Today’s readings: 2 Kings 18:28-37; 1 Corinthians 9:1-15; Matthew 7:22-29 Persecution and temptation come in many forms. In 1 Kings, Judah is facing the Assyrian army and is being forced to choose; submit to the Assyrian king or trust in God. They choose to trust God and He delivers them. We see the extreme forms of persecution in

Today’s readings: 2 Kings 18:9-25; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Matthew 7:13-21 Did you ever hear of the lovely legend of the three trees that grew near the manger — the olive tree, the palm tree, and the fir? The olive tree made an offering of its fruit, and the palm tree of its dates. The poor fir tree, having

Today’s readings: 2 Chronicles 29:1-3; 30:1 (2-9) 10- 27; 1 Corinthians 7:32-40; Matthew 7:1-12 The demands of the law might have kept people away from the Passover Feast. But see how King Hezekiah encouraged the people to be faithful to the Lord? He did not judge them for their uncleanness but instead, prayed to God to forgive the people while

Today’s readings: 2 Kings 17:24-41; 1 Corinthians 7:25-31; Matthew 6:25-34 In the 1963 film, “Lilies of the Field,” Homer Smith (played by actor Sidney Poitier) who is an itinerant handyman and jack-of-all-trades stops at a farm in the desert where he meets a group of eastern European nuns. The next day, Smith tries to persuade the mother superior

Tabitha’s works were held up as saintly, while she herself lay struck down as sinful. This is our agony at the death of a Christian. “All the widows stood… weeping… showing tunics and other clothing” she had made. For Tabitha had been “devoted to good works and acts of charity.” Her works, works that persisted

Today’s readings: 2 Kings 11:1-20a; 1 Corinthians 7:10-24; Matthew 6:19-24 Your heart reveals your treasures. Do you serve God or do other people or things have a hold on you? Your eye can help you answer that question. These verses talk about the pull of wealth and money on our thinking and behavior. The lamp of the body

Today’s readings: 2 Kings 9:17-37; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9; Matthew 6:7-15 In our reading for today, Jesus is teaching his followers how to pray. He teaches them what has become known since, across the generations, as the Lord’s Prayer. The prayer says much about the appropriate spirit for Christians, especially as it relates to our propensities for forgiving others

Today’s readings: 2 Kings 9:1-16; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Today, high profile preachers entice us saying that God will reward our religious acts, especially if we openly demonstrate that we are righteous people. And so, some Christians put their faith on display, calling attention to their giving of large gifts. Others will step forward to offer long,