Seeking Refuge Among the Enemy?

Imagine being fiercely pursued by your country’s leader, along with some of his best men, and then making false statements to a priest of God to get something to eat. Next, you stretch the truth even more to acquire a sword (which you don’t need in the first place) that belonged to a person of…

No Reason to Complain

“I have a good reason to complain!” How often have we spoken these words to try to justify our feelings! Complaining is a way of expressing our grief or pain or dissatisfaction. Sometimes we complain in a formal way, but more often it is a casual statement or attitude. And we know that everyone wants…

A Place Free From Oppression

Thousands of years ago, the children of Israel were living in the land of Egypt. Yet the longer they resided there, the worse things got for them. They had been in bondage and slavery to the Egyptians, having no hope or real future, and not a lot of faith in God. Then, at some point…

God’s Blessings Are to Be Used Completely When Given

“And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they [knew] not what it was. And…

What Are You Doing Here?

Fear can cause all kinds of reactions and impulses in us depending on the circumstances. Many will flee, while others may just stand still, like a deer in an approaching vehicle’s headlights. Some will not think or act rationally and might even aid that which is creating fear in the first place. Fear in itself…

More Than Food and Clothing

“Take no thought for your life,what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink;nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.Is not the life more than meat [food],and the body than raiment [clothing]?…If God so clothe the grass of the field…shall He not much more clothe you?” Matthew 6:25,30 Since Jesus said, “Take…

The Wrong Piece

It is annoying, downright annoying, when assembling a jigsaw puzzle, to find that a piece is in the wrong place. One part of the piece that connected to the other pieces fits correctly. And it seemed to match the corresponding picture. Yet when you try to connect the other pieces to it, they just will…

Emptiness

We all know the old saying that “money can’t buy happiness.” Although a few may find some happiness through money, no amount of money in the world can buy or bring anyone complete satisfaction. Ask King Solomon—in his time he was (and would still be considered) the richest person in the world. Some have calculated…

Fixing the Unfixable

I recently read an article about the poor state of the Metrorail mass transit system in the Washington, D.C. area. It has had many problems over the years, but more recently, the “Metro” has been plagued with frequent breakdowns, serious safety concerns, and mismanagement. I can still remember riding the Metro to visit the museums…

Fear, Fear and No Fear

When Mr. Rooksten entered the boardroom, a pronounced hush fell upon its occupants. “Gentlemen,” he said, his voice reverberating across the room, “my purpose for this assembly today is not to motivate you with trite announcements of our company’s position in the marketplace, nor is it to deliver a motivational oration of the greatest degree.”…