George Bernard Shaw said, “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.” We are in all kinds of communities, and we should be grateful for each of them. There are of course the...

People who are ill at home, in the hospital, and in nursing homes need care far beyond medical attention. Especially at this time of year, we can find ourselves in hospital elevators or pulling into unfamiliar driveways to offer a kind word and warm presence....

Psalm 119:33-40 Your Story Talk about a time when someone helped you follow the rules. Maybe it was a friend of yours, or perhaps it was one of your parents or a teacher. How did they help you follow the rules? Were you able to follow them after that? My Story...

1 Peter 2:1-12 It’s amazing how much our self-perception depends on what other people say about us. People who’ve been told they don’t have what it takes to succeed often don’t. People who’ve been told they are valued and capable tend to live into the...

Ezekiel 33:7-12, 17-20 Today’s lesson text highlights the responsibility of the prophet Ezekiel: he must preach repentance to the people. Whether they listen to him and turn away from wickedness is not his ultimate concern. Repentance will be their choice, not...

I’ve recently been a part of discussions on taking a new approach toward inviting people to and engaging them in our church—Bible study as outreach. As strategies go, it’s so obvious it’s a little embarrassing that we are just now seizing on the idea. It...

Monday’s child is fair of face, Tuesday’s child is full of grace, Wednesday’s child is full of woe, Thursday’s child has far to go, Friday’s child is loving and giving, Saturday’s child works hard for his living, But the child that is born on the Sabbath day Is...

Exodus 3:1-15 Your Story Has there been a time in your life when God used something to speak to you and because you were paying attention, you knew you had heard from God? My Story and the Bible Story A friend of mine found her calling as a kindergarten teacher...

1 Peter 1:3-12 A. T. Robertson is one of my heroes. “Dr. Bob,” as his students called him, was perhaps the greatest Greek scholar Southern Baptists have ever produced, teaching a hundred years ago at the denomination’s flagship seminary. He wrote a monumental...

Jeremiah 15:11-21 Of all the descriptions we might apply to the Bible—holy, inspired, encouraging, uplifting—one we might not usually consider is ironic. In Jeremiah 15:11, God speaks to the prophet. The first phrase sounds like the Bible we expect: holy,...