Category Archives: Uncategorized

One of the key points in the contest between Pharaoh and God was the sixth plague. The plague of boils is often overlooked in the list of the ten plagues, since it’s a more personal and less open attack on Egypt. Yet there are two things that happen with this plague that do not happenContinue reading “January 24: Exodus 9-11; Matthew 15:21-39”

Religions seem to thrive on multiplying rules and regulations for their followers. Some of those rules are the fundamental teachings of that religion, and are necessary to truly follow that faith. Some are practical rules that seek to find a way to practice a faith in the societal context in which it is found. OthersContinue reading “January 23: Exodus 7-8; Matthew 15:1-20”

Moses and Israel found that when God decided to free His people, He would allow the situation to get worse before it got better. The people’s work was made more arduous, and Moses found himself rejected by the very people he came to help. It seemed like God’s plan was backfiring, but the Lord sawContinue reading “January 22: Exodus 4-6; Matthew 14:22-36”

Many Christians have the idea that if they just serve the Lord faithfully, obeying the commandments of the Bible and seeking to fulfill God’s will, they will have a life of blessing. They think that the blessings of God should be what they want them to be, and that pain and suffering should at bestContinue reading “January 21: Exodus 1-3; Matthew 14:1-21”

Have you ever noticed that people who engage in questionable activities are often the first to accuse others of doing the same things? I don’t know if it’s a guilty conscience, an awareness of how to get away with it, or just an inability to believe that other people aren’t necessarily motivated by the sameContinue reading “January 20: Genesis 49-50; Matthew 13:31-58”

The parable of the sower (or, more properly, the parable of the soils) is one of Jesus’ best-known parables. We find it in three of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. You’ve probably heard a sermon or two on this parable in church. The picture is vivid, and it is one of the few parablesContinue reading “January 19: Genesis 46-48; Matthew 13:1-30”

Few passages in the Bible are more troubling to many people than Matthew 12:31-32. This passage has led many people to talk about the “unforgivable sin,” and some of them to wonder if they have committed it. Certainly if you believe you have committed a sin which cannot be forgiven, and you realize that willContinue reading “January 18: Genesis 43-45; Matthew 12:24-50”

“Lord, give me patience, and give it to me now!” That saying has been around for a long time, but it reflects something that I think we all feel sometimes. We know that patience is needed in many of our life experiences, but we don’t want to go through the process of developing it. YetContinue reading “January 17: Genesis 41-42; Matthew 12:1-23”

I think the most common answer I get to the question “How are you?” after “fine” is probably “tired.” Between work, home, church, kids’ activities, social organizations, volunteering, and all the other demands we have on our time, most of us are very busy. We promise ourselves we’ll catch up on our sleep, stop andContinue reading “January 16: Genesis 39-40; Matthew 11”

Many popular teachers today espouse what is called the “prosperity gospel.” This teaches that it is God’s will for Christians to be healthy, wealthy, and blessed at all times, and that when we experience any lack in our life it is due to our lack of faith. If we just believe in Jesus, and claimContinue reading “January 15: Genesis 36-38; Matthew 10:21-42”