"Silent Night" is a traditional Christmas carol that is usually sung by candlelight on Christmas Eve. But who wrote this song, where did it come from, and how did it come to be so popular? From beginnings in an Austrian town over 200 years ago, "Silent Night" has gone on to become one of the world's top Christmas songs. 

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1).

Hate is defined as an extreme dislike or disgust (hostility or aversion) for someone or something “usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). 

There are two types of hate in Scripture: 1) a turning of your back on someone for a godly purpose and 2) a lack of love. 

For instance, we are told in Scripture to “hate” our father and mother . . . even our own life in order to be a disciple of Christ (Luke 14:26). This type of hate is a rejection rather than a lack of love. God Himself “hated” Esau, as in He rejected Esau (Malachi 1:3, Romans 9:13). God is love (1 John 4:7-8) and cannot go against His own character.

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Song of Solomon may seem to have nothing to do with God, but romantic love has everything to do with God! It is completely accurate to say that God is the inventor and author of romantic love which naturally makes Him the authority on the subject! Therefore, we should care very much about what God thinks about romance and marriage.

Living a Christian life is not something we clock in and out of. It's no 9-5, and then on the weekends we can live as we please. But does God have an opinion about how we spend our free time? The Apostle Paul says to do everything for His glory, but does that include cooking, exercising, walking the dog, watching Netflix?

It’s easy to either trivialize or dramatize the happenings that have made up 2020 so far. We’ve heard it all from “It’s just a political hoax” to “The world is ending.” One thing is for sure though, it has been a year of losses. So many major life events have had to be canceled or postponed, such as: vacations, missions’ trips, camps/conferences, graduations, birthday/anniversary parties, reunions, weddings, honeymoons, funerals/memorial services, etc.

For others, the losses have been even more tragic including the loss of jobs or income and the deaths of loved ones. Whether you have lost a lot or a little, this year has impacted us all in ways we will never forget.

So do we toss it up to a lost year? Does Scripture have any advice?

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In Deuteronomy, God says that the Israelites are His "treasured possession." So, does this mean that God is racist? Or to a lesser extent, is He showing preference for one group over another? Not at all! Let's take a deeper look at Scripture, and five specific examples of how God's grace and plan for redemption stretches to every nation, every culture, and every person on earth. 

It seems like the whole world is quarantined, housebound, or in isolation right now due to the coronavirus (COVID 19). Does the Bible have any advice for us during this time? Yes, in fact, it does. The Apostle Paul spent a great deal of time in prison, captivity, and under house arrest. During one of those times, he wrote a letter to his mentee, Timothy, giving him the following advice that can give us hope and comfort as well: 

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained” (2 Timothy 2:1-9).

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We all try to work hard, but we're human and sometimes we need a break. But when that break melts into laziness, particularly spiritual laziness, problems can arise. Does God care about idleness, and if so, what does the Bible say? What are we called to do with out time, talent and treasure to build up the Church?

The Old Testament is often accused of being outdated and hard to read as a modern Christian. But in Genesis 37, 39-47 we see a story that could have come right out of our evening news. Joseph has been set up in Potiphar's house and is trusted with everything the Egyptian official owns. Except one thing. Potiphar's wife begins to notice Joseph and tries to seduce him repeatedly. But Joseph resists. Although these words were penned thousands of years ago, they still hold lessons for us today about how to flee sexual temptation, and the havoc that it can cause. 

Why would God seemingly allow most people to get married or find romantic love and leave me single? I’ve asked this question along with several others like it. What is God’s reason for not answering this prayer? I don’t know why God has answered with a “no” or “not yet,” but He has answered, and I believe, whether you’ve been single for one year or fifty, the following are God’s purposes for your singleness (and mine):

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Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to "guard your heart with all diligence," but why is that so important and how do we apply it to our everyday lives? What happens if we don't guard our hearts? 

David was a shepherd; Jonathan was a prince. Jonathan had his own armor; David had a harp and a slingshot. Jonathan grew up in the palace and was trained in the art of war; David grew up in the “little town of Bethlehem” and was trained to tend sheep. Despite their differences, they were, arguably, the best friends the world has ever known. Jonathan and David came from very different backgrounds, but they had a few key things in common, and their friendship has many timeless lessons for us today.

The disciple who walked to Jesus on the water was the same one who denied Jesus three times. Simon Peter (Simon son of John/Jonah, given the name Peter, Petros, or Cephas meaning “rock” by Christ) was a spiritually complex individual. He ran hard after Christ but often fell flat on his face. Can you relate? Was he always such a hot mess, spiritually speaking?

Think of a wise woman you know personally. What makes her wise in your mind? Perhaps she is knowledgeable, hospitable, charitable, loving, nurturing, self-controlled, kind, content, financially savvy, generous, a teacher, mentor, example to the next generation, faithful friend, lover of God, etc.

Personally, I have always been inspired and captivated by strong, wise women, both in real life and also in literature and movies. As a child and even into my teen and young adult years, I wanted to be like Nancy Drew, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Anne of Green Gables, and many others. Women who were intelligent, independent, imaginative, engaging, admired, strong-willed, gifted, secure – these were my heroes growing up. But what does the Bible say makes a woman wise?

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