Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:17 (NKJV) In his epistle, James teaches us that faith without works is dead. Rather than interpreting this statement within its true context—namely, that our faith in God and our worship of His person should prompt us to follow His example by doing good around us, aiding the oppressed, and fulfilling all that He took care to mention throughout the Old Testament—some pref

Heavenly Father, today we entrust to You the children of the world, and most especially those who bear the heavy burden of being deprived of a father. You are the Father of the fatherless and the Protector of the vulnerable; we pray that Your presence may be felt deep within their hearts. Lord, for every child who feels a void where a father's love should reside, fill that space with Your overflowing peace. Remind them that their identity is not defined by an absence, but by

Lord, Your Word is truth. Even if we neglect it from time to time in our lives, without it, we would never know Your ways. We would never know Your will regarding how to please You. We would be compelled to invent our own way of life in an attempt to be pleasing to You, but we would inevitably end up going astray. In truth, the lives we lead—even as we strive to apply Your Word—threaten to draw us ever further away from You. Without You to keep us anchored in You, we are cert

And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Matthew 6:7 (NASB) Many Christians wonder how much time a person must spend in prayer to capture God's attention. Others, conversely, seek to discover whether there is a specific method or a set of phrases to use in order to gain God's approval on certain matters. There are even those who do not pray using their own words, but ins

7) Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. 8) Keep My decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy. Leviticus 20:7-8 (NIV) What stands as an obstacle for some Christians—hindering their spiritual growth—lies in their misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the word "sanctification." It is a term frequently used in the Old Testament, where God calls upon the Israelites to sanctify themselves. We often ascribe a meaning to this word tha

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Romans 2:1 (NIV) The Bible does not rule out the possibility of passing judgment on a person's attitude or behavior—particularly that of a Christian. However, does your judgment aim to bring about a change in that person's behavior, or to foster an awareness of an attitude that is a sourc

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” Matthew 17:5 (NKJV) Most often, when we read this passage, we focus so intensely on the revealed divinity of Jesus that we concentrate our attention far more on the Transfiguration itself. Consequently, many miss the true message this passage conveys. It is true that the Transfiguration is of

15) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16) So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:15-16 (NIV) According to history, the region of Laodicea was home to two springs: one produced hot water, the other cold. When drawn directly from the source, the hot water could serve a multitude of purposes; however, by the time it flowed through the aqueducts, it arriv

Our God, our Father, we bow before You with reverence and humility to ask Your forgiveness for our sins. Often, we believe that the only sins we commit are those that involve disobedience to Your Word. Yet, failing to recognize the suffering of others in order to come to their aid is a sin; rejecting a brother who seeks You with all his heart—simply because of his sin—is a sin. Too often, we decide who serves You and who does not based on our own emotions, without considering

Each new day gives us a reason to thank You and to bless Your name. We have no need for You to provide us with a specific reason—whether it be Your benevolent love, Your blessings, Your protection, or Your favor—for the simple act of breathing constitutes, in itself, a fundamental reason. The ability to admire nature and to enjoy its riches is yet another. Lord, You are the one and only true God to whom we can turn, the Only One in whom we can place our trust, and the Only On

And even when I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come. Psalm 71:18 (NASB) In school, we were taught the old adage: "It is never too late to do the right thing." To this, my math teacher would always add: "But when it’s too late, it’s too late." He would always explain the reasoning behind this idea: inevitably, a moment arrives when you wish you could change something or move forward, but t

Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” John 5:14 (NIV) I believe that at least once during your journey through the Bible, you have read the story of the man who spent nearly his entire life near the Pool of Bethesda, hoping that one day someone would help him descend into the water to find healing—only to be healed, in the end, by Jesus Himself. There are even churches today that bear

41) and many people came to Him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42) And in that place many believed in Jesus. John 10:41-42 (NIV) Must a Christian perform miracles to prove the power of his faith or to demonstrate that he is truly a man of God? Nowadays, most Christians chase after miracles and promises of blessings. As soon as they hear of pastors who perform miracles—or who offer prayers for physical healing and

Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good. Jeremiah 10:5 (NTL) I remember the time when I was a child and my mother would go to visit my grandmother. I loved going to her house, for she always prepared delicious and extraordinary meals for us. There was, however, one thing—something I did not understand—th

22) For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23) But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness. 1 Corinthians 1:22-23 (KJV) In the first century, the "Messiah" was expected to be a conquering king, capable of overthrowing Rome. This is precisely what the Jews expected of Jesus Christ, who presented himself to them as the Messiah destined to come and deliver them from their suffering. Yet, the cross reveal