Have you heard the expressions “What you don’t know can’t hurt you.” and “Ignorance is bliss.”? I’m sure most of you have. It’s the belief that if we stay in the dark about something then we don’t have to worry about it, deal with it, or possibly be hurt by
Our reading in 1 Thessalonians 2:17 opens with Paul writing to the Thessalonians that he had been “torn away…” from them even though he made every effort to stay in Thessalonica and be there with his church family. When I read these words, I picture a war like scene where
As the Christmas season has come to an end I find today’s passage particularly timely. The Christmas decorations have been taken down and the gifts put away. The New Year has made its entrance and with it, our New Year’s resolutions. Many of our New Year’s plans seem to be
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship
It could sound to some like Paul is tired of this life and is looking forward to death. Life certainly wasn’t easy for him. He was persecuted, shipwrecked, beaten, at times poor, and was imprisoned. But Paul is not looking to escape this life. He is happy to live because
Have you ever felt worn out while trying to live the Christian life? I have. There are times when doing what is right, going against the flow of culture, and living by faith is downright exhausting. But this is not how it’s supposed to be, and I can see that
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, ESV) Think of that last phrase… “And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” I love that
Loss and loneliness are ever present realities. While we close out this week’s study on these topics, they do not come to a close in our lives. I experienced loss as a teenager. While the dark and oppressive cloud of sadness, fear, and despair has lifted, this has left scars
If you are joining us for this study then it is safe to assume that you desire to be a wise person. You want wisdom to be so much a part of you that it pours out of your life by way of your thoughts, words and actions. I will
When I think of that first Christmas night, it is hard to imagine that while Bethlehem was bursting with people, not one of them knew that in their midst, the Son of God was being born. The Word had become flesh, the Redeemer of the world had entered time. The