Scripture Reading — John 15:1-8“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”— John 15:2I don’t know much about plants, but I imagine it might be painful for a vine to go through the pruning process. I al
Scripture Reading — Luke 5:17-26When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”— Luke 5:20Sometimes I find it hard to ask someone for help. I’m not sure if it’s my pride to be independent or my fear of being a burden that gets in the way, but I know there have been times in my
Scripture Reading — Luke 15:4-7“Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’”— Luke 15:6The term “Christian” roughly translates into “little Christ,” meaning that a person who follows Christ is an extension of Jesus and a representative of
Scripture Reading — Hebrews 13:5-6“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.”— Hebrews 13:5-6A fly-fishing enthusiast can tell you about all the excitement that can unfold when you hook a fish much bigger than one you planned for. An angler—tha
Scripture Reading — Psalm 46:1-3God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.— Psalm 46:1When I was a young child, I was often afraid of thunderstorms. The lightning flashes and the rumbling thunder were startling and scary, and I would grow anxious if I heard that a storm was com
Scripture Reading — John 14:15-21“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever. . . .”— John 14:16An advocate offers support and pleads on behalf of someone (or something), ensuring fair and honest treatment. An advocate aims to look after, protect
Scripture Reading — Job 38:22-30“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail . . . ?”— Job 38:22Have you ever noticed that things that looked really big when you were a child don’t seem so big when you are older? I remember walking through my old elementary schoo
Scripture Reading — John 15:11-17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.— Proverbs 17:17One of God’s greatest gifts to humanity is relationships. We are created for relationships; we are designed by God to be in community with others. We will meet many people over
Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 4:8-11Each of you should . . . serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.— 1 Peter 4:10I recently met up with a group of friends I’ve known for many years. During our meal together we laughed at some funny stories and sympathized with some dif
Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:19-25Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.— Hebrews 10:23In the mid-20th century a musician named Albert Goodson wrote a song titled “We’ve Come This Far by Faith.” It soon became popular because it reminded believers to hold
Scripture Reading — Matthew 18:1-5“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”— Matthew 18:3Growing up and getting older can be difficult to do. Our responsibilities and obligations grow, and often our imaginations slowly fade. Th
Scripture Reading — Hebrews 4:14-16Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.— Hebrews 4:16There’s something refreshing about being able to visit a friend without having to ask permission or to call ahead. I
