This verse used to confuse me. Wasn’t God always near? That’s what my parents told me. So why did I need to draw near to Him? Well, I think I’ve found a pretty simple answer to that question. I need to draw near to Him for ME. Yes, He’s always…

Temptations abound, don’t they? We can’t get away from them. Maybe that’s why Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “…when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it (I Cor. 10:13 NIV).” The devil can certainly tempt us, but he cannot MAKE us…

“Search Me, O God,” by J. Edwin Orr was written during a revival meeting in New Zealand in 1936. He was only 24 years old, and it only took him five minutes to pen these powerful words! The verses make a beautiful prayer. 1. Search me, O God, And know…

I remember a sermon from when I was a fourth grader. The minister shared from Psalm 37, and verse 4 (“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart”) captured my attention. I had lots of desires, most especially a Spirograph set. I didn’t…

One thing I will say about James: he doesn’t pull any punches. He speaks wisdom and truth, and he isn’t worried about stomping on someone’s toes. This particular verse can make a person draw back in consternation because it feels a bit like an accusation. But when we really look…

Peace… Oh, how we need peace. Righteousness is sown by those who cultivate peace. So how do we cultivate peace? We can’t go to the store and buy a packet of Peace seeds to put in the ground and then wait for them to grow. I know—silly analogy. But honestly,…

The prophet Samuel told the children of Israel, “…the Eternal One of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not man who changes his mind (1 Samuel 15:29).” What we find in the Bible is as applicable today as it was when the words were penned…

I don’t think I’ve sung this since I was a little girl. Attending the church in Mountain Lake, Minnesota (where we lived when I was a second grader), comes to mind, so that was a long time ago! But the words to “Purer in Heart, O God” by Fannie Estelle…

Our human nature sure gets in the way sometimes, doesn’t it? Put a plate of frosted cookies with various amounts of sprinkles in the middle of a bunch of preschoolers and watch what happens. The “sprinkliest” cookies are going to get grabbed up first. We all want the best, and…

When you were in grade school, did you ever receive a good conduct medal? Boy oh boy, those little tin badges were coveted. It offered mute evidence that you’d been honest, truthful, and kind. We might not walk around with a medal pinned to the front of our shirts anymore,…