Saul, through a priest, has beseeched the Lord for his blessing on attacking the fleeing Philistines. God, however, is not answering. How will Saul respond to God’s silence? Will he be impatient again, unable to wait on the Lord? Actually, no. We read in 1st Samuel 14, verse 38, Saul believes that God’s silence isContinue reading “How to have a heart like God’s heart – 1st Samuel 13 & 14, Part 5”
Tag Archives: wisdom
This year, instead of resolutions, make a Rule of Life – New Year Psalm of Wisdom, Part 5
What guides your life? Do you have a plan? My suspicion is that most people haven’t thought about a plan for their lives. Instead many of have vague thoughts about working till quitting time, or working for the weekend, or making it to retirement. Perhaps when children come along, we devote our lives to them. Perhaps we focus on lovingContinue reading “This year, instead of resolutions, make a Rule of Life – New Year Psalm of Wisdom, Part 5”
The important lesson pets can teach us about trust – New Year Psalm of Wisdom, Part 4
My dog turned 9 years old earlier last month. It is likely he only has at most a few more years to live. That is to be expected. Dogs make it 12-15 years and die. It is sad. It will be sad. But many people get past the sadness, and they get a new dog. Continue reading “The important lesson pets can teach us about trust – New Year Psalm of Wisdom, Part 4”
Why you don’t know your great-grandparents’ names – New Year Psalm of Wisdom, Part 3
My 2yr-old grandson calls me “Pop-Pop,” because I wanted to be called “Pop-Pop” after my grandfather. He calls my wife, “Grammy” because that’s what some of our best friends’ daughter called her grandmother, who was another close friend who passed away in 2020 after battling cancer. These are both individuals we loved and admired. WeContinue reading “Why you don’t know your great-grandparents’ names – New Year Psalm of Wisdom, Part 3”
Are you struggling with fear? – New Year Psalm of Wisdom, Part 2
Are things in our world getting worse? While politicians boldly declare that crime is on the rise, an FBI report says the opposite: “Not only has violent crime fallen 23% from 2002 to 2022, but also in the past year alone murders fell 6% and violent crime declined 2% overall.” (Source: Time) It can be difficultContinue reading “Are you struggling with fear? – New Year Psalm of Wisdom, Part 2”
How to listen to a…New Years Psalm of Wisdom, Part 1
While it is true that New Year’s Day is just another day of year, I’m glad for a marker. Yes, today, New Year’s Day 2024, is just another Monday. A day off for people who work at companies that give off for New Year’s Day. An extra day of family, food, football. But I amContinue reading “How to listen to a…New Years Psalm of Wisdom, Part 1”
One Sentence That Changed My Life – Ecclesiastes 12:9-14, Part 5
During spring break of my freshman year in college, I traveled to Guyana, South America, and my eyes were opened. I met Guyanese Christians for whom it could be said their whole lives were rotten from birth, at least compared to American standards, and yet they were praising God with joyful hearts like nothing IContinue reading “One Sentence That Changed My Life – Ecclesiastes 12:9-14, Part 5”
What “the fear of God” means – Ecclesiastes 12:9-14, Part 3
After graduating college, I worked at our County’s youth detention center for three years as Michelle and I started our family and began the process of becoming missionaries in Jamaica. Then called Barnes Hall, and located in a building that has since been torn down, I was employed as a youth care worker. My roleContinue reading “What “the fear of God” means – Ecclesiastes 12:9-14, Part 3″
Wisdom that cuts us open – Ecclesiastes 12:9-14, Part 2
When I was 17, as part of my punishment for a horribly tragic car accident, in which I was at fault, I did 150 hours of community service in a local hospital’s emergency room. There I saw some nasty wounds. The most difficult was an elderly woman who got a nasty gash on her foreheadContinue reading “Wisdom that cuts us open – Ecclesiastes 12:9-14, Part 2”
How the aging process can help us evaluate the past year – Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:8, Part 3
Years ago, one of the home-bound members of my church family, who has since passed away, described for the me the process of her ever-decreasing eyesight. She said that it was only during the bright sunlight of the day that she could see around her room. As the months and years went by, the darknessContinue reading “How the aging process can help us evaluate the past year – Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:8, Part 3”
Engaging Scripture 