This story in Joshua 5 has three points that reflect our humanity, providing worthy goals for us as individuals and as a church. 1....

Did you know that God longs to be with you? Have you ever been in a relationship that felt one-sided?...

God spoke to Moses and told him to tell the people of Israel “I AM” sent him. It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah and Bible....

Do we live life in the shadow of our past failures and regrets—or in the light of future potential? Do we accept failure as our identity—or do we determine that our ability to fail does not make us a failure? Do we see ourselves through the eyes of condemnation, guilt, and shame—or through the eyes of forgiveness? Do we live life refusing to forgive and wanting to get even—or one of love and grace? We are all flawed and imperfect in many ways, but His ways are perfect. His love endures forever, and we need to shout that from the rooftops....

When we make the Word of God, the law of God, the precepts of God, and the statues of God our delight, we will be surely blessed. There will be such a shower of blessings poured on us that we will be unable to contain the joy and exuberance of it all....

Jesus warned us when He said, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak” (Matthew 12:36 NLT). For this reason, it’s wise to watch what we say; and at times it’s even wiser to “zip” our mouths shut....

Are you ready to let God use you in any way He sees fit? What if He asked you to start spreading the Gospel across the globe?...

Have you ever felt like you’ve lost everything—financial security, friends, physical health, family members, a home, a job you loved? If so, you know how debilitating the feeling can be. Thoughts of the death of dreams, separation from loved ones, or a sense of loss, can cause feelings of confusion, anger, shame, and heartbreak, and even crushing grief....

Do you sometimes feel like the world is unraveling? Like love and civility continue to wither while the seeds of distrust and suspicion find fertile ground to thrive. Sharply contrast that with the words of John that close out his gospel letter....

Was there ever a time in life when you went after your goals with unstoppable faith? Did something then happen that discouraged you so much that you felt like giving up on those goals? Are you living your life in the shadow of past failures or in the light of future potential? Has your ability to fail made you feel like a failure? We can choose to see life through eyes of condemnation and shame, or we can live life in Christ—forgiven and redeemed. We can live life forgiving those who’ve wronged us, or we can let ourselves be consumed with bitterness and revenge....