A few days after October 7, 2023, it became evident that the war in the Middle East was more than just another skirmish. The words “never again” ran through my head. I grew up reading stories about the Holocaust. Instead of having nightmares of a boogeyman, I dreamed of running from enemy soldiers or hiding […]

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He has caused his wonders to be remembered (Psalm 111:4, NIV). When we are going through hard times, dark times, the Lord tells us to remember — that nothing is impossible with Him and that He is with us. Comfort can come if we recall times in the past when He has come to our […]

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The nation Elijah lived in was ruled by corrupt leaders, and it had abandoned the worship of God. Sound familiar? Elijah alone was willing to risk his life to see his countrymen turn back to God. Yet just after his greatest triumph, when it seemed that success was finally at hand, we find Elijah calling […]

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Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:10). I remember hearing a song when I was a child, where God calls out to Samuel and Samuel responds, “Here I am.” At the time, I didn’t know that Samuel’s response […]

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Many people who read Ruth think of it as a simple love story, but in reality, it is far from simple. And it is not really a “love story” in the modern sense of romantic love either. Nevertheless, this short Old Testament book is a richly meaningful biblical story that can repay a great deal […]

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God is patient and kind, holy and righteous. We see these attributes in the way He responded to His people after calling them out of Egypt. They witnessed God’s power through the plagues He brought on the Egyptians and the parting of the Red Sea. Yet a short time later, the people who had been […]

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The new Little League baseball player had just struck out. He ran to his father in tears. “He won’t let me hit it, Daddy!” The father, although moved by his son’s tears, didn’t complain to the umpire or scream at the opposing pitcher. He gripped his son’s shoulders and faced him squarely. “He’s not supposed […]

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Before Iron Man, there was Spider Man. And before Spiderman, there was the Fantastic Four. And before the Fantastic Four, there were Captain America and Wonder Woman. And before them was the Flash . . . and Batman. And before them all was Superman. Those are just a few of the superheroes that have become […]

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Born the ninth child in our family, I was named Lydia. My five older sisters wanted to name me Esther, so I became Lydia Esther. Both of these courageous, God-fearing Bible women became role models for me. When my parents told their friends I was named after the biblical Lydia, a seller of purple by […]

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In the conquest of Canaan, did God command genocide? If so, does that justify national aggression today? No, God did not command genocide, nor does the conquest of Canaan justify national aggression and war today. God’s overarching command was to “drive out” the inhabitants of Canaan. The biblical emphasis is not on Israel driving them […]

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Traversing the valley of the shadow of death, Like David from our biblical past, We are never alone in our suffering. Life continues to exact its punishing toll, Where a few missed breaths may mean eternity, Traversing the valley of the shadow of death. As light that continues shining from long-dead stars, During moments of […]

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