In today’s Bible reading in Matthew chapter eight, we’re told several stories of faith. The words “faith” (noun) and “believe” (verb) are the same Greek word. They are used three times in the passage. Not all of the stories include the words faith/believe. But faith/believe is implied in the story. For instance, in the first…
Pastor and Bible teacher Francis Frangipaine was once asked what spirit is most often the source of opposition to churches and ministries. He responded, “The Holy Spirit.” How would you feel if you learned that the main reason your ministry (professional or otherwise) was difficult/impossible was not because you were opposed by the devil, but…
I’m glad the Navigators (the organization that designed our Daily Bible Reading Plan) placed the readings from James to follow Galatians. Some — even Reformer Martin Luther — don’t like James. But this is a good way to show the balance between faith and good deeds. In today’s Bible reading, James concludes the first chapter…
My dad grew up on a farm in eastern North Carolina. Each year my grandfather and his sons would prepare the fields for harvest by planting whatever they felt they needed to grow that year. They had to be careful not to grow the same thing in the same field year after year; instead, they…
In today’s Bible reading, read that “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) Cutting through the double-negatives, the writer tells us that our High Priest (Jesus) is sympathetic to our…
We finish reading through Acts with today’s Bible reading. We find Paul and his companions shipwrecked on the island of Malta. To keep the prisoners from swimming to shore and escaping, the soldiers considered killing the prisoners, but the Centurion wanted to save Paul. Everyone survived; even those who couldn’t swim made it to shore…
