Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts . . . and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24Mikhail is a refugee. He lives in a strange land and struggles to learn a new language. He misses his old friends and tri

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9Dmitry, a media listener from Belarus, wrote to tell us, Its been very difficult for me to find inner peace. I have tried

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7If you follow the daily news, you know that bad news grabs most of the headlines. We hear about wars, disasters, crime, terror

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8I remember that as a child I was often afraid of the sounds of aircraft flying at night. I was born and raised in Moscow, USSR, at the height of the Cold War.

Wisdoms instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor. Proverbs 15:33Lets close our reflections for this month by focusing again on wisdom. Hereabout halfway through Proverbsis a verse that summarizes much of what the book aims

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1Think about a time when someone made you angry. Maybe they cut you off in traffic. Perhaps they made a rude comment on social media. Or maybe someone made you feel stupi

Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning, and even among fools she lets herself be known. Proverbs 14:33In this proverb Wisdom is characterized as someone who reposes or comes to rest in the hearts of people who are discerning.Dont we all de

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 14:30Its interesting that peace is contrasted with envy in this proverb. We usually think of peace as the opposite of war, strife, disunity, or conflict. Why would the writer

Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief. Proverbs 14:13In my personal Bible at home, I often mark up verses that I want to be able to find later. I highlight and underline, make notations in the margins, and write cross-re

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12Many of us have had moments when we have looked back on a past decision and wondered, How did I ever think that was a good idea? Yet at the time, that decision