Planning for a journey, whether it be travel or one’s life, includes choosing the best route. Unsurprisingly God’s selection of the best path for His children may not be what we view as best. The story of the Israelites fleeing Egypt en route to the Promised Land offers a real-life example of the stark difference between man’s route versus God’s route. The Bible Story After enduring ten plagues, Pharaoh finally relented and let God’s people go as Moses had requested.... Read more
Read a good book lately? Perhaps that book was the Good Book. The Christian publishing industry takes in billions of dollars in sales annually, with purchases of the Bible currently soaring. Beyond Bible sales soaring, though, other faith-based materials from Christian publishers appeal to readers and impact the face and future of that publishing industry. The History of Christian Publishing Since Christianity’s beginning, Christian writing has existed although not initially in printed form. Early Christian writers focused on penning letters... Read more
Using the word “precious” typically evokes thoughts of gemstones. But are those physical items what’s really the most precious thing to humans? Not according to the Bible. What does the Good Book say is precious? Rubies and wisdom, but wisdom gets top billing. Precious Gemstones The characterization of precious means viewing something as valuable, important, or scarce. Only four gemstones in the world have traditionally been considered precious. These include diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. In the ancient world, rubies were... Read more
Waste, fraud, and abuse are the buzzwords resounding through the halls of government buildings in Washington, D. C. currently. Through creation of the Department of Government Efficiency, commonly referred to as DOGE, President Trump embarked on a mission to eradicate their presence in federal government operations. But the federal government is not the only place waste, fraud, and abuse occurs. Believers could benefit from creating their own DOGE – Department of Godly Efficiency. Creation of DOGE On January 20, 2025,... Read more
God’s Color Purple While loving someone may color your world like Chicago’s 1970 hit single, “Colour My World” describes, God colored the whole world. The Master Artist utilized a palette of hues, to produce vivid sights in His creation. But the one which may be the most brilliant in nature and which signifies His majesty is God’s color purple. A Primer On Purple A secondary color, purple results from mixing the primary colors of red and blue. Because of its... Read more
Around Valentine’s Day, thoughts whirl about romance and chocolate. Kisses will likely be involved, whether physical or chocolate. While Valentine’s Day wasn’t celebrated during biblical times, kissing did take place. But biblical kisses were often neither chocolate nor romantic. What were they then? What’s A Kiss? People easily recognize a kiss. The physical act involves the lips of one person touching another person or thing. The person receiving a kiss might be a baby or a family member, so the... Read more
Those watching television news would find it hard to conclude we live in a peaceful world. The war in Ukraine drags on. Gaza sits in a sea of rubble. Government forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo clash with antigovernment rebels. The fighting in the US remains a never-ending war of words between the political parties. Divisiveness and conflict reign. Peace is an abstract concept and an elusive goal. Peacemakers are needed. Believers should be asking themselves, “How do I... Read more
Now Malta’s a tourist destination, but it wasn’t when the Apostle Paul ended up shipwrecked there. His destination was Rome, but he washed up on the shores of that island. Today, Malta’s tourist industry thrives with visitors intentionally headed to the location. Malta past and present are totally different, but its past, particularly Paul’s time there, helped shape its future as seen today. Where’s Malta? The island of Malta sits in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea 62 miles south of Sicily and... Read more
The inauguration of 47th US president Donald Trump puts sanctuary cities front and center in his crackdown on illegal immigration. But cities providing safe haven are not a modern concept. The Old Testament made provision for cities of refuge back in biblical times. Whether biblical refuge or immigration sanctuary, safe haven cities aim for mercy as well as justice. History of Safe Haven Cities Many ancient Near Eastern cultures observed the custom of allowing specified religious places such as shrines... Read more
Faith and politics seem like an oil and water combination, two things that just don’t mix. But these spheres sometimes come together, such as at state funerals. On January 9th politicians gathered in a religious venue to honor and mourn the loss of the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. The location? Washington National Cathedral, where faith and politics intersect. History of the National Cathedral The idea of having a church home for Americans in their nation’s capital... Read more
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