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    Of Spiders and God’s Presence

    Spiders. I don’t know any kid who likes them. At least not in their rooms . . . at bedtime. But as she was getting ready for bed, my daughter spied one dangerously close to her bed. “Daaaad!!!!! Spiiiderrr!!!!!” she hollered. Despite my determination, I couldn’t find the eight-legged interloper. “He’s not going to hurt you,” I reassured her. She wasn’t convinced. It wasn’t until I told her I’d stay next to her top bunk and stand guard that she agreed to get in bed.

    As my daughter settled in, I held her hand. I told her, “I love you so…

    What’s The Difference Between Healthy And Unhealthy Fear

    When we’re faced with something scary, there are two natural reactions, fight or flight! And when Moses encountered a talking, burning bush,  he was plenty scared. He hid his face, but he didn’t run. Today on Discover the Word, the team shows us the difference between healthy and unhealthy fear. Be listening to their series […]

    Hiding From God

    Do you remember playing “hide and seek” as a kid? Well today on Discover the Word,  the team talks about the most lopsided game of “hide and seek” ever recorded! They’re opening to Genesis chapter 3 for a conversation about Adam and Eve hiding from God. Be part of the first conversation in their series […]

    Trust Me

    After graduation from college, I had a low-paying job. Money was tight, and sometimes I didn’t even have enough for my next meal. I learned to trust God for my daily provision.

    It reminded me of the prophet Elijah’s experience. During his prophetic ministry, he learned to trust God to meet his daily needs. Shortly after Elijah pronounced God’s judgment of a drought in Israel, God sent him to a deserted place, Kerith Ravine, where He used the ravens to bring Elijah his daily meals and refresh him with water from the brook (1 Kings 17:1–4).

    But a drought occurred. The brook shrank…

    Everywhere and Nowhere

    A family friend who, like us, lost a teenager in a car accident wrote a tribute to her daughter, Lindsay, in the local paper. One of the most powerful images in her essay was this: After mentioning the many pictures and remembrances of Lindsay she had put around their house, she wrote, “She is everywhere, but nowhere.”

    Although our daughters still smile back at us from their photos, the spirited personalities that lit up those smiles are nowhere to be found. They are everywhere—in our hearts, in our thoughts, in all those photos—but nowhere.

    But Scripture tells us that, in Christ, Lindsay…

    A Blanket for Everyone

    Linus Van Pelt, better known as simply “Linus,” was a mainstay in the  comic strip. Witty and wise, yet insecure, Linus constantly carried a security blanket. We can identify. We have our fears and insecurities too.

    The disciple Peter knew something about fear. When Jesus was arrested, Peter displayed courage by following the Lord into the courtyard of the high priest. But then, he began to show his fear by lying to protect his identity (John 18:15–18). He spoke disgraceful words that denied his Lord. But Jesus never stopped loving Peter and ultimately restored him (see John 21:15–19).

    Peter’s emphasis on love…

    Listening to His Voice

    I’m hard of hearing—“deaf in one ear and can’t hear out of the other,” as my father used to say. So I wear a set of hearing aids.

    Most of the time the devices work well, except in environments where there’s a lot of surrounding noise. In those settings, my hearing aids pick up every voice in the room and I cannot hear the person in front of me.

    So it is with our culture: a cacophony of sounds can drown out God’s quiet voice. “Where shall the Word be found, where will the Word resound?” poet T.S. Eliot asks. “Not here,…

    It Is Amazing!

    In our natural state, we all fall short of it (Romans 3:23).

    Jesus was the radiance of it (Hebrews 1:3), and those who knew Him saw it (John 1:14).

    In the Old Testament, it filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34–35), and the Israelites were led by it.

    And we are promised that at the end of time, heaven will shine with it in splendor so great there will be no need for the sun (Revelation 21:23).

    What is the “it” in all those statements above?

    It is the glory of God. And He is amazing!

    Throughout the Bible we are told that we can enjoy glimpses of God’s magnificent glory as we dwell on…

    “A Mighty Fortress”

    Do you have a favorite hymn? Well, for hundreds of years, Martin Luther’s classic hymn, “A Mighty Fortress” has served as a favorite for many. And today on Discover the Word, the team wraps up a weeklong discussion on Psalm 46, the psalm that inspired this powerful, and beautiful song. Find the protection and comfort […]

    Seeing God As Your Mighty Fortress

    “A mighty fortress is our God.” The words of Martin Luther’s classic hymn ring through the ages, as a reminder of God’s love and protection. And today on Discover the Word, we’ll dig into the psalm that inspired Luther’s famous hymn. Learn to see how God is your “Mighty Fortress” when you listen today to […]

    National Treasure

    When an advertiser altered a photo of Michelangelo’s famous marble sculpture of the biblical hero David, Italy’s government and gallery officials objected. Picturing David with a military rifle slung over his shoulder (instead of his slingshot) would be a violation—“like taking a hammer to it or worse,” a cultural official said.

    In first-century Jerusalem, David was remembered as the shepherd-songwriter and soldier-king of Israel’s fondest memories and greatest hopes Prophets foretold that David’s descendant would finally defeat the enemies of Israel. So, centuries later, when crowds welcomed Jesus as the Son of David (Matthew 21:6–9) they were expecting him to lead the…

    Discover How You Can Experience True Peace

    What does it mean for there to be “peace”? Today on Discover the Word, the team will show us that peace isn’t just a lack of conflict,  but a filling of God’s presence. Find out how you can experience true peace when you tune in today, to Discover the Word.

    Discovering Your Safe Refuge . . . In The Midst Of Life’s Storms

    In the midst of life’s storms, we have a safe refuge,  “A Mighty Fortress.” Today on Discover the Word, the team will take us back to Psalm 46, to study one of the most comforting songs in the history of the world. I hope you’ll join us today for Discover the Word!

    The Dilemma of Obedience

    Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. —1 Samuel 3:15

    God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand. Then we say, “I wonder if that is God’s voice?” Isaiah said that the Lord spoke to him “with a strong hand,” that is, by the pressure of his circumstances (Isaiah 8:11). Without the…

    Able and Available

    My husband was at work when I received news about my mom’s cancer diagnosis. I left him a message and reached out to friends and family. None were available. Covering my face with trembling hands, I sobbed. “Help me, Lord.” A resulting assurance that God was with me comforted me through those moments when I felt utterly alone.

    I thanked the Lord when my husband came home and support from friends and family trickled in. Still, the calming awareness of God’s presence that I sensed in those first few hours of lonely grieving affirmed that God is readily and faithfully available…