The story of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth is one to be remembered for how King David honored a man he called a friend, even after his death, by caring for the needs of his disabled son. It’s also a reminder that when you least expect a blessing or miracle in life, that is when God ushers one in for you!

He was Esther's adoptive father, mentor, confidante, cheerleader, and fellow leader to stand for the rights of their Jewish community. The life of Mordecai might seem secondary in the extraordinary story of Esther in the Bible, but Mordecai was more than just her uncle who welcomed her as his own daughter.

In the book of Jeremiah, there was one balm in particular mentioned, the balm of Gilead, of which the prophet Jeremiah asked God why He hadn’t supplied this treasured balm to help in the healing of his people and their ways. As we learn more about the balm of Gilead and the multiple ways it is discussed in the Bible, we will start to realize that the balm is also a metaphor for the only one who can save us from a disastrous fate, Jesus Christ.

What does it look like to love our neighbors as ourselves? As we dig more into Scripture, we will see that a neighbor is not just your friendly next-door neighbor but everyone around you.

Let’s get to the heart of the matter: this exact phrase isn’t stated in the Bible. There are several verses that are very close to the wording, but the exact phrase of “this too shall pass” cannot be found in the pages of God’s Word.

We all will justify our words when it comes to cursing, cussing, speaking profanity, letting zingers go, whatever it is you call the use of words when we are angry, sad, trying to be funny, or just speaking in regular conversation.

However, what seems like inconsequential words are actually sins, creating gateways for further, more dangerous sins to be committed. From Jesus to the apostles to Moses, cursing is conveyed in the Scriptures as a big deal to God and an indicator of a carnal-minded person.

But is cursing really a sin? What does the Bible actually say about profanity?

If you have spent any amount of time in your life praying, you likely know that not all prayers get instantly, or ever, fulfilled. But in Scripture, James tells us that we have not because we ask not. So, are we asking wrong? Will God give us whatever we want if we ask the right way? Not exactly, but that doesn't at all mean that we should stop praying.

The Bible has so much to say about love! Whether it's romantic love, agape love, parental love or the love we feel towards and from our Heavenly Father, the verses and stories are almost endless. So when Paul says that of faith, hope and love, the greatest is love, it should come as no surprise. But, aren't the other three important too? Let's take a look at this verse, and why it is so true that love is the cornerstone of both faith and hope.

We see it everywhere in daily life: in court cases, on political campaigns, even in our interactions with our family, friends, and co-workers. Accountability is something that is held in high regard by many, but is actually pretty hard to maintain, especially if you are in a higher form of authority.

Yet accountability is something God sees as very important for us to uphold, being that we are made in His likeness and co-heirs of His kingdom with His son Jesus. The Bible talks at great lengths about accountability, shown through verses and characterized in stories of those who believed in accountability, and those who did not. 

As we unpack the role of accountability in our lives and walks of faith, the hope is that we can match our desires for people to be accountable for their actions and words to what we project of ourselves on a regular basis. Don’t take the mindset of “Do as I say, not as I do,” but more “What I say is what I do.”

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As the popular seventies duo Captain and Tennille famously proclaimed, in one of their hit songs, “Love will keep us together.” And this is true, as love can keep people together in a marriage in the good times and bad.

Every marriage faces challenges at one point in time, from finances to communication issues to meddling family members, but in recent times, marriages have faced hardships that have led many, including Christians, to feel their union isn’t worth saving.

If you are in a struggling marriage and feel like splitting up might be the only way to solve your problems, know that there is help that. When applied, this help can be a major influence in saving your marriage.

What can save your marriage? God’s Word, the Bible, is the best resource to heal and save a marriage, bringing people back into the loving relationship they were always supposed to have.

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"This little light of mine" is a popular Sunday school song with children that draws inspiration from Matthew 5:16. When Jesus instructs His disciples to "let your light so shine before men," what exactly is He saying? What would it look like in our everyday lives if we stoked that internal flame, and shone so others could see Christ?

Self-righteous, priggish, sanctimonious: people with these types of attributes are typically found to be carrying an attitude of believing that they are better than most, if not all. This is someone with a holier-than-thou attitude. Some may believe this is because a person doesn’t know Jesus personally or have a relationship with God, while others might say that some, once they become Christians, begin to cultivate an attitude that others are beneath them, especially those of non-believers.

The phrase, holier than thou, can typically be used to describe this type of person, but what does it mean to be holier than thou? And once you know what it means to be holier than thou, could you actually be exhibiting this behavior and not realize it?

As we learn what it means to act holier than thou, we will also see some classic examples of this personality within the pages of the Bible, even shared in one of Jesus’s most recognizable parables that shows the difference between self-righteousness and humility. Maybe by learning these facts, we can all assess ourselves and determine areas where we carry holier-than-thou attitudes that we need to change.

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“Marriage is what brings us together today”: a famous quote from the romantic classic The Princess Bride, as the main character, Buttercup, begrudgingly is set to wed a man she despises. However, in today’s generation, marriage is usually a happy event where two people are joined together through vows and the promise to love one another until death parts them.

Marriage is also very important to God, as He was the one to establish the first “marriage” when He created Eve for Adam. There are several marriages mentioned within the pages of the Bible and while some cater well to our ideals of marriage (Boaz saw Ruth in the fields and promised to take care of her through marriage), there are others that reflect more the realities of marriage.

The union of marriage is not always easy or joyful, but what these five marriages from the Bible reflect are important truths of marriage and how it is a collaborative effort of the man, woman, and God to create a blessed union that will last a lifetime and beyond.

Before we take a look at the marriages, let's see a few verses on marriage in the Bible.

Genesis 2:24: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

Ephesians 5:25: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."

Proverbs 31:10: "An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels."

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The Bible has 365 reasons to “fear not,” so as you release your fear to God, or when you feel it creep back up into your mind, open the Bible and find these verses.