Jesus takes the truths of God’s word and demonstrates a new way to use them—in defense against temptation. Then he takes the commands of the law and morphs them into a new way to live—reflecting the love of God into the world.
Author: Eva Burkholder
Moses’s Five Reasons Why Not and God’s Five Assurances
As I prepare for yet another opportunity to deliver God’s message, I am tempted again to fixate on my inadequacies. How ironic that the first message I ever delivered in front of my fellow Christian Education classmates was on Moses's call (Exodus 3–4) and his focus on “I am not” rather than “you are God.”
Word of the Year 2022
Goodbyes said to guests. Linens washed. Christmas decorations taken down and stored. Fridge restocked. Time to organize myself and my new year. Set up a planner. Select a journal. Reflect on the previous year and the new one. And choose a word for the year.
A Prayer for the New Year 2022
I'm praying for you, my friends and readers. Happy New Year!
Advent: Immanuel, King, Shepherd, Son, Savior
This Advent season, I focused on the descriptors of Jesus found in Matthew’s account of the Christmas events.
Rejoice with Habakkuk This Thanksgiving Even Though
My reading of the Biblical book of Hebrews came to a sudden halt. Where have I heard that before? These familiar verses resound in my head because they are from the prophet Habakkuk. His cry to the Lord 2700 years ago continues to resonate with familiarity.
Jesus is Better: Summaries from Hebrews
The author of the New Testament book of Hebrews presents many arguments to prove emphatically that Jesus is better. And because he is so superior to anything else, we are exhorted to stick with him to the end, despite suffering or persecution.
Better Encouragement: Don’t Neglect Meeting Together
Eager eyes looked at me expectantly as I quoted this verse while sitting on the patio of a wooden home on stilts in the middle of a rice field in Indonesia. As the only believers in their community, this handful of women depended on gatherings like our retreat and the message I delivered for their growth and endurance. This fellowship was as crucial for them as it was for the readers who first received this counsel.
