READ: EXODUS 3:1–4:17; EPHESIANS 2:8-10; HEBREWS 11:23-29 Do you ever feel unqualified for something God has called you to do? Moses felt unqualified too. In the book of Exodus, God appears to Moses in a burning bush. He calls Moses to lead His people, the Israelites, out of slavery in Egypt. But Moses says, “Who [...]

READ: NUMBERS 21:8-9; JOHN 3:1-17; 11:25-27 Do you ever wonder if you’re really saved? Maybe you prayed to ask Jesus to save you, but you keep wondering, “How do I know I really meant it when I asked Jesus to forgive and save me? Maybe I should ask Him again, just to make sure.” These [...]

READ: PSALM 119:105; JOHN 1:4; 2 CORINTHIANS 4:6 Darkness. That was it. No matter which way Aurelia turned, the overwhelming wall of darkness pressed in on her, so thick it seemed smothering. She gasped for air, finding it harder and harder to breathe as she ran madly. She ran as fast as she could, going [...]

READ: MATTHEW 18:12-14; 25:34-40 Have you ever known a really good pastor? Someone who takes the time to get to know the people of their church, teach them, counsel them, and lend a hand when things go wrong. Someone who goes above and beyond with their wisdom and loving service. Someone who, while they still [...]

READ: MATTHEW 9:9-12; LUKE 5:27-32 Have you ever wished you were invited to an exclusive event? A movie premier, a party, or a concert with front row VIP seats? Years ago, I watched interviews with celebrities who talked about the exciting invitations they’d been offered. If only I could be like them, I thought. And [...]

READ: PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9; JAMES 1:21-27 Picture this: You’re walking through a beautiful garden, admiring the carefully planted flowers and foliage and appreciating their beauty. Then, you look closer and notice some things that the gardener definitely didn’t plant: weeds! They seem to crop up everywhere, even when we didn’t plant them. In a way, our [...]

READ: ISAIAH 54:7-14; JOHN 16:33; ROMANS 8:31-39 Eight centuries before Christ’s birth, a Hebrew girl clung to her mother’s leg. Rumors of war loomed over Judah like an ominous raincloud. The ruthless Assyrians pressed against the northern border. Could Judah’s towns withstand an attack? Northern tribes had already fallen. The little girl’s future looked uncertain; [...]

READ: PSALMS 31:20; 62:6-8; JUDE 1:1, 20-21; 2 TIMOTHY 4:18 It’s hard to feel safe. Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, many of us have grown up with an awareness of terrorism and the need for precautions like metal detectors at airports and large events. Just in case. Maybe you’ve grown up knowing you [...]

READ: PSALM 13; ISAIAH 41:9-13; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-11 Stuck in this griefI feel like You can’t seeBut You lift me upYou comfort me, once moreEyes fill with tearsStart to think of all my fearsBut You stop those thoughtsYou give me peace, once moreFeeling all aloneWondering where to goBut You give directionYou hold my hand, once [...]

READ: ROMANS 12:4-8; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-27 Mehul balanced the mud-colored bowl in his palms as he stared out at the shore from his small workshop. Down at the ocean’s edge, his friend Sadira was training the young sea dragons, preparing them for the sea riders. Her brother, Taizeen, sat in the sand nearby practicing his [...]