“Bless those who persecute you.” The Common English Bible translation says, “those who harass you.” In our day-to-day lives we might recognize feeling harassed. Blessing others while being harassed by them...

In today’s reading, it sounds as though the apostle Paul is setting high expectations for what members of the body of Christ should strive to do daily as we live our...

Moses has placed himself at the edge of a wilderness that was also the edge of the holy mountain—both places where one might meet God. But that doesn’t mean that Moses...

Jesus says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” It is easy to minimize or trivialize this invitation, as...

These verses are a major turning point in Matthew’s account of Jesus. They are sandwiched between two statements that Jesus is in fact the Messiah. Just before it, his disciples say...

When Moses took his flock beyond the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God, he had come to a location between two places where people have been known to...

Those who are in bondage long for deliverance. Our bondage can be emotional, relational, physical, or spiritual. Jesus once asked his disciples who people said he was. Their answers included John...

Christ’s body, the church, has many parts, all arranged according to God’s wisdom. Through the Spirit, God gives believers diverse gifts for the work of the kingdom. Even when we possess...

Self-esteem is a hot topic. Some have too much of it, thinking more of themselves than they should, which leads to a prideful attitude. But others do not have enough self-esteem....

The word sacrifice normally has negative connotations. As a verb, sacrificing entails giving something up. If I want to lose weight, I must give up some unhealthy foods I enjoy. As...