Many of us know the mealtime blessing, “God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food.” While simplistic, it covers one key characteristic of God: His goodness. Another phrase that I learned on an Emmaus walk was “God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.” But sometimes it can be hard…

There are at least four ways to pray based on the Old Testament person of Nehemiah. First, let’s base our requests on God’s character. Let’s pray like we know God will answer us one way or another. We expect God to answer our prayers because of who He is. He is faithful, great, wonderful, and loving. God can handle any…

The apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (NLT) How do we protect ourselves from this roaring lion called the devil. Let’s do it the way Jesus did in Mattthew 4:1-11. After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit…

There’s a song we use to exercise in water aerobics that parallels 2 Corinthians 4:9, “We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.” (TLB) Sometimes we might feel like we’ve been knocked down not just physically, but also emotionally, mentally, or spiritually in the marathon called life. Paul’s advice is: Keep going! The Bible includes many…

Trinity’s Lay Leader, Harriet Philipps, wrote an article in August’s newsletter about church being fun. I agree. Worship is a celebration. It’s a festival, not a funeral. There’s so much bad news today, but “gospel” means “good news,” not “bad news.” The gospel is good news that makes people joyful! So, when we gather to worship, let’s celebrate, not commiserate.…

Righteousness is a big word in the Bible and it’s used hundreds of times. But what does it mean? I looked it up in a theological dictionary and it went on for 27 pages. To boil it down, it means a relationship and a lifestyle. Righteousness simply means being right with God. Romans 1:17 says, “The Good News shows how…

If you ever feel opposed for your faith, remember at least these three Biblical points: First, opposition can make you more like Jesus. Jesus said in John 15:18-20, “If the world hates you, remember it hated Me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of…

I remember our dad taking us four sons fishing along the ship channel in Corpus Christi. We weren’t catching anything, but a large tanker was coming by. I thought, “Boy this is great. A large ship is coming by and we get to see it up close.” However, none of us realized the wake behind the tanker and by the…

If we doubt the goodness of God and decide what will make us happy, all kinds of problems begin. We can wind up overworked, overanxious, and overloaded – and generally overwhelmed. But God promises an overflowing life, not an overwhelmed life. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.” How do…

I remember running track in High School. I was more interested in impressing the girls in the stands than the race itself. When it comes to the race of life, we need a better motivation than I had. Hebrews 12:2 spells it out: “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.…

Hebrews 4:7b quotes David, “Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Here’s a modern example. A lawyer was trying to deliver an important paper to someone who was determined to avoid him. The man thought it was a subpoena so he went out of his way to avoid him. Fourteen years later and the man was in…

Today let’s look at Hebrews 1:14, “Therefore, angels are only servants – spirits sent to care for people who inherit salvation.” Do you believe in angels? They believe in you! Some people wonder if angels really play a role in the lives of people on earth. According to Scripture, if you’re a Christian, the answer is yes! Occasionally, God draws…