Christian life is hard. It often seems as though we expect life to be a smooth highway without bumps or curves. However, the truth is that life is filled with loss, failure, illness, difficult decisions, and heartache. At times, our life on earth can become so hard that even putting one foot in front of…
We use the word bless or blessed all the time. Blessed is a wonderful word. We say “bless you” when someone sneezes, wishing them healing and health. On other occasions, we say “bless you” when ending a conversation or gathering. People generally understand blessedness as wishing for good fortune or receiving exceptional comfort. The question…
Jesus calls Peter and his fellow fishermen to cast their nets into the deep water. This call comes after a night of unsuccessful fishing. The night had been terrible; despite their hard work, they caught nothing. As they were finishing their fruitless and tiring labor, preparing to go home, Jesus instructed them to cast their…
I wish you all a Happy New Year 2025! May the dear Lord richly bless you and make us all prosperous in everything we do! The Bible verse for this year is from Ephesians 4:2-3: Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity…
Advent, derived from the Latin word “Adventus,” meaning “arrival,” marks the anticipation of Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus over 2000 years ago. There are four Sundays in the Advent season and we reflect on four important themes: hope, peace, joy, and love. The first Sunday of Advent encourages us to “stay awake,” focusing on…
The disciples showed Jesus the Jerusalem Temple building. It was a magnificent stone structure; each block weighed around 2.5 tons and measured approximately 8 feet in length, 4 feet in width, and 1.3 feet in thickness. This building was an architectural marvel, and people in the first century gazed at it in awe. For the…
Have you read your Bible today? What role does the Bible play in your life? The Bible is the Word of God, and it plays an important role in the life of every Christian. D.L. Moody once said, “I never saw a useful Christian who was not a student of the Bible.” In other words,…
We live in a world driven by ambition. People desire recognition and acknowledgment, and even the disciples of Jesus were no exception. John and James approached Jesus, asking to sit at His right and left when He comes in glory. They wanted to secure the top positions—second and third—before anyone else had the chance to…
As an institution, marriage is heavily attacked in modern times. However, we should not assume that marriage and divorce have simply become routine. I read in an American statistics report that the number of divorces in America has decreased almost every year in this millennium. Still, with each subsequent marriage, the chances of divorce increase…
A journalist once asked Carl Sandburg, the famous American writer, “What is the ugliest word in the English language?” After a few minutes, Sandburg replied, “Exclusive.” The word “exclusive” feels ugly depending on whether we are included or excluded. In the early church, the conflict was about who was in and who was out. Should…