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“Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.” 1 Kings 4:34 NIV Wisdom. When we hear the word, we think of Solomon, even today. As ruler of Israel, he’d earned a voice in world affairs. God’s gift of wisdom…

“ ‘Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you,’ declares the LORD God.” (Ezekiel 16:14 NASB) I believe God calls. Specifically. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God…

Can you trust God with your worst-case scenario? Job experienced worst-case scenario and then some. The book of Job recorded Job’s cry for God. Though the reader understands the whys and sees Satan behind the tragedy, Job lived in the dark. He wanted answers. He wanted to be heard. He wanted some sense behind his…

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1 NIV Thanksgiving will be here soon and our family will toe the line at the neighborhood Turkey…

The people at Chewy must hate me. I keep changing the shipping date for the dog food. Our puppy is growing. Rapidly. He eats more than double what our aging Lab does and has caught up to him in weight. He’s six months old. Growth requires fuel, even spiritual growth. Valor gets his fuel from…

What happens when the tie that binds comes untied? While God knit David and Jonathan together in 1 Samuel 18, in that same chapter, Saul unraveled. Perfect stitches pulled by an unseen hand. In 1 Samuel 15, God removed His Spirit due to Saul’s repeated disobedience. If the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,…

“Now it came about when he [David] had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.” (1 Samuel 18:1 NASB) Knit together. I love Samuel’s imagery. One soul knit to another’s in friendship. Knitting is no easy task, you know. I…

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?” Romans 2:4 (NIV) A blind eye? Or grace? Life would be easier—spiritually speaking—if God disciplined me every time I sinned. My growth curve would be sharper. I would learn more quickly and…

Camels have extreme thirst. They can drink 30-40 gallons at a time. I think my puppy is part camel. When he drinks, he flops down, wraps his paws around the bowl, and plunges his head in the water dish. Sometimes he goes to the Texas-sized water bowl (the pool) for a drink. He’ll jump in—slurping…

Grace, faith, and works. Incompatible? Or irretrievably interwoven? While grace and faith pair well, works have been the odd man out when it comes to salvation. Yet your concordance will show extensive lists of verses for all three. Have you considered their relationship? Let’s focus on just a few verses that show the tension created…