Topic:The Illusion of Control Bible in a Year : Psalms 89–90; Romans 14 You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. James 4:14 Ellen Langer’s 1975 study titled The Illusion of Control examined the level of influence we exert over life’s events. She found that we overestimate our degree of control in most situations. The study also demonstrated how …
Read More »
Topic:Jesus in Disguise Bible in a Year : Psalms 87–88; Romans 13 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done. Proverbs 19:17 My son Geoff recently participated in a “homeless simulation.” He spent three days and two nights living on the streets of his city, sleeping outside in …
Read More »
Topic:Celebrating God’s Creativity Bible in a Year : Psalms 84–86; Romans 12 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. Romans 12:6 As music filled the church auditorium, color-blind artist Lance Brown stepped onstage. He stood in front of a large white canvas, with his back to the congregation and dipped his brush into black …
Read More »
Topic:“Though” Bible in a Year : Psalms 81–83; Romans 11:19–36 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:18 In 2017, the opportunity to help people in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in the US prompted a group of us to travel to Houston. Our goal was to encourage people who’d been …
Read More »
Topic:The Power of Encouragement Bible in a Year : Psalms 79–80; Romans 11:1–18 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done. Acts 15:12 When he was a young boy, Benjamin West attempted to draw a picture of his sister, but he succeeded only in making a mess. …
Read More »
Topic:Indestructible Love Bible in a Year : Psalms 77–78; Romans 10 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. Song of Songs 8:7 When we first saw the stream in our backyard, it was just a thin vein of water trickling through a bed of rocks in the heat of the summer. Heavy wooden planks served as a …
Read More »
Topic:Back in the Battle Bible in a Year : Psalms 72–73; Romans 9:1–15 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 As a child, she had hurled vicious words at her parents. Little did she know that those words would be her last …
Read More »
Topic:Will You Come Back? Bible in a Year : Psalms 70–71; Romans 8:22–39 Love [your wife] as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods. Hosea 3:1 Ron and Nancy’s marriage was deteriorating rapidly. She had an affair, but after some time she admitted her sin to God. She knew what He wanted her to do, but …
Read More »
Topic:For Love or Money Bible in a Year : Psalms 63–65; Romans 6 Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. Luke 12:15 Irish poet Oscar Wilde said, “When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old …
Read More »
Topic:From Trash to Treasure Bible in a Year : Psalms 60–62; Romans 5 We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 The trash man’s house sits atop a steep street in a poor Bogota neighborhood. Not one thing about it looks special. Yet the …
Read More »
