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“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. John 1:46 I grew up in a small community in rural South Carolina. We can’t even call it a town. There is no government, no form of emergency services, and no form of commerce except the few convenience stores scattered throughout. There is no city water…

Mother’s Day has always been a rough day for me. Even though my mom is alive, because she went into the military when I was six years old, I was raised by my Great Grandaunt Carrie. When I was growing up, Mother’s Day was the day I was reminded that Mom was not there. Today,…

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. -Psalm 23:1-3, NRSV Sometimes, all we need is rest. This sounds counter-intuitive to us. The culture of our…

In Psalm 119:105, there are two comparisons in the verse. The first comparison is lamp vs light, and the second comparison is feet vs path.  God’s word is both a lamp and a light. God’s word is a lamp, a focused source of light, that helps us take the current step. We can only see…

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV Have you ever had a time in your life when you just didn’t…

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth… From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:14, 16 (NRSV) Have you ever received a gift from someone that made you feel like…

For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.” Luke 18:4-5, NRSV When I grew up in rural…

“Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees…” Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. -Matthew 16:6,12 From the very beginning, there were people who had…

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” -Mark 10:21, NIV We’ve probably all heard this passage preached quite a few times. There are many ways to interpret what…

He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer. -Mark 9:29, NIV In Mark 9:14-29, we find the story of Jesus healing the boy with the mute spirit.  Imagine you are in the crowd. You are a bystander – not one of the disciples, the scribes, or the father. What do you see? Let’s…