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me. " Background In the midst of what seems like one of the longest weeks on record, where each day has crept by at a pace...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:46, " But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. " Background I remember hearing when I was growing up, " It's not what you say, it's how you say it. " Consider these two expressions:...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Malachi 3:6, " For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. " Background I have heard it said of various places that if you are there and don't like the weather, just wait five minutes,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 21:3, " So He said, 'Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all.' " Background When is a dollar not a dollar? When it's your last one. There's something very different about your last game, that last...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:48, " If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. " Background There are several schools of thought where motivation is concerned. One famous theory is called...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:50, " Nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish. " Background In 1776, General George Washington needed to know the location of the British invasion...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 10:36, " So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? " Background I realized last night that I had left my key to the office sitting on my desk. That meant that I was going...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Hebrews 11:39, " And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise. " Background How long will you stick with something? It depends, doesn't it? On a lot of things. It depends on what it is, on why you...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 2 Timothy 1:10, " But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. " Background When we hear the word " abolish, " most of us think...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:52, " And not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. " Background Guillaume-Benjamin Duchenne was a French neurologist of the mid-1800's. Convinced that the expressions of the human face...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:53, " Then from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. " Background In 1916, Germany became the first country to institute Daylight Saving Time. The reasoning was to save fuel by minimizing the use of artificial lighting as the country...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:54, " Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples. " Background The tag line on the cover of the movie reads,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Haggai 2:11, " Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Now, ask the priests concerning the law.' " Background Around my house, there are certain people you go to for help depending on what you need. If it's a computer or electronics question, then my oldest...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Job 1:8, " Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the face of the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?' " Background Are you a good...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 2 Samuel 15:7, " And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, 'Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the Lord.' " Background Rule number three. Or more traditionally, commandment number three. Using the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:55, " And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. " Background I tend to pack for a trip as late as possible. As long as the clothes that...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 2 Samuel 14:28, " And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king's face. " Background I am currently reading a book about raising a son to become a man. Although that progression from boyhood to manhood would seem to...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:1, " Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus raised from the dead. " Background Corbin, KY is the birthplace of what came to be known as Kentucky Fried Chicken. It was there in 1932 that Harland...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:5, " Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor? " Background The Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. That means that a common laborer will earn $290 per week when working a standard 40-hour...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 4:50, " Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your son lives.' So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. " Background It's my way or the highway. Do you know someone who lives by that...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Genesis 41:16, " 'I cannot do it,' Joseph replied to Pharaoh, 'but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.' " Background I have a coworker who has had a rough go of it for the past several months. She contracted shingles on her face,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:13, " So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, crying out, 'Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!' " Background Satisfaction could be defined as the fulfillment of...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:29, " Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, 'An angel has spoken to Him.' " Background I just discovered a new kind of profession, one that I think speaks volumes (if you'll pardon the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Ephesians 2:13, " But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. " Background I was at my son's baseball tryouts a couple weeks ago, and the first thing they did was evaluate the...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 20:13, " Then they said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' She said to them, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.' " Background What if Jesus had not risen early that Easter...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 7:13, " When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on herand said to her, 'Do not weep.' " Background I have not been to very many funerals. I guess you could say that's a good thing. But even though I'm not a veteran...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:36, " These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them. " Background So many of us have sat through a chemistry class, or tried to read the prospectus that comes with our investments, or listened to a press conference after a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:34, " The people answered Him, 'We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, " The Son of Man must be lifted up"? Who is this Son of Man?'" Background Some time ago two separate, unrelated...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 2 Corinthians 1:9, " Indeed, we felt we had received the death sentence. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. Background Are you they type of person who learns from instruction, or do you have...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 12:7, " But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. " Background As adults running in familiar circles, we tend to understand the words that we hear throughout the day. We...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:37, " But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him. " Background Cornell University conducted a study on how and why people are convinced to change their minds. An internet forum called ChangeMyView invites people to...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:41, " These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him. " Background Mount Everest is the highest peak on earth. In fact, each year the mountain grows by about a quarter of an inch. The most recent GPS technology...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Corinthians 2:2, " For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. " Background When I Googled the word " science " on the internet, about 1,250,000,000 results came back in .09 seconds. When I Googled " cars, "...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 13:54, " When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, 'Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?' " Background Around our town, some time ago, there was...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:43, " For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. " Background This weekend is the dance recital for the studio where my four daughters dance. And so, in final preparation for the big event, all of the classes...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:44, " Then Jesus cried out and said, 'He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.' " Background " Oyez, Oyez, Oyez! " Or in modern English, " Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye! " Such was...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 14:31, " And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' " Background I think that some of us might be struggling with doubt and a lack of confidence these...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:45, " And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. " Background Ever since my wife and I started having children, the one Christmas present I have asked for each year is a calendar. Not just your ordinary calendar, the ones I...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 2:14, " And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. " Background Having been to a couple dozen Passover celebrations at the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus was very familiar with all of...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:46, " I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. " Background Recently our church celebrated a milestone anniversary, and part of the service included hearing from a few of the charter members...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Exodus 31:13, " You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Above all you shall keep My Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord, who...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Psalm 118:24, " This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. " Background God did a lot of creating those first six days. And although He rested on the seventh day and called it holy, He...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:50, " Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak. " Background Spoiler alert: Not everything you read on the internet can be trusted. My most recent encounter with this truth came from an article about magic and...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 11:35, " Jesus wept. " Background There's no use crying over spilled milk. Did your parents spout that wisdom to you when you were growing up? Have you in turn completed that dreaded cycle and used it on your own kids? In wanting us...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 13:11, " And a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years, and was bent over and could not straighten up at all. " Background Every now and then you'll see someone who is so bent over that you...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Jeremiah 48:44, " 'He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who gets out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For upon Moab I will bring the year of their punishment,' says the Lord. " Background Our...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:2, " And supper being ended, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him. " Background I hope you have resolved yourself to the fact that there are things in Scripture that are beyond human comprehension....

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:3, " Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God, and was going to God. " Background In 1882, the British philosopher and scientist Herbert Spencer wrote that there are five manifestations of...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Acts 12:1, " Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. " Background You know, I've never been a king before. I've never even played one on tv. But in the 6th grade, we students performed...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:5, " After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Background After that. Scripture says that after that, Jesus poured water into a basin and...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Jeremiah 11:23, " And there shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring catastrophe on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their punishment. " Background As you wander the aisles of Christian bookstores, I don't think you'll find many books written...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:9, " Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.' " Background Most of us are familiar with the fact that the human body, when reduced to its most basic chemical components, isn't worth very...

Scripture Our verse for today is from John 13:7, " Jesus answered and said to him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will after this.' " Background " Thanks for piling on. " If Peter had been inclined to subtle sarcasm towards Jesus, as can be found...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:8, " Peter said to Him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.' " Background Dinner in the upper room wasn't supposed to go this way. Jesus had sent Peter...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 8:53, " And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead." Background Ever since the internet came to be, there has been no shortage of the availability of information. Extensive research, late-breaking news, in-depth analysis, obscure tidbits, and everything in between are just a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:6, " Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, 'Lord, are You washing my feet?' " Background It surprises no one that Peter is the one disciple to speak up as Jesus goes around the table, washing the dirty feet...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Isaiah 38:17, " Indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness; but You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. " Background I heard a guy yesterday rhetorically...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Genesis 24:6, " But Abraham said to him, 'Beware that you do not take my son back there.' " Background The buck has to stop somewhere, right? Ultimately, we need to have something or someone in our life that we can go to when we...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:11, " For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, 'You are not all clean.' " Background God said in Jeremiah that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? And if you're alive and reading...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:13, " You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. " Background Jesus taught. When He began His ministry, the truths of scripture had so been distorted and corrupted by the Pharisees and Sadducees that their religious way...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Ephesians 2:12, " That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. " Background A buddy at work is good friends with a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Timothy 6:12, " Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. " Background We all could use some encouragement, couldn't we? I was...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:14, " If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. " Background When we say something shouldn't have happened, we may be making one of two judgments. One is that what occurred should...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Philippians 1:12, " But I want you to know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. " Background There are approximately 3,000 satellites in orbit around the earth doing a lot of different things....

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:15, " For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. " Background We parents can be a pain in the rump to our kids sometimes. Faced with a challenge or a struggle, how many of...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:16-17, " Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. " Background It is...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Corinthians 11:23, " For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread. " Background Last night, I took bread with my family. It was nothing extravagant,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:19, " Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. " Background It's important that we believe that Jesus is the Messiah. I know that sounds like an obvious statement, but...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 2 Kings 1:7, " Then he said to them, 'What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?' " Background " What kind of person would do such a thing? " We usually ask that question upon...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:20, " Most assuredly I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. " Background A buddy made the statement the other day that he had just completed an entire business...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:21, " When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, 'Most assuredly I say to you, one of you will betray Me.'  Background We humans certainly have a lot to say, and we say it in a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Acts 6:1, " Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. " Background The Beatles. The Eagles. The Police. The Platters. The...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:25, " So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to Him, 'Lord, who is it?' " Background The essence of today's scripture is pretty straight forward. Peter wanted to know who Jesus was talking about when He had said someone would betray Him,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:18, " I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.' " Background The last anything. There's no doubt...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Mark 14:19, " They began to be sorrowful and to say to Him one after another, 'Is it I?' " Background You remember when God rejected Saul as king, He sent Samuel the prophet to Bethlehem to select for Himself His chosen leader. Samuel went...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Romans 8:29, " For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. " Background There is a long, unofficial list of things that parents set out to avoid doing...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Luke 2:10, " Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.' " Background Many years ago, before there were cell phones, there existed something called a phone...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Joshua 2:12, " Now therefore I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father's house, and give me a sure sign. " Background A friend was relating the time when...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:28, " But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. " Background Surprises and secrets can be awesome. For my recent birthday, the evening was drawing to a close, but my wife and others were acting a...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:29, " For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, 'Buy those things we need for the feast,' or that he should give something to the poor. " Background There are times when things come together in...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:31, " So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, 'Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.' " Background A contrast can be so easily seen as one exits and another enters. After God had done such amazing...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:4, " rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. " Background What a supper that must have been. Who could know all that was going on in the minds of Jesus and His disciples? Imagine what...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Exodus 19:18, " Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. " Background Where there's smoke, there's fire. Few of us would...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 13:38, " Jesus answered, 'Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied Me three times.' " Background Many people, myself included, consider the words of our Lord as recorded...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 19:33, " But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. " Background Death by crucifixion was viciously cruel. It exacted punishment in the worst possible ways, slowly with intense suffering and agony. While...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 14:1, " Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. " Background I have been to a couple of celebrations recently, for things such as graduations and significant birthdays, and I have experienced firsthand the joy and delight...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 12:32, " And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself. " Background When I was growing up, there was a weekend television show on ABC called Wide World of Sports. As opposed to the regular weekend...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 14:2, " In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? " Background There are many ways to say the same thing. Some of them are less...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 14:3, " And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. " Background In fourteen days, my wife and I will take my son to...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 9:6, " When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. " Background In the movie Jaws , Quint is hired by the city...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 1 Samuel 9:9, " (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say, 'Come, let us go to the seer,' because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.) " Background I am a husband, in ways, perhaps,...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Matthew 16:23, " But He turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan. You are a stumbling block to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.' " Background Peter is known as the outspoken, somewhat...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from Acts 19:19, " Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. " Background Fireproof is a movie about...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 14:5, " Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?' " Background It may sound strange, but I have been intently focused on the truth lately. That's not to say that being...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from John 14:8, " Philip said to Him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.' " Background This past year, a solar eclipse made its way across the United States, capturing the attention of millions. One of the world's largest shadows brought...

Scripture Our verse for today comes from 2 Kings 2:19, " Then the men of the city said to Elisha, 'Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.' " Background Our house could use some work. From a...