Read: Psalm 116:5–9 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:2 Do you ever talk to yourself? Sometimes when I’m working on a project—usually under the hood of a car—I find it helpful to think aloud, working through my options on the best way to...

Read: John 1:1–14 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. John 1:9 “My perspective on earth changed dramatically the very first time I went into space,” says Space Shuttle astronaut Charles Frank Bolden Jr. From four hundred miles above the earth, all looked peaceful...

Read: 1 Peter 1:17–23 It was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed . . . but with the precious blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18–19 There is a story that in 75 bc a young Roman nobleman named Julius Caesar was kidnapped by...

Read: Psalm 119:9–16 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. Psalm 119:14 Perhaps you’ve seen the TV ad in which a person answers the door and finds someone who hands over a check for an enormous amount of money. Then the amazed recipient begins shouting,...

Read: Luke 7:36–50 She has done a beautiful thing to me. Mark 14:6 Picture two teenage girls. The first girl is strong and healthy. The other girl has never known the freedom of getting around on her own. From her wheelchair she faces not only the emotional challenges common to...

Read: Psalm 92:12–15 They will still bear fruit in old age. Psalm 92:14 Several years ago I stumbled across a bit of fishing lore in a second-century ad work by the Greek writer Aelian. “Between Boroca and Thessalonica runs a river called the Astracus, and in it there are fish...

Read: 1 Peter 3:8–12 Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 1 Peter 3:10 Have you ever sent an email and suddenly realized it went to the wrong person or it contained harmful, harsh words? If only...

Read: Ecclesiastes 5:10–19 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners? Ecclesiastes 5:11 How much is enough? We might ask this simple question on a day that many developed countries increasingly devote to shopping. I speak of Black Friday, the day...

Read: Colossians 3:12–17 Whatever you do, . . . do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17 Every autumn we throw a scrumptious Thanksgiving feast on campus at Cornerstone University. Our students love it! Last year a group...

Read: Philippians 2:1–11 He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:8 Many of us are obsessed with fame—either with being famous ourselves or with following every detail of famous people’s lives. International book or film tours. Late-night show appearances. Millions of followers on Twitter....

Read: Hebrews 11:8–16 They were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Hebrews 11:16 My wife walked into the room and found me poking my head inside the cabinet of our grandfather clock. “What are you doing?” she asked. “This clock smells just like my parents’ house,” I answered sheepishly,...

Read: Ephesians 4:25–32 The tongue has the power of life and death. Proverbs 18:21 Emily listened as a group of friends talked about their Thanksgiving traditions with family. “We go around the room and each one tells what he or she is thankful to God for,” Gary said. Another friend...