Before Jesus preached his Sermon on the Mount, large crowds streamed to him: Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among...

But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is...

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on...

When I moved to Colorado in 1980, my first job was delivering flowers to locations in Douglas County. Recipients were delighted as I handed them beautiful arrangements from loved ones — with one memorable exception....

You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:5 NET I have read Jesus’ admonitions in Matthew 7:1-6...

Although we love the idea of diversity, we usually experience the togetherness aspect of Christianity in local, fairly homogenous congregations. Although those settings often provide optimum environments for spiritual growth, grasping the larger picture of...

 – The Spirit’s Inscription on Believing Hearts Our nation accommodates multiple interests. As a result, official calendars are crammed with holidays and observances. A few holidays merit a day off from work, while others are...

In my Nebraska hometown farming community, couples often married young. When I was 15 my mother gave me a marriage hope chest just like this one, even though I had no boyfriend.   I started...

by Kathleen Petersen Earlier this week you received words from some of my fellow Devotional Team members about the shade cast on Jesus’ reputation by dishonorable conduct of self-identified Christians. Such examples prompt doubt that...

by Kathleen Petersen Have you analyzed the tone of this familiar testimony? “I accepted Jesus into my life.”  This statement assumes the power of choice — power to welcome God’s intervention. It also carries a...

by Kathleen Petersen   Now very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from...

by Kathleen Petersen “God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life!” opens the persuasive message of a popular gospel tract. I’m curious. If passages such as the one below were paired with...