God’s healing power can restore us, and that power can be at work in unexpected ways!

There is a “river of life” that flows through the Scripture—a powerful image of God’s power to refresh, cleanse, and enliven our spirits.

The story of the visit of the wise men portrays Jesus as a direct challenge to political authority. The wise men come to honor “the king of the Jews,” and it is not Herod. Herod responds with violence, but the power of God is stronger.

We live in frightening times. But at the center of the Christmas story is the proclamation: “Fear not!”

It is now traditional that the Christmas story and nativity scenes include shepherds. It can be easy to forget the role of shepherds in the society of the day, and exactly what it meant that God included them in the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

On our most difficult journey, God is with us. This message, declared early in the Old Testament, comes to its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who is Emmanuel – God with us.

Is the gospel absurd? The apostle Paul, in I Corinthians, said that the gospel message appeared as “foolishness” to the “wise” of his day. Indeed there is paradox—apparent absurdity—at the heart of the proclamation about Jesus.

As the people of Israel faced apparent disaster, the prophet Jahaziel declared, "Fear not, be not dismayed, for the battle is not yours but God's, and the Lord will be with you." The people moved forward in faith,

Even when it seems that our troubles are insurmountable and that God is absent, we are called to persist in faith, for God is at work and will provide.

These have been “stormy times” in American politics! Many people are unhappy with both major party presidential candidates. What are people of faith to do when the nation’s leaders are flawed? We receive helpful and sound guidance in the Biblical proph...